Emperor Jade Pagoda, Saigon/HoChiMinh City (must see)

Also called the Tortoise Pagoda, this ancient temple was built in the year 1909 by the Cantonese Chinese community of the city. A statue of the Taoist God of the heavens made of jade is the main object of worship.

Visitors enter the temple from a crowded street filled with shops and houses through a traditional Chinese temple gate. The Jade statue at the center is dedicated to the Taoist God of the heavens. The deity is said to decide who will enter the heavens and whose entry will be rejected. The statue of Kim Hua, the Goddess of fertility is in the room to the left of the central hall and another room has the statue of the King of Hell surrounded by his minions. The interiors are filled with paintings portraying Taoist and Buddhist mythical stories and sculpture depicting the ten levels of hell and the apocalypse from Chinese mythology. The temple is an active one and the smell of burning incense hangs heavily in the atmosphere. There is a large concrete pond in front of the temple filled with large turtles.

Why You Should Visit:
The Temple is old and holds some magnificent wood carvings, but what makes it unique is that it is alive (still a place for reverence) аnd іnсrеdіblу аtmоsрhеrіс wіth іnсеnsе smоkе hаngіng hеаvу іn thе аіr.

Tip:
Be sure to make your way through the hallways and upstairs to see all there is to see.