Tuyen Linh Mieu was built from bamboo in 1861 near Tan Huong canal, Minh Duc, Mo Cay, Ben Tre.

The first temple was named Tien Linh, abbot by Khanh Phong. In 1907, a monk named Le Khanh Hoa, an expert on Buddhism, was appointed abbot of the temple and then in 1930, he renamed the pagoda Tuyen Linh with the word Tuyen to refer to the preaching of the Dharma. This place is famous not only for its unique design but also for the historical events that happened here. The temple became a national historical site in 1994 and on May 19 every year, it holds a festival to celebrate Uncle Ho’s birthday.

Photo: baodongkhoi.vn

Tuyen Linh Temple has been visited many times by Vice Chairman Nguyen Sinh Sac, Uncle Ho’s father. While here, Mr. Nguyen Sinh Sac opened classes to teach children, treat diseases for residents and discuss national affairs with Thai monk Le Khanh Hoa. This is also the place where Mr. Nguyen Sinh Sac met Mr. Tran Van On, Huynh Khac Man, Le Van Phat, some of the first members of the Communist Party of Ben Tre. During the two resistance wars, the pagoda was also a place to hide and feed many Communist Party members, so it was bombarded and severely damaged many times. However, it has also been restored several times and in 1999 was restored to its original site. In the future, a museum will be built at this temple to honor its remarkable history.

Useful information

• Location: Tuyen Linh Temple

• Best for: All Visitors

• Free admission

• Hours: Recommended to visit during the day

• Distance to city center: 7.2km (4.5 mi)