The 300-year-old ancient shrine nestled amidst the Saigon River.

Phù Châu Temple, also affectionately known as Floating Temple (Miếu Nổi), is a truly unique spiritual site nestled in Ward 5, Gò Vấp District, Ho Chi Minh City. What makes it so captivating is its remarkably secluded location, perched on an islet right in the middle of the Vàm Thuật River, a peaceful branch of the mighty Saigon River. Beyond its distinctive architecture, the temple is also steeped in fascinating, mysterious legends surrounding its ancient origins...
Phù Châu Temple (Floating Temple) – Unique Ceramic and Porcelain Mosaic Architecture and Mysterious Legends Amidst the Vàm Thuật River
Phù Châu Temple, also known as the Floating Temple (located in Ward 5, Gò Vấp District, Ho Chi Minh City), stands in isolation on an islet in the middle of the Vàm Thuật River – a branch of the Saigon River. Beyond its unique architecture, mysterious legends surrounding its origins are also preserved here...

Phù Châu Temple sits on a floating islet in the Vàm Thuật River, with Gò Vấp District on one side and District 12 on the other.

To get to Phù Châu Temple, the only way is to take a small ferry. Each round-trip journey costs visitors 15,000 VND, paid to the ferry operator.
Dating back almost as long as the establishment of the Gia Định region, this temple has stood for approximately 300 years. Numerous folk tales circulate regarding the ancient temple's origins.
In front of the main sanctuary. Phù Châu Temple's facade faces south, built in the 'tam' (three) character style, featuring three connected buildings joined by two narrow, roofed courtyards. The roofs are covered with emerald-glazed yin-yang tiles, stacked in two tight layers. The apex of each building is adorned with dragons bowing to a pearl, dragons guarding a Cửu Phẩm pagoda, and dragons alongside sacred scrolls. The four upward-curving eaves are embellished with images of the Dragon, Unicorn, Turtle, and Phoenix, along with intricate motifs like chrysanthemum vines, grape leaves, and river scenes. The walls are painted a deep pink, and the door frames are crimson red.

In the central front hall, Maitreya Buddha is enshrined, flanked by Shakyamuni Buddha and the Earth Mother. In front stands a statue of Cundi Avalokiteshvara (Quan Âm Chuẩn Đề) seated on a lotus throne, with 18 arms holding various Dharma instruments. Along the side walls, two bas-reliefs depict the Eighteen Arhats.

The central hall venerates Sun Wukong (The Great Sage Equal to Heaven) and Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva. Surrounding them are intricately carved wooden panels featuring dragon motifs and scenes of celestial maidens offering peaches, with four characters carved into the wood: "Thánh Gia Bảo Điện" (Sacred Family Precious Hall).

The shrine area is resplendent with color, thanks to its intricate ceramic and porcelain mosaic decorations.

The main sanctuary is dedicated to the Five Elements Holy Mothers (Ngũ Hành Thánh Mẫu), housing five wooden statues representing the five elements. In front of the sanctuary, an incense altar is placed, venerating Bà Chúa Xứ Châu Đốc (Local Goddess of Châu Đốc) and Cửu Huyền (Nine Ancestors/Family Ancestors). Surrounding the shrine are carved wooden panels depicting dragons, with themes of the Four Sacred Animals (tứ linh) and the four noble plants – apricot, orchid, chrysanthemum, bamboo (mai lan cúc trúc). Above, an inscription reads: "Hành Thánh Mẫu Bảo Điện" (Sanctuary of the Five Elements Holy Mothers). To the right of the main sanctuary, Quan Công (Guan Yu) is worshipped, and to the left, Bao Công (Bao Zheng). Facing the Five Elements Holy Mothers shrine are altars for Kim Mẫu (Golden Mother), Địa Mẫu (Earth Mother), Long Thần (Dragon Deity), and Hộ Pháp (Dharma Protectors). The walls are adorned with vibrant bas-reliefs featuring pines and cranes (tùng hạc) and Maitreya Buddha.

Phù Châu Temple boasts a truly unique decorative style crafted from ceramic and porcelain fragments.
Ceramic and porcelain mosaics almost entirely cover the structures within the temple complex. The temple itself spans about 550 square meters and is built almost entirely over a small, foot-shaped islet, approximately 2500 square meters in area, floating in the middle of the Vàm Thuật River. At the base of the islet, numerous protruding green rocks can be seen. Due to its rather unique topography, it's also popularly known as the Floating Temple (Miếu Nổi). Visitors wishing to reach the Floating Temple must travel by ferry. From the boat, you can admire the incredibly picturesque scenery around the Floating Temple in Ho Chi Minh City.
Regarding the ceramic and porcelain mosaics, many elements are elaborately and meticulously decorated, clearly reflecting a deliberate design. At this archway, keen-eyed visitors will notice thousands of ceramic and porcelain fragments carefully selected and cut to fit a specific artistic vision, rather than simply being randomly pieced-together broken shards.

Some elements harmoniously blend bas-relief sculptures with ceramic and porcelain mosaic decorations.

A section of the main gate entirely covered with ceramic and porcelain fragments.
While spiritual structures often feature soaring curved eaves and roofs adorned with dragon figures, this temple also includes phoenix imagery and is entirely covered with ceramic and porcelain mosaics.
The Floating Temple in Ho Chi Minh City, or Phù Châu Temple, is a sacred place of worship for Saigonese people. This Floating Temple has become a very famous spiritual tourist destination. Furthermore, the beautiful scenery at Miếu Nổi also makes it a popular spot for young travelers.

Whether on a weekday or weekend, the temple welcomes a considerable number of pilgrims.

Visitors exploring the temple, which has been classified as a provincial/city-level heritage site.
Phù Châu Temple boasts distinctive architecture with strong Vietnamese-Chinese cultural influences, consisting of three connected buildings joined by two courtyards. The roofs are covered with emerald-glazed yin-yang tiles, and from above or afar, dragon figures abound. On the rooftops of the temple buildings and the main gate, dragon statues are depicted in various poses: 'lưỡng long tranh châu' (two dragons contending for a pearl), dragons guarding a Cửu Phẩm pagoda, and dragons alongside sacred scrolls. The temple's front hall also features two large, porcelain-embossed dragons in the 'lưỡng long hí thủy' (two dragons playing with water) stance.

Hồng Ni, a devout Buddhist, frequently visits to worship Buddha and pay her respects.
“I often come here whenever I have time to pray for peace for myself and everyone else. I frequently visit this temple and several other pagodas across the city,” shared Nguyễn Thị Hồng Ni (residing in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City).
The temple is situated directly beneath the flight path of Tân Sơn Nhất Airport, making it an interesting spot for those who enjoy watching planes.

Sunset at Phù Châu Temple. Inside the temple, numerous dragon-shaped bas-reliefs are found; it's estimated there are well over 100 dragons, large and small, adorned with eye-catching, multi-colored ceramic shards. Additionally, the images of the Dragon, Unicorn, Turtle, and Phoenix, along with motifs of chrysanthemum vines, grape leaves, and river scenes, are meticulously designed and intricately, vividly decorated across many structures of the Floating Temple.

Due to its location in the middle of the Vàm Thuật River, many Buddhists frequently visit for animal release ceremonies and prayers.

Some parents even bring their children here to perform animal release, teaching the little ones lessons of compassion and love for animals.
One oral tradition recounts that around the 18th century, a fisherman on this stretch of river recovered a woman's body. At that time, the location of the Floating Temple was originally a foot-shaped islet, overgrown with trees. The fisherman brought the woman's body ashore to be buried on the islet and then established a small shrine to honor her wandering spirit. Initially, it was a humble shrine made of bamboo and leaves, built by river merchants and local residents to worship the Five Elements (Ngũ Hành) and Dragon Mother (Long Mẫu), hoping for smooth sailing for boats passing on the river.
Another legend tells that nearly two centuries ago, a fisherman casting his net on the Bến Cát River (in Hạnh Thông Commune, Bình Trị Thượng District, Gò Vấp, Gia Định Province) retrieved a statue that people at the time believed to be of Bà Thủy Tề (the River Goddess/Water Deity). From then on, the local people established a shrine on the abandoned islet to worship the Goddess, praying for favorable weather and safe journeys for boats.
Ho Chi Minh City 6144 view
Update day : 31/07/2023
Source : Tiền Phong Affiliate links
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