Nestled amidst the peaceful beauty of the Mekong Delta, Ba Chua Xu Temple is not only a famous tourist destination but also a sacred stopover, attracting millions of visitors every year. For those who love to explore spiritual culture and want to learn more about Vietnamese beliefs, Ba Chua Xu Temple offers a unique experience combining pristine nature, long history and vibrant festival atmosphere. Ba Chua Xu Temple has become an unmissable destination for international visitors to Vietnam, offering a journey to discover profound spiritual values and experience the cultural identity of the West.
Introduction to Ba Chua Xu Temple - Chau Doc
Ba Chua Xu Temple - Chau Doc
Ba Chua Xu Temple is located at the foot of Sam Mountain, Nui Sam Ward, Chau Doc City, An Giang Province, Vietnam. Built with a unique architecture, the temple leans against Sam Mountain and faces a large field, which has a feng shui significance. With its back against the mountain and facing the open space, Ba Chua Xu Temple is considered a spiritual gathering place, a place where heaven and earth and people meet.
Ba Chua Xu Temple is one of the most sacred places of worship in the Southwest region, attracting millions of pilgrims every year. People come here to pray for peace, blessings and to pay their respects to Ba Chua Xu - the deity believed to have the power to bless the people of this land.
Ba Chua Xu Temple has been recognized by the Vietnam - India Economic and Cultural Exchange Forum as "Asia - Pacific Typical Spiritual Tourist Destination". This is a testament to the popularity of Ba Chua Xu Temple among domestic and foreign tourists. According to the An Giang Record Book, the Ba Chua Xu statue is the largest ancient sandstone statue in Vietnam. The Ba Chua Xu statue impresses with its massive size, famous for its many sets of phoenix costumes. In addition to its spiritual elements, Ba Chua Xu Temple is also a highlight in many people's travel itineraries, a place for visitors to experience a peaceful space and immerse themselves in local traditional rituals. The Ba Chua Xu Festival is held annually in the fourth lunar month, attracting many people to attend with solemn rituals, praying for national peace and prosperity, and bountiful harvests.
Who is worshiped at Ba Chua Xu Temple?
Lady of Sam Mountain
Ba Chua Xu Temple is a place to worship Ba Chua Xu Nui Sam, one of the most sacred deities in Vietnamese folk beliefs. Ba Chua Xu is a protective symbol for Chau Doc land, associated with the Mother Goddess worship - a popular cultural and religious feature in Vietnam.
Ba Chua Xu is considered a goddess who protects, brings peace, health and fortune to the people. The image of Ba Chua Xu combines the majesty and gentleness of a Mother Goddess with the strength and authority in protecting and guiding people. With faith in her sacredness and power, people often come to Ba Chua Xu Temple to pray for a happy life, a favorable business and to overcome all difficulties.
Ba Chua Xu Temple attracts millions of visitors from all over the world to visit and worship every year. In particular, every time Tet comes, the Lady Temple becomes more bustling than ever when thousands of locals and tourists from all over flock to burn incense and pray for peace and good luck in the new year. In addition to being a place to show respect, the Lady Temple is also a sacred place for people to find peace of mind. The Lady Temple Festival is one of the biggest spiritual events held annually from the 23rd to the 27th of the fourth lunar month. The festival is an opportunity for people to pay their respects to the Lady Temple and to participate in traditional rituals such as carrying the Lady's statue, offering flowers, making offerings and other unique folk cultural activities. With its profound spiritual meaning and special cultural value, this festival has been recognized as a National Festival, attracting visitors from all over the country to attend.
Legend of Ba Chua Xu Temple
Legend of Ba Chua Xu Temple
Ba Chua Xu Temple at Sam Mountain, An Giang is one of the famous spiritual destinations in the Southwest, attracting tourists by the sacred legends associated with Ba Chua Xu. According to legend, the story of Ba Chua Xu Temple began more than 200 years ago, when the people of Sam Mountain discovered a mysterious statue on the top of the mountain.
Legend has it that when the people wanted to bring the statue down the mountain to worship, all efforts failed. Even strong young men could not lift the statue. At this time, a female shaman was told by the gods that only nine virgin girls could carry the statue down the mountain. Miraculously, when the nine virgin girls came and tried, the statue was lifted easily. However, when it reached the foot of Sam Mountain, the statue suddenly became heavy and could not be moved anymore. People believe that this is the place where Ba Chua Xu chose to reside and from then on, they built a temple to worship her here to show their respect.
Another legend associated with the story of Ba Chua Xu is that during the time when the Siamese army attacked our country, the local people had to flee to Sam Mountain. When the Siamese army pursued them, they discovered the statue and intended to take it. But because they could not take it away, they broke the statue's left arm. This action led to punishment from the gods, causing the Siamese army to suffer a humiliating defeat. Since then, the damaged statue has been worshiped by the people as a sacred symbol, protecting the people from all disasters.
Another story is related to Mr. Thoai Ngoc Hau, a famous general in protecting the southern border. During the days of fighting against foreign invaders, his wife, Chau Thi Te, went to Sam Mountain to pray for Ba Chua Xu to bless him with peace and victory. To thank the gods, after returning victorious, Mr. Thoai Ngoc Hau built a spacious temple to worship her, expressing his deep gratitude for the gods' protection in difficult times.
Visit the architecture of Ba Chua Xu Temple in Sam Mountain
Ba Chua Xu Temple at Sam Mountain impresses visitors with its unique architecture, imbued with the culture and art of the Vietnamese people. The temple is located majestically at the foot of Sam Mountain, standing out with the harmony between the majestic natural landscape and the delicate, elegant architectural details.
Overall design and feng shui
Overall design and feng shui
The overall design of the Ba Chua Xu Temple is in the shape of the letter “Quoc,” imbued with the East Asian art style with a harmonious combination of traditional architecture and feng shui. The temple leans against Sam Mountain, the front facing a large field, creating a “leaning on the mountain and facing the water” position - a beautiful feng shui position that brings prosperity and peace. The temple is surrounded by trees and mountain ranges, creating a quiet and sacred space.
Exterior architecture
The Ba Chua Xu Temple stands out with its splendid exterior architecture, curved blue tiled roofs in the style of "long dinh" in the style of ancient Vietnamese temples. The soft curved roofs are decorated with dragons and phoenixes, symbolizing the power, authority and protection of the gods.
The main gate of the temple is solidly built, with large pillars carved with sophisticated patterns, traditional motifs such as lotus flowers, four sacred animals (dragon, unicorn, turtle, phoenix) are meticulously carved, demonstrating the skillful sculpting art of the ancients.
Interior space and shrine
Interior space and shrine
Entering the Ba Chua Xu Temple, visitors will feel the sacred atmosphere. The main hall is where the statue of Ba Chua Xu is located, a sandstone statue that is hundreds of years old and is the largest sandstone statue in Vietnam. The statue is lavishly decorated with colorful ceremonial robes, each detail on the robe is elaborately carved and embroidered, showing the respect and gratitude of the people.
The space inside the temple is solemnly arranged with altars, incense tables and many embossed paintings depicting folk stories about Ba Chua Xu. The ceiling and walls of the temple are decorated with patterns, parallel sentences, and gilded horizontal lacquered boards. The light from traditional lanterns radiates a warm color, further enhancing the mysterious beauty of the worship space.
Yard area and surrounding landscape
The temple yard is spacious, carefully paved with stone, creating an airy space for visitors to admire the overall beauty of the temple. Surrounding the temple are rows of cool green trees and harmoniously arranged miniature landscapes, creating a quiet space, helping people's souls to relax and be pure.
In addition, the temple grounds also have auxiliary works such as a guest house, a souvenir house, and an incense burning area to serve visitors. Every small detail from trees, flower beds to the decoration is carefully taken care of, showing the respect and devotion of the people to Ba Chua Xu.
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Instructions on how to get to Ba Chua Xu Temple
Ba Chua Xu Temple on Sam Mountain is a famous spiritual site located in the center of Chau Doc city, An Giang province, about 250 km southwest of Ho Chi Minh City. With a convenient location right in the city center, traveling to Ba Chua Xu Temple is extremely easy and suitable for both domestic and foreign tourists. Below are detailed instructions on how to travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Ba Chua Xu Temple.
Travel by car or bus
Route: From Ho Chi Minh City, you can travel via Trung Luong - My Thuan Expressway, then continue along National Highway 1A to Long Xuyen City, and finally continue to Chau Doc City. The distance is about 250 km and takes about 5 hours to drive depending on traffic conditions.
- Starting from Ho Chi Minh City, you follow Vo Van Kiet Street towards Trung Luong Expressway.
- After entering Trung Luong Expressway, continue straight across My Thuan Bridge.
- Turn left onto National Highway 1A, continue to Long Xuyen City and then move straight to Chau Doc City.
- When you arrive at the center of Chau Doc, you can easily find Ba Chua Xu Temple located at the foot of Sam Mountain.
Travel by motorbike
If you are an adventurer, traveling by motorbike will give you the opportunity to explore the roadside scenery and feel the beauty of the Southwest in the most authentic way.
Motorbike route: The route is similar to that of a car, starting from Trung Luong - My Thuan highway, then following National Highway 1A towards Long Xuyen and Chau Doc. However, note that motorbikes are not allowed on the highway, so you need to choose a parallel national highway to travel.
Total travel time by motorbike is about 6 - 7 hours depending on speed and rest time. Along the way, you can stop at rest stops and restaurants to rest, recharge and enjoy the fresh air of the Southern countryside.
Travel by train, boat
For those who want to experience something new, you can choose to travel by train or boat from Can Tho City to Chau Doc. Although the travel time may be longer, this is an opportunity for you to see the rivers of the West and experience the typical river life of this area.
When should I visit Ba Chua Xu Temple?
When should I visit Ba Chua Xu Temple?
With the typical tropical climate of the Southwest, the weather in An Giang is quite pleasant and favorable for sightseeing activities. Ba Chua Xu Temple is open to visitors all year round, so you can visit at any time. On normal days, the Temple is not too crowded, creating conditions for visitors to comfortably offer incense, worship and feel the peaceful, sacred space here.
One of the peak times attracting visitors to Ba Chua Xu Temple is around the Lunar New Year. During this time, people in the Southwest, especially business and trade people, often visit the Temple to pray for a peaceful, lucky and prosperous new year. At the end of the year, the Temple is splendidly decorated with flowers and colorful lanterns, creating a jubilant and cozy festive atmosphere. If you want to experience the bustling and crowded atmosphere, come to the Temple on this occasion.
The most anticipated time to visit Ba Chua Xu Temple is during the Ba Chua Xu Temple Festival on Sam Mountain, which takes place from the 24th to the 27th of the fourth lunar month every year. This is a major festival in An Giang and also a National Festival, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors to make pilgrimages and participate in festival activities.
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Notes when visiting Ba Chua Xu Temple
To have a complete and meaningful tour, visitors need to note the following important points to show respect for the worship space and protect the landscape here.
Wear polite, discreet clothing
Wear formal attire when visiting
When visiting the Lady of the Realm Temple, visitors should choose modest, polite clothing that is appropriate for the sacred worship space. Wearing short, revealing or overly colorful clothing will lose the solemnity and be disrespectful to the beliefs and culture of the Vietnamese people.
Visit on weekdays
If you want to enjoy a quiet and peaceful space, choose to visit Ba Chua Xu Temple on weekdays, especially from Monday to Friday. On Saturdays and Sundays, the Temple often welcomes a lot of visitors, so it is inevitable that it will be noisy. Visiting on weekdays will help you to worship and pray comfortably, without being affected by the crowd.
Protect the environment, do not litter
Ba Chua Xu Temple is not only a sacred place but also a valuable cultural and historical relic. Therefore, every visitor has the responsibility to preserve and protect the landscape here. Absolutely do not litter, please put trash in the bin to keep the environment clean and beautiful.
Walk lightly, speak softly, keep order.
To maintain the solemn atmosphere and respect the purity of the place of worship, visitors should walk lightly and speak softly when visiting the Ba Chua Xu Temple. Avoid laughing loudly, talking loudly or using the phone with loud volume. These actions will disturb the people around and affect the sacredness of the space.
Sinhcafe - one of the leading travel agencies in Vietnam, famous for its Vietnam tours for international visitors with professional services. Sinh cafe's tours are the ideal choice for tourists who want to explore the amazing beauty of the Southwest region. With diversely designed tours, Sinhcafe offers the opportunity to experience the unique culture, delicious cuisine and charming river landscapes of the West. Among the outstanding itineraries, the tour to visit Ba Chua Xu Temple on Sam Mountain in Chau Doc, An Giang is considered a special highlight, bringing visitors to one of the most sacred and famous places in the region. Visitors will have the opportunity to worship Ba Chua Xu Temple with its unique architecture, participate in folk cultural ceremonies, and learn about the mysterious legends about Ba Chua Xu - the guardian deity of An Giang land. The journey is also combined with exploring the floating market, enjoying Western specialties and experiencing the rustic, simple life of the local people, bringing unforgettable memories to all visitors.