Vietnam Pagodas

Tư Khánh Pagoda

Hà Nội(Chùa Tư Khánh)

Tư Khánh Pagoda

Overview & history

Tư Khánh Pagoda, also known as Vẽ Pagoda or Cả Pagoda, is located in Đông Ngạc commune, Từ Liêm district, Hà Nội, about 10 km northeast of the city centre. The pagoda belongs to the Northern School (Bắc tông) and was built during the Later Lê dynasty. An inscription stele from the reign of Lê Thần Tông records the meritorious deeds of Mr. Nguyễn Phúc Ninh and Mrs. Trần Thị Ngọc Luân, who contributed to the restoration of the large pagoda.

The pagoda is constructed in an architectural style comprising a three-entrance gate (tam quan), bell tower, square house with a layered roof (mái chồng diêm), main pagoda, and Tổ house (ancestral hall). The main pagoda is structured in the shape of the letter Đinh (丁), including a front hall (tiền đường) with 3 bays and 2 wings, and a rear sanctuary (hậu cung) with a layered roof. The Buddha hall (Điện Phật) is solemnly arranged. The pagoda still preserves 5 elaborately crafted statues in the artistic style of the 18th–19th centuries, as well as many ancient worship objects.

In 1993, Tư Khánh Pagoda was classified as a national architectural and artistic heritage site and placed under protection by Decision 2015/QĐ-BT issued by the Minister of Culture and Information.

Sangha

The pagoda belongs to the Đào Xuyên patriarchal lineage (sơn môn tổ đình Đào Xuyên).

Most Venerable Thích Thanh Lộc.

Elder Monk Thích Thanh Giang, martyr in the resistance against the French.

Elder Nun Thích Thanh Diệu, martyr in the resistance against the French.

Venerable Thích Thanh Hùng: born in 1962, ordained as a bhikṣu (tỳ kheo) in 1981.

Photos

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Visiting tips

  • Dress modestly; remove hats and keep quiet inside the main hall.
  • Incense, flowers and offerings are usually sold right outside the gate; light an odd number of sticks (1 or 3).
  • Most pagodas open from early morning to evening and are free to enter (some major sites charge a small scenic fee).
  • Full-moon days, the 1st of the lunar month and Tet are very crowded; visit on weekday mornings for a quiet experience.
  • Ask permission before photographing inside shrines; do not touch statues or altar objects.

Read more & references

Useful links to learn more before your visit:

Location

Coordinates: 21.02882, 105.88136

🧭 Directions on Google Maps

References

Other pagodas in Hà Nội

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Chùa Bà Đá
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Chùa Bà Nành (Hà Nội)
Chùa Bà Nành (Hà Nội)
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Chùa Bà Ngô (Hà Nội)
Chùa Bà Ngô (Hà Nội)
Bà Ngô Pagoda is an ancient pagoda in Hà Nội, dating back to the reign of King Lý Nhân Tông. Its formal name is Ngọc Hồ Tự, also known as Ngọc Hồ Pagoda, and it is currently located at 128 Nguyễn Khuyến Street, Văn Miếu Ward, Hà Nội. The French used to call it Sinh Từ Pagoda, as it is situated on Sinh Từ Street. Over nearly 900 years of existence, Bà Ngô Pagoda has preserved many stone steles, parallel sentences, and a large number of relics in various forms such as imperial thrones, ancestral tablets, ritual objects, and more. The pagoda is a beautiful and unique religious structure, closely associated with many legends and figures throughout the development of Thăng Long - Hà Nội's history.