TL;DR: The Four Guardians of Thăng Long (Tu tran) are four temples guarding the four directions of the old capital: Bạch Mã in the East, Voi Phục in the West, Kim Liên in the South, and Quán Thánh in the North. Hoàn Kiếm Lake, also called Hồ Gươm, is not part of this system, but the legend of King Lê Lợi returning the magic sword sits at the very center of the capital, forming a spiritual layer that runs parallel to the four-direction protective ring. Together they shape the sacred layout of Thăng Long: the Four Guardians for feng shui defense, Hoàn Kiếm Lake for the symbolism of righteousness and peace.
What are the Four Guardians of Thăng Long and when were they formed?
The Four Guardians of Thăng Long (Tu tran Thăng Long) are four temples guarding the four directions of the old Thăng Long capital: Bạch Mã Temple in the East, Voi Phục Temple in the West, Kim Liên Temple in the South, and Quán Thánh Temple in the North. This system was not an official regulation from the founding of the capital, but is regarded by researchers as a tradition gradually built and completed over many centuries.
According to VietnamPlus, the term "Thăng Long Tứ tran" appears in written documents very late, in 1956, in Đặng Xuân Khanh's book "Thăng Long co tich khao tinh hoi do." The book records two lines of Han characters listing: "Thăng Long Tứ tran. East guardian Hàng Buồm Bạch Mã dai vuong tu. West guardian Thủ Lệ Linh Lang dai vuong tu. South guardian Kim Liên Cao Sơn dai vuong tu. North guardian Tây Hồ Trấn Vũ dai de tu." Earlier, the term "Tu tran tu" had appeared in the document "Ha thanh linh tich co luc" dating to the Nguyen era, with similar records of four temples in four directions.
Why is it called "tran"?
The word "tran" in Tu tran means to guard, to block disasters from outside from entering the capital. Dr. Nguyễn Doãn Minh, Acting Head of the Historical and Cultural Research Division at the Institute for Imperial Citadel Studies, explains that the Four Guardians protecting Thăng Long carries the meaning of guarding, preventing natural disasters and enemy threats, helping people's lives remain peaceful. More deeply, the peace of the capital is also the endurance of the Đại Việt nation.
Is Hoàn Kiếm Lake part of the Four Guardians of Thăng Long?
Hoàn Kiếm Lake, also called Hồ Gươm, is not in the list of the four guardian temples of Thăng Long. This needs to be stated clearly from the start, because many people confuse the famous spiritual sites of Hanoi. The Four Guardians are four temples worshiping four deities who protect the capital in the four directions East, West, South, North, while Hoàn Kiếm Lake is a scenic site at the center of the capital, tied to the legend of King Lê Lợi returning the magic sword.
Even so, Hoàn Kiếm Lake still holds a special role in the spiritual layout of Thăng Long. If the Four Guardians form a protective ring in four directions, Hoàn Kiếm Lake sits at the center, like a spiritual anchor in the heart of the capital. These two layers do not replace each other but complement each other: one is a feng shui defense system, the other is a symbol of righteousness and peace.
Does the Hồng Đức map mention Hoàn Kiếm Lake?
According to VietnamPlus, the Hồng Đức era map commissioned by King Lê Thánh Tông, completed in 1490, depicts the Thăng Long capital with many place names such as Kính Thiên Palace, Doan Mon, Dong Cung, Thái Miếu, Phụng Thiên prefecture, Hoàn Kiếm Lake, Quốc Tử Giam, Nam Giao altar, West Lake, Khán Sơn mountain, Giảng Võ, Bảo Khánh gate, and Tô Lịch River. In this map, the three temples Bạch Mã, Linh Lang, and Quán Trấn Vũ were positioned in the East, West, and North of Thăng Long respectively. Kim Liên Temple in the South does not yet appear in this map, but documents state that by 1772 at the latest the temple was present at its current location.
Thus, Hoàn Kiếm Lake and the Four Guardian temples coexist in the sacred space of Thăng Long, but belong to two different structural layers. Hoàn Kiếm Lake is a natural site tied to legend, while the Four Guardians are a temple system positioned by the four directions.
How is the legend of the returned sword tied to Hoàn Kiếm Lake?
The legend of the returned sword tells that King Lê Lợi, after driving out the Ming invaders, was one day on a dragon boat on the lake when a golden turtle surfaced and said: "Please, Your Majesty, return the sword to the Dragon King." The king returned the magic sword, and the golden turtle took the sword in its mouth and dove underwater. Since then the lake has been called Hoàn Kiếm Lake, meaning the lake of the returned sword.
This story carries several layers of meaning. First, it affirms the righteousness of the Lam Sơn uprising: the magic sword was given by a supernatural power, used only to drive out invaders, and once the country was at peace it had to be returned. Second, it ties Lê Lợi's victory to a specific site at the center of the capital, turning Hoàn Kiếm Lake into a place preserving the memory of the transition from war to peace. Third, it places Hoàn Kiếm Lake at the center of Thăng Long's spiritual layout, where both historical and mythical elements converge.
Why is the legend of the returned sword not part of the Four Guardians?
The legend of the returned sword is not part of the Four Guardians because the Four Guardians are a system of temples worshiping deities who protect the capital in four directions, while the legend of the returned sword is tied to a specific historical event and a natural site. The deities in the Four Guardians such as Bạch Mã, Linh Lang, Cao Sơn, and Trấn Vũ all had merit in helping dynasties defeat enemies, ward off evil, and strengthen the throne, as recorded by VietnamPlus. Meanwhile, the legend of the returned sword is not tied to any deity worshiped at any temple in the Four Guardian system.
However, both share a common pattern: the intervention of supernatural forces in the fate of the nation. If the Four Guardians express belief in the constant protection of deities over the capital, the legend of the returned sword expresses belief in divine support at decisive moments of history.
Who do the four guardian temples worship and where are they?
The table below summarizes basic information about the four temples in the Thăng Long Four Guardian system according to VietnamPlus and Nhân Dân newspaper:
| Direction | Temple name | Location | Deity worshiped |
|---|---|---|---|
| East | Bạch Mã Temple | 76 Hàng Buồm, Hàng Buồm ward, Hoàn Kiếm district | Bạch Mã dai vuong, also known as Long Đỗ deity, the deity governing Đại La citadel, granted the title Quoc do Thanh hoang dai vuong |
| West | Voi Phục Temple | Thủ Lệ, Ba Đình district (before July 2025) | Linh Lang dai vuong |
| South | Kim Liên Temple | Kim Liên, Đống Đa district (before July 2025) | Cao Sơn dai vuong |
| North | Quán Thánh Temple | Tây Hồ, Ba Đình district | Trấn Vũ dai de |
What is special about Bạch Mã Temple?
Bạch Mã Temple was built earliest among the Four Guardians, tied to King Lý Thái Tổ building the Thăng Long citadel, according to Nhân Dân newspaper. Legend tells that when King Lý Công Uẩn established the capital and built Thăng Long, wherever he built, the ground collapsed. The king prayed to Long Đỗ, the deity governing Đại La citadel. The deity manifested as a white horse, and the king followed the horse's hoof prints to build, and the citadel no longer collapsed. When the citadel was finished, the king granted Long Đỗ the title Quoc do Thanh hoang dai vuong, the guardian deity of the capital. Bạch Mã Temple still preserves many precious artifacts, including 18 ancient stone steles, 17 royal edicts from the Nguyen era, and a large wooden white horse.
What roles do the remaining temples have?
Voi Phục Temple worships Linh Lang dai vuong, a deity who helped the dynasty defeat enemies. Kim Liên Temple worships Cao Sơn dai vuong, a deity tied to high mountains and protection of the southern land. Quán Thánh Temple worships Trấn Vũ dai de, the deity guarding the North, as recorded in VietnamPlus documents: "Quán Trấn Vũ in the north of the citadel is to guard the north." All four temples had merit in helping contemporary dynasties defeat enemies, ward off evil, and strengthen the throne.
In what context were the Four Guardians of Thăng Long created?
According to research by Dr. Nguyễn Doãn Minh, "Tu tran Thăng Long" or "Thăng Long Tứ tran" is an "invention/construction of tradition." Confucian scholars under the Nguyen dynasty constructed this tradition in the historical context of Hanoi under the Nguyen court, when Vietnam's last feudal dynasty was in decline and the country suffered under French colonial oppression.
VietnamPlus documents list four factors as the basis for this construction. First, the sacred space of Thăng Long had been established about 800 years earlier. Second, the deities at the four temples all had merit in helping contemporary dynasties defeat enemies, ward off evil, and strengthen the throne. Third, documentary evidence related to the formation of the Four Guardian concept existed earlier, such as the Hồng Đức map and records of King Lê Thế Tông (1573-1599) ascending the throne, granting titles to deities, and calling Linh Lang Temple a guardian of the capital. Fourth, belief in the feng shui elements of the Thăng Long capital, since each time the capital moved away from Thăng Long, the country fell into dependency and lost sovereignty.
Why is the number 4 important in the spiritual layout?
According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Ngọc Oanh, Head of the International Relations Faculty at the Academy of Journalism and Communication, the number 4 symbolizes the best things, used by ancestors as a balance and fullness of heaven and earth. A year has four seasons, the land has four directions, the number 4 creates a square symbolizing solidity, stability, and peace. Dr. Nguyễn Doãn Minh also lists many symbols of the number 4 in Vietnamese culture: Tu bat tu, Tu phu, Tứ Pháp, An Nam tu dai khi. The Four Guardians protecting Thăng Long carry the same meaning: the guarding helps the capital avoid natural disasters and enemy threats, thereby helping people's lives remain peaceful.
Where does Hoàn Kiếm Lake stand in the spiritual layout of Thăng Long?
Hoàn Kiếm Lake stands at the center of Thăng Long's spiritual layout, not part of the Four Guardian ring but holding the role of a spiritual anchor. If the Four Guardians are four temples guarding the four directions, Hoàn Kiếm Lake is where the memory of the transition from war to peace is preserved, tied to the legend of King Lê Lợi returning the magic sword.
One can picture Thăng Long's spiritual layout as two structural layers. The first layer is the four-direction protective ring with the four guardian temples, focused on feng shui guarding and protecting the capital from natural disasters and enemy threats. The second layer is the central sites tied to legends and historical events, of which Hoàn Kiếm Lake is a typical example, focused on symbolism and memory preservation. These two layers coexist, complement each other, and create the distinctive sacred space of Thăng Long.
Why is Hoàn Kiếm Lake not classified among the Four Guardians?
Hoàn Kiếm Lake is not classified among the Four Guardians because the Four Guardians are a system of temples worshiping four deities who protect the capital in four directions, while Hoàn Kiếm Lake is a natural site tied to the legend of the returned sword. The deities in the Four Guardians are all deities worshiped at temples, with merit in helping dynasties defeat enemies, ward off evil, and strengthen the throne. Meanwhile, Hoàn Kiếm Lake is not tied to any deity worshiped at any temple in the Four Guardian system, but to a specific historical event and a legend about a golden turtle returning the sword.
However, this does not diminish Hoàn Kiếm Lake's role in Thăng Long's spiritual layout. On the contrary, precisely because it sits at the center and is not part of the four-direction temple system, Hoàn Kiếm Lake holds an independent position, both a historical witness and a cultural symbol. In the Vietnamese mind, Hoàn Kiếm Lake and the Four Guardians together shape the image of a Thăng Long with historical depth and spiritual depth.
Do research schools agree on the Four Guardians?
Researchers do not fully agree on the formation time and nature of the Four Guardians of Thăng Long. Some opinions hold that the Four Guardian structure existed much earlier than the term, based on evidence from the 1490 Hồng Đức map, in which the three temples Bạch Mã, Linh Lang, and Trấn Vũ were positioned in the East, West, and North. Other opinions, notably Dr. Nguyễn Doãn Minh's research, emphasize that the term "Tu tran" appears in written documents very late and carries the character of "constructing tradition" in the historical context of the Nguyen era.
This difference is not an absolute contradiction. It can be understood that the temples had existed for a long time, but systematizing them into a set of four temples guarding four directions was a later process, tied to the need to affirm Hanoi's identity and sacred space in a special historical context. This article does not offer a final conclusion on that issue, but only presents existing viewpoints for readers' reference.
