Bà Tấm Pagoda

Bà Tấm Pagoda (Temple dedicated to Consort - Empress Dowager Ỷ Lan) is located in Dương Xá commune, Gia Lâm district, on the outskirts of Hanoi.

Bà Tấm Pagoda was built during the Lý dynasty. The establishment of the pagoda is associated with Consort - Empress Dowager Ỷ Lan, a famous figure of the Lý royal court. She was skilled in governing the country (serving as regent twice), harmonised the hearts of the people, brought peace to the nation, and inspired the populace to revere Buddhism, venerating her as the Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara (Phật Bà Quan Âm).

This pagoda was originally founded by her; she was a daughter of this village and married King Lý Thánh Tông. She is popularly known as Bà Tấm, embodying compassion, virtue, and goodness.

In 1117, when she passed away, a temple dedicated to her was also built.

Currently, the pagoda still preserves many valuable artefacts of historical and cultural significance, such as two lion statues (altar pedestals), very large in size, carved from single blocks of stone, 1.2m high and 1.36m wide, in a crouching posture with particularly graceful lines. The lion at Ỷ Lan Temple is playing with a pearl, with the character 'Vương' (King) carved on its forehead, affirming its status as king of all beasts and also symbolising the authority of the royal dynasty.

Within the temple, there is also a stone stair rail carved in high relief with dragons and kylins running downwards. The stone rail is 1.3m long and 0.8m high. There are also architectural terracotta artefacts from the Lý period preserved at the site.

The rear sanctuary of the temple houses a beautifully crafted statue of Ỷ Lan, depicted as Consort, together with six court ladies. The outer chamber contains a worship throne and several ritual objects. On the throne is an ancestral tablet inscribed: 'Third Empress Dowager of the Lý dynasty.'

Every year, on the 19th, 20th, and 21st days of the second lunar month, the people of nine communes of the Dương Quang canton (from Phú Thị to Văn Lâm district, Hưng Yên) and villages that cultivate the temple's endowed fields all organise a festival. The main festival day is the 19th of the second lunar month, said to be her birthday.

In addition, there are many stone steles from the Lê and Nguyễn dynasties (one stele dated the 7th year of Dương Hoà era - 1641; one stele dated the 17th year of Hoằng Định era - 1617; two steles dated the 7th year of Đức Long era - 1635; one stele dated the 18th year of Bảo Đại era - 1943) and a system of stone column bases, notably sandstone bases from the Lý - Trần periods, as well as many other artefacts from the Lê - Nguyễn periods.

The festival of Bà Tấm Pagoda (Ỷ Lan Temple), Dương Xá commune, Gia Lâm district, Hanoi city, takes place annually from the 19th to the 21st day of the second lunar month, with the main festival day on the 20th. This is a major festival that attracts large numbers of visitors from all directions.