Temple of Literature, Hanoi (1070): Vietnam's First University

The Temple of Literature (Van Mieu) in Hanoi was founded in 1070 by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong as a temple dedicated to Confucius. Six years later, in 1076, the Imperial Academy (Quoc Tu Giam) was established beside it, and it is often called Vietnam’s first university. For roughly seven centuries the complex stood at the heart of the Confucian learning and examination system that trained the officials of Vietnamese states.

Background: the Ly dynasty and Confucian learning

The Ly dynasty (1009–1225) ruled the kingdom of Dai Viet from Thang Long, the city that later became Hanoi, after the move of the capital in 1010. The Ly court was strongly Buddhist, but its rulers also needed educated administrators who could read classical Chinese and manage a growing state.

Confucianism, the tradition built on the teachings of Confucius, offered a model of government based on moral rulers and officials trained in the classics. Founding a temple to Confucius in the capital signalled that Dai Viet was a civilised state on equal terms with its powerful northern neighbour, Song China, even as it guarded its independence.

Foundation of the temple and the academy

According to the Vietnamese chronicles, in 1070 Ly Thanh Tong built the temple and had statues made of Confucius, the Duke of Zhou and Confucius’s leading disciples. The heir to the throne was educated there.

In 1075 the court under Ly Nhan Tong held what is regarded as the first civil service examination in Vietnam. In 1076 the Imperial Academy was founded next to the temple, at first mainly for the sons of the royal family and high officials. Over time the academy opened to talented students from wider circles.

Growth under the Tran and Le dynasties

Under the Tran dynasty (1225–1400), the academy expanded and examinations became more regular. The scholar Chu Van An taught there in the 14th century and became famous as a teacher of integrity; he is still honoured at the site.

The Later Le dynasty, founded in 1428, made Confucianism the official basis of government. Emperor Le Thanh Tong (r. 1460–1497) strengthened the examination system and, from 1484, ordered stone stelae to be set up recording the names of successful candidates in the highest examinations, beginning retrospectively with the examination of 1442.

The doctoral stelae

The stelae are the most famous feature of the Temple of Literature. Each stone slab rests on the back of a carved stone turtle, a symbol of longevity and wisdom. The inscriptions give the date of each examination, the names and home villages of the successful doctoral candidates (tien si) and often a text praising learning.

Today 82 stelae survive, covering examinations held between 1442 and 1779 under the Le and Mac dynasties. Together they record about 1,300 laureates. In 2010–2011 they were added to UNESCO’s Memory of the World programme as documentary heritage.

Layout of the complex

The temple follows a layout influenced by Confucian temples in China, with five walled courtyards arranged on a north–south axis. Visitors pass through a series of gates, gardens and ponds before reaching the sanctuary.

• Khue Van Cac (Constellation of Literature Pavilion): a small two-storey pavilion built in 1805, now a symbol of Hanoi.
• Well of Heavenly Clarity (Thien Quang Tinh): a square pond flanked by the stelae.
• Great House of Ceremonies and the sanctuary: where Confucius and his disciples are honoured.
• Thai Hoc courtyard: on the site of the old Imperial Academy, rebuilt around 2000 after the original buildings were destroyed in 1947 during the war against French rule.

Later history

When the Nguyen dynasty moved the capital to Hue in 1802, a new Imperial Academy was founded there and the Hanoi complex lost its national role. The temple remained a place of veneration and scholarship but gradually fell into disrepair.

The French colonial authorities and, later, the Vietnamese state carried out repairs in the 20th century. Today the Temple of Literature is one of Hanoi’s most visited monuments and a living cultural site where students come to pray for success before exams and graduates hold ceremonies.

Timeline

• 1009–1010: The Ly dynasty is founded and the capital moves to Thang Long.
• 1070: Ly Thanh Tong founds the Temple of Literature.
• 1075: The first recorded civil service examination in Vietnam is held.
• 1076: The Imperial Academy (Quoc Tu Giam) is established beside the temple.
• 1442: First examination later recorded on the doctoral stelae.
• 1484: Le Thanh Tong orders the first stelae to be erected.
• 1779: Last examination recorded on the surviving stelae.
• 1802: The Nguyen dynasty moves the capital and academy to Hue.
• 1805: The Khue Van Cac pavilion is built.

Why it matters

The Temple of Literature shows how medieval Dai Viet adopted Confucian learning to build a state of trained officials while asserting its own identity. Its stelae preserve the names of centuries of scholars, and the site remains a powerful symbol of the respect for education in Vietnamese culture.