Thien Tru temple is surrounded by hills and mountains. There are also many man made towers built by various kings during their reign. Today, to accommodate the thousands of tourists each year, there are lodging facilities for those who wish to stay overnight. A visit to chua Huong is incomplete without going to chua Trong or Inner temple (also known as Dong Huong Tich - Huong Tich grotto). The...
There is an informal protocol when arriving to Chua Huong. The first stop must always be a visit to Den Trinh. Den Trinh means registration shrine. All visitors to Chua Huong must first "trinh" or register at the shrine and to announce their intentions. The next point of interest would be a visit to Thien Tru temple (chua Ngoai - Outer Temple). The temple was built in the 18th century. Thien...
Upon arriving to Huong Tich grotto, there is a 120 steps descend as the temple lies deep within the grotto. At the entrance to the grotto, there is "heaven's gate" (path to heaven) and "hell's gate" (descend to hell). In the 18th century, Lord Trinh Sam had 5 words, "Nam Thien De Nhat Dong" meaning, "the most beautiful grotto under southern sky", carved onto the granite slab at the entrance to...
