Bạch Mã Temple

Bạch Mã Temple (Formal name: "Bạch Mã Tối Linh Từ") is one of the four guardian temples (tứ trấn) of the ancient Thăng Long Citadel, which includes four temples: Quán Thánh Temple (guarding the North of the citadel); Kim Liên Temple (guarding the South); Voi Phục Temple (guarding the West); and Bạch Mã Temple (guarding the East), located at 76 Hàng Buồm Street, Hoàn Kiếm Ward, Hanoi City.

In the past, the site where Bạch Mã Temple stands belonged to Hà Khẩu Ward, Đông Thọ District, Thọ Xương County, Hoài Đức Prefecture, Thăng Long.

Bạch Mã Temple was built in the 9th century to worship the deity Long Đỗ (Dragon's Navel)—the original tutelary god of ancient Hanoi. In the 10th century, when Đinh Bộ Lĩnh led his army to quell rebellions, he came to Bạch Mã Temple on the eastern side of Đại La Citadel to perform a ritual, praying to the deity for the nation's peace and prosperity, promising to confer titles to honour the deity's spiritual power. Đinh Bộ Lĩnh then went to Đặng Xá Village (Kim Bảng Ward, Ninh Bình) to recruit troops, and from then on, he was victorious everywhere, earning the title Vạn Thắng Vương and pacifying the 12 warlords. After unifying the country and returning to Đặng Xá Village, King Đinh Tiên Hoàng dreamed of a deity who introduced himself as the Bạch Mã Deity, saying: "I have obeyed the Heavenly Emperor's command, following the king to fight the enemy. Now that the world is at peace, the king has not yet offered thanks, which is not proper ritual." Upon waking, the king realised the deity was truly efficacious, so he conferred a beautiful title: Hộ Quốc Bảo Cảnh Linh Thông Tế Thế, Đô Đại Thành Hoàng Linh Lang Bạch Mã Đại Vương Thượng Đẳng Phúc Thần. Đinh Tiên Hoàng sent an envoy with the royal decree to Đặng Xá, instructing the people to build another temple to worship Bạch Mã Deity in the homeland of Empress Dương Thị Nguyệt, called the Linh Lang Bạch Mã Deity Temple. In the Nguyễn dynasty, in the 9th year of Đồng Khánh, the king conferred the title Hàm Quang Thượng Đẳng Thần, granting special permission for worship, to commemorate the nation's joy and to clarify the ritual regulations. Therefore, today in Kim Bảng there is also a Bạch Mã Temple worshipping the deity from the capital Thăng Long.

In 1010, when Lý Thái Tổ moved the capital from Hoa Lư to Thăng Long and tried to build the citadel, the walls repeatedly collapsed. The king ordered prayers at the temple of Long Đỗ deity, and saw a white horse emerge from the temple. The king followed the horse's hoofprints, drew up the plan for the citadel, and the new walls stood firm. The deity was then appointed by King Lý Thái Tổ as the tutelary god of Thăng Long Citadel.

According to the existing stele at the temple, Bạch Mã Temple underwent major restoration during the Chính Hòa era (1680–1705) under Lê Hy Tông, and in the 20th year of Minh Mệnh (1839) it was further restored: the temple was repaired, a separate literary shrine was built, and a pavilion (Phương đình) was constructed, making the scale increasingly grand and the setting solemn, renowned in this sacred land.

Currently, the temple has a large architectural scale, facing south, consisting of the Nghi môn (ceremonial gate), Phương đình (pavilion), Đại bái (main ceremonial hall), Thiêu hương (incense burning hall), Cung cấm (sanctuary), and a council house at the rear. These components are arranged longitudinally within an enclosed space. The temple's existing architecture mainly reflects the artistic style of the Nguyễn dynasty (19th century). A prominent feature of the temple's structure is the entirely wooden frame with large ironwood columns, and the roof-supporting trusses are built in the "giá chiêng chồng rường con nhị" style. Especially notable is the "three-direction bracket system" in the pavilion, which both bears weight and serves as an artistic work and as a place to hang lanterns during festivals, as well as the "crab shell vault" structure supporting the eaves of the incense hall. On the wooden beams, purlins, crossbeams, and trusses, there are many decorative panels with diverse themes and strong, bold carvings.

Inside the temple, in the inner pavilion, on the left there is an incense burner and altar; outside, there is a shrine to Tề Vương Phi, and on the right of the pavilion is the altar to Bể Núi. The incense hall and sanctuary contain altars and ritual objects.

The temple still preserves many valuable ancient artefacts such as stone steles, royal decrees, palanquins, worship cranes, a pair of guardian statues. Along with its artistic architectural values, Bạch Mã Temple is a precious source of material for research and understanding of Thăng Long–Hanoi in many aspects.

With more than a thousand years of history, Bạch Mã Temple is one of the outstanding architectural and artistic monuments of the capital, Hanoi.