Mau Son Temple, Sapa

Mau Son Temple is Chinese style temple near the centre of the town of Sapa in north west Vietnam.

Mua Son Temple is open during daylight hours and is free to visit.

About Mau Son Temple

Mau Son Temple is a small, with a courtyard and single temple building. Despite its diminutive size, this temple receives a large number of Vietnamese visitors although fewer foreign people take the time to visit.

Mau Son Temple is not a Buddhist temple or, strictly speaking a Taoist temple, but rather a temple associated with the folk religion of the Red River delta area of north Vietnam.

Northern Vietnam has its own religious beliefs, not dissimilar to those of rural China from where the Viet people are thought have migrated from at the start of the second millennium. Mau Son Temple is dedicated to one of four ‘immortals’ of this religion, Mother Lieu Hanh.

Mother Lieu Hanh is a deity associated with fertility of people, of animals and of the land in a similar way to ‘Mother Earth’ deities in other ancient religions around the world. The tradition of worshipping Lieu Hanh dates back to the 15th Century or 16th Century when local people claimed to have had sighting of the spirit of Princess Giang Tien, daughter of the Jade Emperor, who died at the age of 23. According to local belief Lieu Hanh is the title which was given to Giang Tien when she ascended to the kingdom of heaven. During one of her appearances on earth after her death the legend is that she had a child with a young man who was the reincarnation of her deceased former husband, who whom she had two daughter before her death.

Mau Son Temple also has a shrine to the Chinese Philosopher Confucius who is often revered by Vietnamese alongside the deities of the local folk religion.

Location of Mau Son Temple

Mau Son Temple is located 350 metres walking distance from Sapa Bus Station.