Hanoi's
varied craft villages
Built in the latter part of the ninth
century, Van Mieu is one of the oldest universities in the
world. Its original purpose was the worship of the sages
and saints of Confucianism, but six years later, a National
College was established on the site. Initially, it admitted
only princes, but soon expanded to admit bright students
nationwide.
The Temple
of Literature is surrounded by brick walls. Inside, the
complex is separated into five areas. The first area contains
the main gate with the inscription "Van Mieu Mon"
(Disciple of Temple of Literature) and two stone dragons
in the style of the Le So Dynasty.
The main path
leads through another gate to the second area where there
are two small gates on both sides. The main path leads to
Khue Van Cac (Pavilion of Literature). There are also two
small gates on both sides of Khue Van Cac.
The third section
divides Khue Van from the Dai Thanh Mon (the Gate of Great
Synthesis), and contains a square lake, Thien Quang Tinh
(the Well of Heaven’s Clarity), surrounded by walls. On
both sides of the well are pavilions full of stelae inscribed
with the names of Ph.D scholars.
The
Confucian education system
After years of study, students were
allowed to take the first-degree examinations held once
every three years. Those with the highest marks in this
exam were named bachelors. A year later, they would travel
to the capital to take part in a further set of examinations.
Those with the highest marks became were awarded a doctorate.
As a Ph.D., a scholar was then eligible to join the ranks
of the mandarins.
There
are 82 steles, the oldest relating to the 1442 palace exam
and the most recent, the 1779 exams. They are the most valuable
relics in the Temple of Literature.
The
heart of Confucianism
Beyond the next gate is the fourth area. It contains a large
courtyard flanked by two pavilions originally used to house
the altars where scholars could worship the 72 disciples
of Confucius. At the rear is Dai Bai, the Great House of
Ceremonies, containing a bell cast in 1768 and other precious
objects.
The
University
The fifth section, at the rear of the Dai Bai area, is the
Imperial College of the Le Dynasty, the then university.
When the Nguyen Dynasty moved the college to Hue, this area
was converted into a temple dedicated to Confucius' parents.
The
old University building was destroyed during the war, but
was accurately reconstructed in 2000 using authentic materials
and techniques to launch the countdown to Hanoi’s millennium
in 2010.
Van
Mieu then and now
In the past, Van Mieu was held in great reverence not only
as a major centre of Confucian thought and study, but also
for its status as the apogee of learning in Vietnam and
the only route to becoming a mandarin. Regardless of rank,
those on horseback were obliged to dismount and walk their
steeds when passing the in front of the complex.
Today,
the quiet queues of worshippers and acolytes have given
way to tourist coaches that disgorge noisy tourists in their
hundreds several times a day. Nevertheless, we recommend
a visit, but arrange it to coincide with off-peak periods
so that our visitors can experience the remarkable qualities
of a place steeped the echoes of thousands of long dead
scholars steeped in the pursuit of enlightenment.
