The City's largest Chinese Taoist temple, where Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism converge in the heart of Cho Lon
On Nguyen Thi Nho Street, Khanh Van Nam Vien is the largest Chinese Taoist temple in Ho Chi Minh City, embodying the spirit of the Three Teachings sharing one source — a blend of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. Its architecture still preserves the original features of Taoism, and the temple also bears a strong imprint of the community's folk beliefs. Khanh Van Nam Vien traces its origins to Tra Son Khanh Van Dong in Nanhai county, Guangdong province. In 1936, the Taoist order came to Saigon – Cho Lon, first settling at Toan Khanh Duong on Tran Hung Dao Street, before moving to its current location in 1942. The grounds cover more than 2,000 m², comprising a courtyard, a front hall and a two-storey main hall; the gate bears the horizontal board "Chung dieu chi mon" ("Gate of All Wonders"). Each year, the temple holds a ceremony honouring the patriarch Lu Dongbin (Lu Dong Tan) on the 14th day of the 4th lunar month. There are also the feast of the Jade Emperor on the 9th day of the 1st lunar month and the feast of Guan Yu (Quan Cong) on the 24th day of the 6th lunar month; many people come to worship on the 15th day of the 1st and 7th lunar months. When visiting, dress modestly, ask permission before taking photos, keep quiet, especially during chanting, and do not touch statues or artefacts. The temple is a stop on the itinerary "District 11 – A Very Different Cho Lon", and easy to combine with Thiec Market, Thang Nghia To Quan and the Ha Ton Quyen food street.
English text: machine translation from the Localis platform — proper names kept in Vietnamese.Good to know
Best time to visitYear-round
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- Visit a Chinese Taoist temple of the Three Teachings
- Admire the two-storey main hall and the "Chung dieu chi mon" gate
- Combine a District 11 route with Thiec Market and Thang Nghia To Quan
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