Pho Hien Ancient River Port & Bell Pagoda

Category: Ancient Commercial River Port & Temple | Location: Hien Nam Ward, Hung Yen City, Hung Yen Province

Pho Hien, nestled along the fertile bends of the Red River in Hung Yen Province, was the most bustling international river trading port in Northern Vietnam during the 16th and 17th centuries, immortalized in the ancient proverb: "First was the Royal Capital (Hanoi), second was Pho Hien". The port welcomed merchant fleets from Japan, China, the Netherlands, Portugal, and England, trading in precious silk, ceramics, and spices, giving rise to an extraordinary cosmopolitan river town. At the spiritual core of Pho Hien stands Bell Pagoda (Chua Chuong or Kim Chung Tu), revered as the "Foremost Scenic Gem of Pho Hien". Dating back to the Le Dynasty, the monastery is celebrated for its historic triple-arch gate, serene stone bridge over the Dragon Eye pond, and an extraordinary collection of lacquered terracotta sculptures, including the dynamic 18 Arhats and the Ten Courts of Hell carved with uncanny lifelike expressions. Travelers in Pho Hien can stroll around the tranquil Crescent Lake (Ho Ban Nguyet), visit the sacred Mau Temple where a 700-year-old intertwining banyan and Bodhi tree roots embrace the temple gate, admire Xich Dang Temple of Literature honoring Confucian literati, and savor luscious longans historically reserved as tribute to royal emperors.