THIEN MU PAGODA AND LOVE SWEAR

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Thien Mu Pagoda built in 1601 is located on Ha Khe hill in Hue City. This is a rare prime location: many surrounding verdant plants, poetic Huong river in front and prolonged hills. Thien Mu Pagoda has acquired the reputation for the sacredness with the swear: if lovers visit this place, they will break up soon. We can trace right back the origin of the swear through the following story:
A long time ago, there was a couple. They fell in love profoundly, but they were not supported by their families. They could not get married, so they decided to commit suicide together at Huong river in front of Thien Mu Pagoda. Then, the boy died. Nonetheless, the girl was drifted into the riverside and rescued. She then was forced to marry a man she did not love. As time went by, she gradually forgot the memories about the boy while his soul was still there and waited for her for a long time. Finally, since he couldn’t meet her, his soul was in Thien Mu Pagoda and he swore that: lovers will break up after visiting Thien Mu Pagoda.
However, a priest living there said that: “ As I known, there were many plants around pagoda in the past, the couples took advantages of this and had some unsuitable behaviors. Therefore, people made up the story about this swear to threaten them and keep the tranquility for the pagoda.”
                                                                                         Let’s Hue Team