The Sad Love Story of Thien Mu Pagoda

1. Short introduction about the Pagoda.

If you travel to Vietnam, you should visit Hue City. And if you visit Hue city, you must visit Thien Mu Pagoda. As you know, It is the oldest pagoda in central and Southern Vietnam from 1601. Not only has great ancient architecture, but Thien Mu Pagoda is also famous for its mysterious spiritual stories.

2. The Sad Love Story of Thien Mu

Back in history, when Lord Nguyen ruled in Cochinchina. The ideas of arranged marriage and “Discord in marriage” are the norm of society. It means that the parents will decide who you will marry. And you even have to be rich to be able to marry tight. At that time, there was a rich family girl who fell in love with an orphan and a poor man.

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2.1. What made the love broken?

So due to their parents’ forbidding, they went to Thien Mu pagoda. In front of the big Buddha statues, they swore with each other that, in this life, I just love you and married you, only you in my heart. But the girl’s parents did not accept their love, they came to the man’s family and told him, you are too poor and you do not deserve my precious daughter. Go away, if not, you and your family members would be in trouble. The couple was so sad and upset. They were crying and begging for loving each other but they could not.

One day, they came to the pagoda again. They swore to each other: If we could not love each other we would die together. At the boat station (in front of Thien Mu Pagoda). They suicided in the Perfume River. Ironically, the man died, and the girl washed ashore and was rescued by local fishermen. She was forced to marry a rich local official. Over time, the girl little by little gradually forgot the old love and had a new life even though she was not happy.

2.2. The loves curse

But the soul of the man in the river waited for his lover but he did not meet her. Therefore, he became angry and cursed all the couples who were in love but not yet married, if they came here together, they would break up sooner or later. Day after day, time after time, it was like a legend.

We do not dare to bring girlfriends here, including parents, and grandparents if they know their children seriously love each other, they will advise them that: Do not go to Thien Mu Pagoda together. You can go there by yourself if you want to go. That’s how we respect and protect the love of the locals in Hue.

3. What is the best way to visit?

Well, the pagoda is free of charge so you can explore by yourselves but if you book Hue City Tour or a Hue City Group Tour with us to get more interesting stories about Thien Mu Pagoda, Nguyen Dynasty, and local life in central Vietnam.

Culture Pham Travel