Quan Su Pagoda was built in the 15th century under the
Lê dynasty
The Lê dynasty, also known as Later Lê dynasty ( vi, Hậu Lê triều, chữ Hán: 後黎朝 or vi, nhà Hậu Lê, link=no, chữ Nôm: 茹後黎), was the longest-ruling Vietnamese dynasty, ruling Đại Việt from 1428 to 1789. The Lê ...
. At that time there was no Buddhist temple here but some cottages used as a place of worship. According to
Hoàng Lê nhất thống chí
Hoàng Lê nhất thống chí (, ''Records of the Unification of Imperial Lê''), also known as An Nam nhất thống chí (, ''Records of the Unification of Annam''), written by the ''Writers of Ngô family'' (, ''Ngô gia văn phái''), is a Vie ...
, during Emperor Le The Tong's reign, Chiem Thanh (
Champa
Champa (Cham: ꨌꩌꨛꨩ; km, ចាម្ប៉ា; vi, Chiêm Thành or ) were a collection of independent Cham polities that extended across the coast of what is contemporary central and southern Vietnam from approximately the 2nd cen ...
), Ai Lao (
Laos
Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist ...
) usually sent ambassadors to offer tributes to Đại Việt (official name of Viet Nam under the Lê dynasty). The Emperor ordered to construct a building called Quan Su (Embassy) to receive foreign ambassadors to
Thăng Long
Hanoi or Ha Noi ( or ; vi, Hà Nội ) is the capital and second-largest city of Vietnam. It covers an area of . It consists of 12 urban districts, one district-leveled town and 17 rural districts. Located within the Red River Delta, Hanoi is ...
. Because those ambassadors were all Buddhist, they decided to build a temple on the premises for worship. Today only the temple remains.
According to Doctor Le Duy Trung's essay carved on the 1855 stele, the temple was close to Hau Quan Base in the early years of
Gia Long
Gia Long ( (''North''), ('' South''); 8 February 1762 – 3 February 1820), born Nguyễn Phúc Ánh (阮福暎) or Nguyễn Ánh, was the founding emperor of the Nguyễn dynasty, the last dynasty of Vietnam. His dynasty would rule the unif ...
Era (1802–1819). In 1822, the temple was renovated so that the local residents could practise worship here. When the troops withdrew, the temple was returned to the villagers. Monk Thanh Phuong, who hosted the temple then, had corridors built, statues painted, bell made. The front palace is dedicated to the Buddha and the rear palace is dedicated to Master Minh Khong of the
Lý dynasty
The Lý dynasty ( vi, Nhà Lý, , chữ Nôm: 茹李, chữ Hán: 李朝, Hán Việt: ''Lý triều'') was a Vietnamese dynasty that existed from 1009 to 1225. It was established by Lý Công Uẩn when he overthrew the Early Lê dynasty an ...
.
Autel dans la pagode des Ambassadeurs (Hanoi) (4359941582).jpg, Altar in the temple
Lentrée de la pagode des Ambassadeurs (Hanoi) (4359941764).jpg, Entry to the main temple