For many people, going to Duong Lam ancient village (Son Tay, Hanoi) is to visit ancient banian trees, houses made with laterite bricks and aged more than 300 years old and Mia Pagoda, to join the world deep-rooted culture and atmosphere and temporarily forget about the daily routine for a while.

The construction date of Mia Pagoda, also known as Sung Nghiem Tu, remains unknown. In 1692, a concubine in the court of Lord Trinh Trang, Ngo Thi Ngoc Dieu found the shrine deserted and ruined, so she raised the money from her family and people of Mia village for the restoration. 

Admiring her efforts, the villagers sculptured a statue, named it as "Queen Mia" and placed it in the pagoda. 

400 years have passed and the pagoda has been renovated many times, but the scale and the ancient architecture are kept almost intact.

From the gate of Duong Lam ancient village, to the Mia market, visitors can clearly see the pagoda’s gate of three pendants hanging a bell from 1745 under the Le dynasty. 

The rustic old brown wood gate is covered by a centuries-old canopy that makes the place look simple at first sight. 

Especially from just one step from the gate, in the street market, people are busy selling and buying without rush. At the top of the multi-storey tower is “Lien hoa tho vong Xa loi Phat”. 

Through the wide yard there are the inner shrines including “Tiền đường”, “Đại Hùng”, “Bảo điện”, “Thượng điện” structured in a very exotic domestic style. 

After lighting incense at the main chamber, visitors follow the passage of the corridor extending to the altar. Here, you will easily feel the tranquility.

And few people know that, in the record 10 Buddhist structures of Vietnam published by the Center Book of Vietnam in 2006, Mia Pagoda is home to many art statues in Vietnam with 287 large statues. 

Of them, there are 6 bronze statues, 106 wooden statues and 174 bronze statues made of gold.

Mia Pagoda is not large and crowded as many other famous ones, so in the early spring days, the scene in this place is still quiet and ancient as usual. 

Visitors are not noisy and crowded, and that make them feel at peace.

Hanoitimes