HANOI – Hoàn Kiếm Lake (Lake of the Returned Sword)

The sword in the title brought victory to Emperor Lêơ Lơi in his 10-year insurgence against the Chinese Ming Dynasty. After the war, the sword, which still belonged to the god who had lent it him, had to be returned. And when one day boating on the lake, a giant tortoise snatched the sword from him, Emperor Lêơ Lơi understood that the god had taken it back. The lake, which was known as Luc Thủy (Green Water) Lake, was then renamed Hồ Hoàn Kiếm, or the Lake of the Returned Sword. And in the middle of the lake is Turtle Tower. 

In the northern part of the lake lies the Temple of the Jade Mountain—Ngoc Son Temple—which is connected to the shore by the wooden red-painted Morning Sunlight Bridge, or in Vietnamese The Huc bridge.  

The temple was erected in the 18^th century and honours another military leader, Trần Hưng Đao, who, in the 13^th century, distinguished himself in the war against the Yuan Dynasty.

The temple complex extends to the shore where a first entrance gate with two large red Chinese characters: Happiness (Phuc) on the right, and Prosperity (Loc) on the left. 

Just inside this gate is the Pen Tower (Thap But), built of stone and standing on a mountain, representing the earth, it is ten metres high with a tip resembling a writing brush—the symbols on the tower say Writing on the Clear Blue Sky, meaning, always be truthful. A small altar has been erected halfway up the mountain where one can pray to receive permission to enter the temple.

The second gate has a tiger on the left and a dragon on the right post. The third gate is topped by a stone representing an ink stone or inkpot.

 After crossing the Morning Sunlight Bridge one enters the temple through the fourth gate above which is a small room with circular windows, called the Moon Gazing Pavilion. Observe the various Taoist and I Ching symbols around the gate before you go to the temple within.

The area surrounding Hoàn Kiếm Lake is among the most relaxing. Day and night it's a focal point for people enjoying its calm and doing, alone or in groups, what they have come to do. Early morning is the time for exercising—stretching, work outs, tai chi—and in the evenings young couples look for some undisturbed time together, while families enjoy a refreshing walk. And all through the day snacks and drinks, coffee and ice cream can be enjoyed in the open-air cafés. 

Enjoy!