In front of you is the gate of Văn Miếu, the Temple of Literature, one of the most revered places in Hanoi. For centuries, the elite who governed the country were trained behind these walls.

1A temple and a university

According to the chronicles, the temple was built in 1070 under Emperor Lý Thánh Tông to honour Confucius and his disciples. Six years later, in 1076, Lý Nhân Tông founded the Quốc Tử Giám here, the Imperial Academy, regarded as Vietnam's first university. It ran until 1779; afterwards the Nguyễn dynasty moved the capital to Huế and the academy lost its role.

2The doctors' turtles

In 1484 Emperor Lê Thánh Tông ordered the names of those who passed the toughest imperial examinations to be carved in stone. Today 82 steles survive, each resting on a turtle, a symbol of longevity and wisdom. They record 1,307 doctors from the exams held between 1442 and 1779, and are listed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register.

Before their exams, many students still come here to ask for luck. For years people rubbed the turtles' heads; today they are protected by a barrier.

Inside, the Constellation of Literature Pavilion, Khuê Văn Các, built in 1805, is now the official symbol of Hanoi and appears on the 100,000-dong banknote.

3What to look for

  • The four pillars in front of the gate, and the side steles that ordered riders to dismount.
  • The bell hanging in the gateway's upper pavilion.
  • The three passages through the gate: the central one was reserved for the emperor.
The Khuê Văn Các pavilion on four white pillars at the Temple of Literature
The Constellation of Literature Pavilion (1805), a symbol of Hanoi.
Stone stele on a turtle carved with the names of doctoral laureates
One of the 82 doctors' steles, each resting on a turtle.

Documented

The temple was founded in 1070 and the Imperial Academy in 1076; the 82 surviving steles record the examinations held from 1442 to 1779.

Oral tradition

Asking for exam luck by touching the turtles is a popular custom, not a documented ancient rite.

Sources and credits

Văn Miếu – Quốc Tử Giám Centre for Cultural and Scientific Activities (official website); UNESCO Memory of the World, «Stone stele records of royal examinations of the Le and Mac dynasties (1442–1779)»; Vietnamese Wikipedia, «Văn Miếu – Quốc Tử Giám».

Photos:

  • Entrance gate of the Temple of Literature in Hanoi, with its bell pavilion on top: Daderot, CC0.
  • The Khuê Văn Các pavilion on four white pillars at the Temple of Literature: Christophe95, CC BY-SA 4.0.
  • Stone stele on a turtle carved with the names of doctoral laureates: Mig Gilbert, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Spotted a mistake? Drop us a line and we’ll look into it.