The temple is located at the foot of Mount Ngoc, a mountain belonging to the Yen Tu sacred mountain range, with the Giai Oan stream flowing in front. It is said that this is the place where the Buddhist King Tran Nhan Tong set up a ceremony to absolve the spirits of the court officials and consorts who drowned in the Ho Khe stream. In Buddhism, Giai Oan refers to releasing the ties of resentment to transcend the cycle of birth and death.
The temple was originally built on the altar’s foundation. The main hall (Chính Điện) was constructed in 1994 by Venerable Chan Đuc and Buddhist practitioners from both within and outside the country, on the site of the ancient To House. In 2003, the Mau Temple was renovated on the site of the old temple and is the only place in Yen Tu that honors Queen Nguyen Thanh Thien Cam, the mother of King Tran Nhan Tong, and the younger sister of Tran Hung Đao. The Hall of the Patriarchs was built in 2010.
The statues in the temple are arranged according to the Northern Vietnamese Buddhist style.
- Main Hall (Chính Điện):
- The top row features statues of the Three Buddhas of the Past, Present, and Future.
- The second row contains statues of Amitabha and the Three Pure Ones.
- The third row contains statues of Medicine Buddha and the Three Healing Buddhas.
- The fourth row honors the Three Bodhisattvas of the Avatamsaka Sutra.
- The fifth row features Avalokitesvara and the Mantra of Compassion.
- The sixth row includes the Buddha entering Nirvana and the Nine Dragons Seat.
Inside the rear hall, on the right side of the Buddha’s altar is the statue of the Earth Store Bodhisattva, and on the left is the statue of Maitreya Buddha.
- Front Hall (Tiền đường):
- The right side is dedicated to the altar of Đức Ông, and the left side to the altar of Đức Thánh Hiền.
- The two sides of the front hall feature statues of the Protectors of Goodness and the Protectors of Justice.
- Mẫu Temple:
- The main shrine honors Queen Nguyên Thánh Thiên Cảm, the mother of Phật Hoàng Trần Nhân Tông.
- The front of the Mẫu Temple displays offerings to the Three Kings.
- To the right is the altar dedicated to Đại Vương Hưng Đạo.
- To the left is the altar dedicated to the Three Divine Mothers and the communal altar.
- Hall of the Patriarchs:
- This house honors Bodhidharma, the Three Patriarchs of Truc Lam, and the temple’s founding Master.
In the past, the pilgrimage route to Hoa Yên Temple passed by the Giai Oan Temple and followed the mountain trail up to Đuong Tung and Hon Ngoc. Before 1984, visitors to Hoa Yen did not follow this path but instead climbed the steep mountain behind the Hall of the Patriarchs. In 1984, the army unit stationed in Yên Tử built “Dốc Hà Nội” to connect to the current road to Hoa Yen Temple.
The Giai Oan Temple has long been known for its sacredness. The famous scholar Ngo Thoi Nhiem (1746-1803) reported seeing the spirit of King Tran appear in the fig tree in front of the temple. The temple grounds still preserve a fruit garden planted centuries ago with trees such as lychee, jackfruit, and mango, traditionally offered to the Buddha. These trees contribute to the temple’s natural harmony and make the place more welcoming and friendly.
Among the temples in Yen Tu, none contains as many statues of the Divine Mother as the Giai Oan Temple. Could it be that the spirits of the consorts who drowned in the Ho Khe stream were later elevated to divine status as Mothers in this sacred place, worshiped in Giai Oan?
