Thien Howe Temple

The temple is dedicated to the goddess Tien Hau, the patroness of sailors and fishermen, who is also called Mazu. Tien Hau is the goddess of traditional Chinese religion, so she is especially revered in the southern maritime provinces of China and overseas Chinese communities such as Fukien, Canton, Taiwan and other Southeast Asian countries.

The temple is located on the bustling Nguyen Trai street of Cho Lon Chinatown. In front of the temple there is an iron gate and a small courtyard. The roof is decorated with small porcelain figures depicting stories from Chinese religion and Chinese legends. Above the entrance are wooden models of Chinese theaters and many Chinese lanterns.

The interior of the temple is actually a courtyard, at the end of which is an altar. On the open areas of the courtyard there are incense-filled smoking pots and unique porcelain dioramas decorating the roof. Dioramas depict scenes from the life of the Chinese city of the 19th century and include figures of actors, demons, animals, Persian and European merchants and navigators. In one of the plots, the actors depict a duel on horseback between the revered General Kuanju from the story "Three Kingdoms" with an opponent. Another plot depicts three Taoist sages symbolizing longevity, fertility and prosperity. On the altar are three statues of the goddess Tien Howe. Faces - bronze, clothes and crowns - colorful.