“Is this Chùa Thọ Cầu?” a visitor asks. This temple stands as a testament to Hanoi’s rich past. Chùa Thọ Cầu also known as Chùa Đa Phúc invites us to step back in time.
Once this area was simply known as Vòng village. Over time Vòng evolved into Vọng. A postal station along the Thiên Lý road connected Thăng Long to Đoài. This led to the area being renamed Dịch Vọng.
From its humble beginnings Chùa Đa Phúc has undergone many renovations. The most significant occurred in the Mậu Dần year. This event is recorded on the Đa Phúc stele.
The stele inscription reads. “Oh! The stele is to record events. Merit is praised. It is carved into stone.” Chùa Đa Phúc belongs to Vĩnh Thọ hamlet. It is part of Dịch Vọng Trung village. It falls within Dịch Vọng commune. It is in Từ Liêm district and Hoài Đức phủ of Hà Tây province.
This ancient temple boasts beautiful sơn thuỷ hữu tình landscapes. It features dragon and tiger images. It is a scenic spot. Due to its age the temple became unsightly. On the 11th day of the 10th month of the Mậu Dần year hamlet chief Lê Văn Biển. Along with elders Lê Văn Chi Lê Văn Ninh and Lê Văn Túc. The entire hamlet joined forces with the monk Đào Phúc Tuệ. They acted on the mandate of their master Nguyễn Tất Đạt to renovate the temple. They refurbished the Buddha statues. Everything was replaced.
Today traces of the last major renovation remain. They are visible on the thượng lương beam in the Tiền đường hall. The inscription bears the Bảo Đại regnal year 13 corresponding to 1938. Since this renovation the main architectural scale of the temple has remained largely unchanged. Chùa Thọ Cầu is located on spacious grounds. The temple’s architectural structures are well-planned. They are set within a thoáng đãng open space.
The di tích relic includes a small gate a brick courtyard a green garden. It has a lake a stele house a bell tower. It also features the Tam bảo hall a Mẫu temple a Tổ temple. A Giảng đường lecture hall and a stupa garden can be found here.
Inside the temple the arrangement of Buddha statues is particularly noteworthy. They are arranged increasingly high in the Thượng điện house. The entire system of round statues dates back to the 19th century. It adheres to the standard conventions of Buddhist statuary of that era.
Chùa Thọ Cầu also preserves valuable relics. This includes the bronze bell “Cầu Phúc tự chung” cast in the Nhâm Dần year. It bears the Thành Thái niên hiệu regnal year. There is also a stone stele from the Bảo Đại year of Kỷ Mão. Its contents record the merits of repairing the temple.