Mazu is recognized as the Goddess of the Sea by many Chinese people. The origins of this belief can be found in Chinese folklore. Pictured here is the shrine to Mazu in the Ba Thien Hau Pagoda located in the Cholon area of Saigon.
Incense burning inside the Ba Thien Hau Pagoda located in Saigon’s Cholon area.
Erected by Chinese from Guangzhou in southern China, and first opened around 1760, the Ba Thien Hau Temple – actually the official name of the site is Ba Thien Hau Pagoda (Chùa Bà Thiên Hậu) – is located in Saigon’s Cholon area. It is a place of worship for Mazu, who is recognized by some Chinese as the Goddess of the Sea.
Yesterday was the first full moon of the new lunar year, and the final day of the traditional Tết celebration in Vietnam. This small shrine near my home was decorated with flowers for Tết.
Wen Sheng Temple is taken from the three red Chinese characters above the gateway. I do not know if “Wen Sheng” refers to a person or has a meaning, and I was unable to find any information about this building online. English language information, that is. Located on Phan Chu Trinh street in the Hoi An Old Town.
Nhà Thờ Tân Định is a Roman Catholic church in Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon. A well-known local landmark, the church was built about 150 years ago when southern Vietnam was a French colony called Cochinchina, a part of French Indochina. I have no idea what the pink color is about. Da Nang’s Roman Catholic cathedral is also a garish pink.
