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Hoan Kiem Lake – Legend

Ngoc Son Temple - Temple of the Jade Mountain, Hanoi, Vietnam - Turtle with Sword - This turtle does not only have the magical sword in question, but also carries a book. This is a mix of Taoist Symbolism and Confucian beliefs.
Ngoc Son Temple – Temple of the Jade Mountain Turtle with Sword – This turtle does not only have the magical sword in question, but also carries a book. This is a mix of Taoist Symbolism and Confucian beliefs.

Legend – Lake of the Restored Sword or Sword Lake (Hoan Kiem, Hanoi)

One day not long after the Chinese has accepted their defeat over Vietnam, King Le Loi found the handle of a sword in a banyan tree.

Around that time a fisherman discovered a blade of a sword stuck in his fishing net.  This sword was engraved: ‘The Will of Heaven’, which had come from the Dragon King who lived in the underwater palace.

Once the handle and sword were matched up, this sword gave Le Loi magical powers that made him very tall and gave him extraordinary strength.

While Le Loi was boating one day, a large turtle emerged stealing his magical sword and then diving back down to the depths.  Even after a massive search the sword was never seen again.

Le Loi accepted that the sword had gone back to The Dragon King and renamed the lake in honor of that.

 

Hoan Kiem Lake - Every season is just beautiful ! Turtle Tower in the middle and spring flowers carefully planted around the lake.
Hoan Kiem Lake – Every season is just beautiful !
Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi, Vietnam with Turtle Tower on a cold winters night a cold winters night one can imagine this is a place where legends are made.
Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi on a cold winters night a cold winters night one can imagine this is a place where legends are made.

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