Bia Temple

Bia Temple is a temple located in Tuệ Tĩnh commune, Hải Phòng city, Vietnam. It is one of three special national relics dedicated to the Great Physician – Zen Master Tuệ Tĩnh in Cẩm Giàng district (together with Xưa Temple and Giám Pagoda).

Bia Temple is situated in the western fields of Văn Thai hamlet, Cẩm Văn commune. Inside the temple is a stone stele from the Later Lê period, a relic commemorating the physician Tuệ Tĩnh, which is why the temple is named Bia Temple ("Stele Temple").

The temple was originally built during the Lê dynasty and was rebuilt in 1936, following the architectural style of "tiền nhất hậu chữ Đinh" (the front in the shape of the character "nhất" 一, the rear in the shape of the character "Đinh" 丁), with the main façade facing north. Today, Bia Temple is a spacious and imposing structure covering an area of 4 hectares, divided into three zones with all main and auxiliary buildings:

The worship area consists of five structures: the ceremonial gate (nghi môn), the water tomb (thủy lăng), a stone screen (bức bình phong), and on either side, two rows of left and right auxiliary halls (tả vu, hữu vu).

The medical area comprises three buildings: the house for pulse diagnosis and prescription, the house for dispensing medicine, and the house for medical examination and treatment.

The medicinal garden: this is a southern medicinal herb garden covering 1,200 m², divided into nine plots corresponding to nine remedies for nine groups of diseases as guided by the Ministry of Health, including: fever and cold, boils, menstrual regulation, bone and joint pain, cough, dysentery, diarrhoea, dengue fever, and viral hepatitis.