Hanoi Things to Do Tips by KhanhLy

On Hoan Kiem Lake is Ngoc Son Temple. Pay your entrance fee and cross over the red bridge to see the temple.

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Directions: Hoan Kiem Lake/Old Quarters

The Temple of Literature built in the later part of the ninth part of the century, in honor of Confucius, his followers and Chu Van An, a moral figure in Vietnamese education. Six years later, Quốc Tụ Giam, the first university of Vietnam was on the premises of Van Mieu. It was the first educational school for royal family members, admitted only princes and it opened later to talented students.

After years of study, students were allowed to take the first-degree examinations held once every three years. Those with the highest marks in this exam were named bachelors. A year later, they would travel to the capital to take part in a further set of examinations. Those with the highest marks became were awarded a doctorate. As a Ph.D., a scholar was then eligible to join the ranks of the mandarins.

In the past, Van Mieu was held in great reverence not only as a major centre of Confucian thought and study, but also for its status as the apogee of learning in Vietnam and the only route to becoming a mandarin. Regardless of rank, those on horseback were obliged to dismount and walk their steeds when passing the in front of the complex.

Throughout its hundreds of years of activity in the feudal, thousands of Vietnamese scholars graduated from this university.
*** NOTE *** If you want to use the restroom here, you'll have to pay extra. There is a box there to collect money when using the restroom. While I was there, there was an attendant there, making sure you put money in the box. *****

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The Old Quarters is known for their 36 streets, each named for the merchandise sold on that street. The guild streets were named for their products, service or location.

We started out at Ngoc Son Temple in the northern end of Hoan Kiem Lake. Headed north on Pho Hang Dau, we were soon surrounded by shoe shops selling every shape, size and style. The only thing that kept me from buying all those shoes was that I only had a single backpack to carry everything.

We crossed over to Pho Cau Go (meaning Wooden Bridge) to Pho Hang Be (bamboo rafts), continue north to the 'T' intersection with Pho Hang Bac (silversmiths). Near here are several shops, where artisians carve intricate gravestones by hand, bearing an image of the deceased. A short detour north on Pho Ma (sold sacred joss/votive papers) lead you to the Memorial House at number 87. We toured this Chinese merchant's home, recently restored and opened as a museum.

Returned to Pho Hang Bac (meaning silver) and head west, then right onto Pho Hang Ngang (Transversal Street), right again onto Pho Hang Buom (sails). We stopped at the Bach Ma Temple, with its red funeral palanquin. Legend has it that Ly King used the pagoda to pray for assistance in building the city walls because they persistently collapsed, no matter how many times he rebuilt them. His prayers were finally answered when a white horse appeared out of the temple and guided him to the site where he could safely build his walls. Evidence of his success is still visible at Cua O Quan Chuong, the quarter's Old East Gate at the eastern end of Pho Hang Chieu (mats), near the intersection with Pho Tran Nhat Duat.

It was so hot and we were exhausted, so we took a cab over to the striking neo-Gothic St. Joseph Cathedral, noteworthy for its square towers, elaborate altar and colourful stained-glass windows. It was built in 1886. The church was re-opened in 1992 when freedom to practice Catholicism was reinstated. We wandered around the back, where there is a Catholic school, now owned by the government.

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