CO MIEU PAGODA

Co Mieu Pagoda is located at 312 Lang Street, Thinh Quang Ward, Dong Da District, Hanoi City. This was formerly the land of An Lang, Quang Duc, Phung Thien in the Le Dynasty. In the Nguyen Dynasty, it belonged to Tong Ha, Vinh Thuan, Hoai Duc district, Hanoi province.

According to the legend and the retrospective of the elders in the village, Co Mieu Pagoda originated from an ancient temple on the bank of To Lich river. After that the dyke was broken, the temple was ruined. On that ground, the villagers built a pagoda to worship Buddha for the local people.

In addition to worshiping Buddha, Co Mieu pagoda also worships Duc Thanh Tran Hung Dao, a national hero who led the Dai Viet army to defeat the Yuan- Mongol invaders in 1285 and 1288. Over time, the pagoda was repaired many times in 1849, 1869, 1895, 1899. According to the stele installed in 1899 which still exists, it shows that the ancient Co Mieu pagoda was quite large, surrounded by many ancient trees. However, due to the process of urbanization, the pagoda was narrowed compared to the old one.

Currently, the pagoda is located in the southwestern direction overlooking To Lich river. The current architectural parts include: Three-Jewels house, Patriarch house, Mother Goddess House and Reception House and Tomb Tower. All are planned in a closed campus separate from surrounding residential areas.

The Three-Door Gate of the pagoda consists of three gates built with arches, in the form of a stack of matches with two floors and eight tiled roofs. The middle of the roof-top is decorated with patterns of two dragons facing the sun, four roof corners are decorated with four stylized dragons. The two side gates were built lower than the main gate with the tiled roof and the pillars are carved with the parallel sentences in Chinese language.

The Front Hall consists of three compartments, constructed with bricks in the gable-wall style, and roofed with ri tiles. The framework comprises four truss systems interconnected using the "Stacked Beams and Intermediate Supports" technique, with the interior divided into uneven compartments. The central compartment is wider than the two side ones to facilitate the performance of religious ceremonies.

The Main Hall is an architectural structure positioned perpendicular to the Front Hall, forming a "Đinh" (J-shaped) layout. The roof-supporting framework is constructed in the traditional "Stacked Beams and Intermediate Supports" style. Below are arranged tiers of Buddha statues, including the Three Worlds Buddha, Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara of the Southern Sea, Nine Dragons, Jade Emperor, Nam Tao, and Bac Dau. In addition, the Front Hall houses statues of figures such as Encouraging Good - Punishing Evil, the Virtuous Duke, and the Holy Monk.

The Patriarch house is constructed in a "Đinh" (J-shaped) layout, consisting of a five-compartment Front Hall and a three-compartment Harem. The framework features the "Stacked Beams with Lower Supports" structure. The decorative elements are concentrated on the beams and stone columns, showcasing themes such as pine, bamboo, chrysanthemum, apricot, curled leaves, fret patterns, and spiral clouds, reflecting the artistic style of the Nguyen dynasty. Within the compartments are altars dedicated to Bodhidharma and the late abbots of the temple.

The Mother Goddess Hall consists of four compartments, built in the gable-wall style with a tiled roof. The framework is simply constructed using the "Cross-Beam on Wall Supports" structure. The central compartment is dedicated to the Three Palaces of the Mother Goddesses and the Council of Deities, while the two side compartments honor Saint Tran and the Fourth Mother Goddess of Mountain.

Experiencing many ups and downs of history, Co Mieu pagoda still preserves the system of objects that demonstrates the existence and operation of the relic, including: more than 20 round statues, 7 great letter boards, 9 pairs of parallel sentences, 4 Thieu Chau doors painting in fresco, 7 stone steles, 1 bronze bell etc. with the dating of the nineteenth-twentieth century. The notable thing is the system of Buddha statues in the pagoda which are beautifully created, elaborately rich in art. The statues of high artistic value, such as the Three Worlds Buddha, Amitabha, and Avalokiteshvara of the Southern Sea, exhibit the artistic style of the 19th century. They are characterized by sharp, refined details and embody the standards of contemporary sculpture of that era.

Co Mieu Pagoda is a place of spiritual activities of the local community, aiming to direct people to the good things in life. The pagoda is a place for people to send all joys, sorrows and wishes for a happy and peaceful life.

Co Mieu Pagoda was classified as a national relic in 1996.