Nui Sua Temple

The Núi Sưa temple, in Hanoi

The Núi Sưa temple is a sanctuary nestled in the heart of the botanical garden of Hanoi, surrounded by hundred-year-old Sưa trees that give it its name and a sacred atmosphere. The Hanoi audio-guided tour stops here, with respect, to evoke this place of spirituality dedicated to Huyền Thiên Hắc Đế, the Black Celestial Emperor, born from an old legend.

The sanctuary of the Black Celestial Emperor

This temple, founded around an old legend, is a symbol of the harmony between nature and Vietnamese spirituality. Its name, Núi Sưa, which means the hill of the Sưa, comes from the exceptional concentration of Sưa trees that surround it, a rare and precious species with sought-after wood. These trees sometimes a hundred years old create around the sanctuary a sacred and mysterious atmosphere, reinforcing the spiritual character of the place, nestled on a small height in the heart of the botanical garden. The temple is dedicated, with respect, to Huyền Thiên Hắc Đế, the Black Celestial Emperor, a deity venerated for his protection and his role in the founding legends. According to tradition, this figure would be born from a divine birth and considered as a son of the Celestial Emperor, descended to protect the region and chase away the forces of evil. A place of prayer and contemplation, the temple keeps altars, censers and offerings, in the calm conducive to meditation that the shade of the great trees reinforces. The faithful come to burn incense, to pray for health, luck or serenity, and to honour the protective deity. Away from the bustle of the town, bathed in the freshness of the garden and the woody fragrance of the Sưa, this sanctuary offers a spiritual and soothing interlude. A legendary temple and a sacred haven, the Núi Sưa temple is discovered with respect.

What to see

Here you discover, with respect, a sanctuary nestled in the heart of the botanical garden, on a small height surrounded by hundred-year-old Sưa trees that give it its name and a sacred atmosphere; dedicated to Huyền Thiên Hắc Đế, the Black Celestial Emperor born from an old legend, it keeps altars, censers and offerings, where the faithful come to pray in the calm. The Núi Sưa temple is a sacred haven of Hanoi. It is a stop to be discovered with respect.

Practical information

The Núi Sưa temple lies in the heart of the Bách Thảo botanical garden, in Hanoi, reachable on foot. A place of worship, it can be visited with respect; access follows the conditions of the garden and the temple, which vary. It is best to enquire before coming and to respect the sacred character of the place.

Where does the name of the Núi Sưa temple come from in Hanoi?

From the exceptional concentration of Sưa trees, a rare and precious species, that surround the temple and give it a sacred atmosphere; Núi Sưa means the hill of the Sưa. This sanctuary, nestled in the heart of the botanical garden, is dedicated to Huyền Thiên Hắc Đế, the Black Celestial Emperor, protective deity born from an old legend.

Where is the Núi Sưa temple in Hanoi?

In the heart of the Bách Thảo botanical garden, in Hanoi, in Vietnam.