Quan Thanh Temple
Den Quan Thanh (Quinn Thanh Temple) : The three ancient Chinese
characters which are still seen today on the top of the entrance
to the temple mean Tran Vu Quan.
 Literally,
the temple is dedicated to Saint Tran Vu. Temples are places for
worshipping saints while pagodas are dedicated to Buddha and faithful
disciplines.
Saint Tran Vu was a legendary figure which was a combination between
a legendary character in Vietnam's legend and a mystic character
derived from China's legend. In Vietnam's legend, he was a saint
who had earned the merits of assisting Thuc Phan (future King An
Duong Vuong) in getting rid of ghost spirit during the construction
of CoLoa Citadel.
An Duong Vuong Temple in CoLoa Citadel (Dong Anh district) is also
named Thuong Temple. Inside it, there are An Duong Vuong's bronze
statue (cast in 1897) and a big arbalest symbolizing the magic arbalest
in the old days.
 In
China's legend, Saint Tran Vu was a saint who had made many contributions
in safeguarding the northern border.
Quan Thanh Temple was built during the reign of King Ly Thai To
(1010-1028). Special attention should be paid to the black bronze
statue of Saint Tran Vu. Another object of no less significance
is a smaller black bronze statue of Old Trong, a chief artisan of
the bronze casting team who had made the giant statue of Saint Tran
Vu and the great bell on top of the entrance.
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