Pho Hien Relic Complex

The Pho Hien Relic Complex is a National Special Relic located in Hung Yen City, Hung Yen Province, along the Red River. It comprises over 20 preserved monuments including pagodas, temples, communal houses and ancient streets that remain from Pho Hien, a flourishing 16th-17th century trading port. Notable for its blend of Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese architectural influences, the complex reflects the area's former importance as a major commercial and cultural center second only to Thang Long.

Visitors can expect an open-air historic complex spread across Hung Yen City, not a single enclosed site. The area includes restored pagodas, temples, communal houses and old streets set among residential neighborhoods near the Red River. Visitors walk between individual monuments such as Chuong Pagoda, Xich Dang Temple of Literature, Pho Pagoda and Mau Temple, viewing traditional wooden architecture, stone steles, statues and worship halls. The setting is calm and low-rise, suitable for walking, photography and guided cultural exploration.

Pho Hien developed in the 16th-17th centuries under the Le - Trinh period as one of Vietnam's most important port towns and commercial centers, second only to Thang Long (Hanoi). Located on the Red River, it hosted Chinese, Japanese, Dutch and other foreign merchant communities and served as a major hub for domestic and international trade. The complex preserves temples, pagodas and communal houses built during this prosperous period, and was designated a National Special Relic for its historical value.

The complex reflects the cultural fusion of Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese traditions through its religious architecture, sculpture and worship practices. It includes Buddhist pagodas, Confucian Temple of Literature, Mother Goddess temples and communal houses that remain active places of worship and community festivals. Annual spring festivals, particularly at Mau Temple and Chuong Pagoda, maintain local intangible cultural traditions.