Từ Đạo Hạnh and Water Puppets
The 11th-century Thầy Pagoda is located in Ha Tay province to the west of Hanoi and is dedicated to Từ Đạo Hạnh, the creator of water puppetry. The route from Hanoi is fairly easy but you'll need almost an hour to reach it due to the traffic. The best option is to take a taxi to the village of Sai Son. There, you'll find three pagodas which are shaped after the Chinese character "san" (three).
At the Thiên Phúc Pagoda, or the Temple of Heavenly Blessings, you can see the yellow-robed monk to which it is dedicated. He gained fame during the rule of Lý Nhân Tông, a prince who adopted the monk after failed attempts at having children. This assured the prince an heir who would also serve as his reincarnation. The prophecy was fulfilled and the Lý Nhân Tông name ruled from 1072 to 1127. You can also see some impressive 17th-century sculptures of the guardians of Buddhism and the eight bodhisattvas who guard the Buddha during meditation.
