Turning just over a hundred meters off the busy traffic of National Highway 1A (now Đỗ Mười Street) at its junction with Võ Thị Thừa Street in An Phú Đông ward (former District 12), visitors pass beneath a dark-brown tiled wooden triple gate into a world of quiet shade trees, lotus ponds, and hexagonal wooden lanterns named Tâm Đăng (Lamps of the Mind). Rising behind the wide brick courtyard and the lush Deer Park garden stands the three-tiered tiled roof of the Hall of Mindfulness (Phật đường Tỉnh Thức), nearly twenty meters high upon a bluestone terrace, where bronze wind chimes along the eaves blend with sutra chanting and the slow walking meditation of monks and hundreds of lay practitioners each weekend.
This is Khánh An Monastery (historically Khánh An Pagoda or Master Phận's Pagoda), one of the most distinctive Buddhist monasteries of the Northern (Mahayana) tradition in Ho Chi Minh City. Originating as a modest thatched hermitage founded by Patriarch Trí Hiền in the Ất Tỵ year (1905) amidst the orchards of An Phú Đông, designated a City-level Historical Heritage Site in 2007, and completely rebuilt over ten years (2006 - 2016) under the vision of Venerable Thích Trí Chơn, Khánh An Monastery preserves more than a century of Gia Định heritage while serving as a vibrant center for mindfulness practice and classical East Asian Buddhist architecture.
IFounding Patriarch Trí Hiền, the name Master Phận's Pagoda, and the spirit of mindfulness
Within the network of Buddhist temples in Ho Chi Minh City, Khánh An Monastery (Chinese: 慶安寺院, originally Khánh An Pagoda - 慶安寺) belongs to the Northern (Mahayana) Buddhist tradition, continuing the Lâm Tế (Linji) Zen lineage widespread across southern Vietnam. The two Sino-Vietnamese characters Khánh An (慶安) carry an auspicious Buddhist meaning: Khánh signifies wholesome joy and blessing born of virtuous cultivation, while An denotes the unshakable peace of mind found in taking refuge in the Three Jewels.
Long before acquiring its present monastic grandeur, throughout the first half of the twentieth century the villagers of the betel and areca orchards of An Phú Đông affectionately called this temple Chùa Thầy Phận (Master Phận's Pagoda) in honor of its founding patriarch, Most Venerable Trí Hiền (Thầy Năm Phận).
According to the heritage dossier of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports and stele records kept at the monastery, Patriarch Trí Hiền bore the secular name Nguyễn Văn Phận (born in the Tân Dậu year 1861, passed into nirvana in the Kỷ Mão year 1939), whom local residents addressed in southern custom as Thầy Năm Phận. Deeply versed in Buddhist scriptures and traditional herbal medicine and renowned for his compassion toward the poor, in the Ất Tỵ year (1905) Master Năm Phận received a generous donation of roughly 4 hectares of land from a local landowner named Biện Lục on the border between the two old villages of An Lộc Đông and Hanh Phú (later merged into An Phú Đông commune of old Hóc Môn and District 12) to erect a small pagoda for monastic practice, healing the sick, and teaching the Dharma.
In the late 1930s prior to 1945, the riverine peninsula of An Phú Đông along the Saigon and Vàm Thuật rivers was a gathering place for patriotic scholars and villagers. Embodying the engaged compassion of southern Vietnamese Buddhism, Patriarch Trí Hiền and his disciples at Khánh An Pagoda sheltered and supported local patriots until the Patriarch passed away on the 6th day of the 6th lunar month in the Kỷ Mão year (July 1939). The stupa enshrining the mortal remains of Patriarch Trí Hiền was erected within the temple grounds and has stood ever since as the spiritual anchor of the monastery.
Entering the twenty-first century, continuing the founder's spirit of engaged practice under the guidance of Venerable Thích Trí Chơn (Abbot of Khánh An Monastery and Head of the Culture Board of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Ho Chi Minh City, Term IX), the historic temple was developed into a center for Mindfulness and Awakened Living. Rather than bearing the conventional title Great Hero Hall (Đại Hùng Bảo Điện), the main sanctuary was named Phật đường Tỉnh Thức (Hall of Mindfulness / Hall of Awakening). That name expresses the shared heart of both Early and Mahayana Buddhism: the Sanskrit word Buddha literally means the Awakened One, and entering the Buddha Hall is not merely to pray for external blessings, but for each practitioner to awaken the seed of mindfulness within, observe the breath, and calm the turbulence of suffering in the present moment.
In recent years, struck by its warm dark-brown timber columns, gracefully curved tiled roofs devoid of brightly painted dragons or phoenixes, and rows of wooden garden lanterns and wind chimes, many travel articles and young visitors on social media have nicknamed Khánh An Monastery a Japanese-style temple in Saigon. From the standpoint of Buddhist architectural history, that label is a misconception. As Venerable Thích Trí Chơn has explained on multiple occasions, Khánh An Monastery was designed in the classical East Asian Northern Buddhist monastic style and traditional Vietnamese timber joinery, deliberately setting aside garish industrial paints to restore the natural sobriety of wood, bluestone, water, and fired clay tiles shared by East Asian Zen monasteries since the Lý and Trần dynasties, without copying any Japanese shrine or temple.
IIOver a century from the 1905 hermitage to a historical heritage site and modern monastery
The more than 120-year history of Khánh An Monastery unfolds across three major eras: its founding by Patriarch Trí Hiền at the dawn of the twentieth century, decades of rebuilding and preservation through mid-twentieth-century upheavals, and the ten-year reconstruction in the early twenty-first century that created the present monastic complex.
- 1905 (Ất Tỵ)Patriarch Trí Hiền founds Khánh An PagodaPatriarch Trí Hiền (Thầy Năm Phận, 1861 - 1939) builds a modest wood-and-tile pagoda on roughly 4 hectares of land donated by Mr. Biện Lục between the old villages of An Lộc Đông and Hanh Phú, popularly called Chùa Thầy Phận.
- July 1939 (Kỷ Mão)Passing of Patriarch Trí Hiền and erection of the Patriarch's StupaOn the 6th day of the 6th lunar month of the Kỷ Mão year (1939), Founding Patriarch Trí Hiền passes into nirvana at age 78. His disciples and villagers of An Phú Đông erect his stupa within the temple grounds.
- Mid-20th centuryRepeated damage and reconstruction of the small pagodaThrough the historical upheavals of the mid-twentieth century, the original small wooden pagoda suffers severe damage several times and is repeatedly rebuilt with simple materials by resident monks and local Buddhists to keep the incense of the Three Jewels burning.
- 1980s - 1990sRestoration of monastic life and appointment of Venerable Thích Trí ChơnThe small main hall and ancestral house are repaired, and Venerable Thích Trí Chơn assumes the abbacy, gradually expanding Dharma propagation and lay retreats.
- 2006 (Bính Tuất)Groundbreaking of the major reconstruction as Khánh An MonasteryFacing the severe deterioration of the old structure and the growing number of retreatants, Venerable Thích Trí Chơn initiates a comprehensive reconstruction across the remaining 6,000-plus square meters of temple land under the official title Khánh An Monastery.
- 27/07/2007Ranked as a City-level Historical Heritage SiteThe People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City issues Decision No. 3269/QĐ-UBND recognizing Khánh An Pagoda (Khánh An Monastery) as a City-level Historical Heritage Site, accompanied by a memorial stele pavilion on the grounds.
- 2016 (Bính Thân)Completion of the Hall of Mindfulness monastic complexAfter ten years of patient construction supported by donations from the fourfold Buddhist assembly, all principal structures including the Hall of Mindfulness, Monks' Quarters, Tâm Đăng Guest Hall, Avalokiteshvara Pavilion, and Deer Park Garden are completed.
According to monastery archives, when Venerable Thích Trí Chơn launched the major reconstruction in 2006, the remaining monastery compound measured slightly over 6,000 square meters (out of the original 4-hectare orchard estate of 1905, much of which had become residential land over a century of urbanization). Rather than erecting a rapid reinforced-concrete hall painted in bright colors, the abbot chose a patient ten-year building effort (2006 - 2016), carefully selecting ironwood columns, carved stone pillar bases, fired clay roof tiles, and shade trees to craft an enduring contemplative sanctuary.
Under the commune-level administrative reorganization of Ho Chi Minh City effective 1 July 2025 (pursuant to National Assembly Resolution No. 202/2025/QH15 and the resolution rearranging commune-level units), the entire natural area and population of former Thạnh Lộc ward and An Phú Đông ward (of former District 12) were consolidated into a new administrative unit that retained the historic name An Phú Đông ward, Ho Chi Minh City. Thus the historical place-name An Phú Đông associated with over a century of Khánh An Monastery's existence remains intact.
IIIEast Asian timber-and-tile architecture, the Hall of Mindfulness, and Tâm Đăng lanterns
The architectural ensemble of Khánh An Monastery today forms a harmonious composition of traditional timber joinery, bluestone terraces, dark-brown tiled roofs, lotus ponds, and woodland gardens. Eschewing glaring reds or bright yellows, the entire complex is unified by three natural tones: the warm dark brown of ironwood (gỗ lim and căm xe), the blue-grey of carved stone, and the soft cream white of plastered walls set amidst lush greenery and water.
The layout unfolds inward from the wooden triple gate along lane 1055/3D of National Highway 1A (Võ Thị Thừa Street), opening onto a spacious brick-and-stone courtyard flanked on the right by the towering Hall of Mindfulness (Phật đường Tỉnh Thức), and on the left and rear by the Monks' Quarters and Tâm Đăng Guest Hall, the Avalokiteshvara Pavilion beside the lotus pond, the Stupa of Patriarch Trí Hiền, and the Historical Stele Pavilion.
The central and most monumental structure of the monastery, rising nearly 20 meters high beneath three tiers of gently curving dark-brown tiled roofs. Set upon a high stone platform approached by wide bluestone stairs carved with clouds and lotus petals, the upper level houses the main Buddha sanctuary supported by massive round timber columns, enshrining a serene wooden statue of Shakyamuni Buddha seated in meditation upon a lotus throne. The ground level beneath the terrace serves as a spacious lecture and meditation hall accommodating hundreds of practitioners.
An elongated two-story building running alongside the main courtyard, combining cream-white walls, turned wooden balustrades, and traditional tiled roofs. It houses the resident monastic sangha as well as the reception hall, dining hall, and quarters for lay practitioners attending weekend retreats.
A two-tiered hexagonal wooden pavilion set beside a pond of blooming lotuses, water lilies, and carp, linked to the shore by a small bridge and stepping stones. Inside is enshrined a statue of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, while bronze wind chimes hung beneath the eaves ring softly whenever breezes blow in from the Saigon River.
Lining the stone walkways and the shaded Deer Park Garden stand dozens of hexagonal wooden post lanterns topped with miniature roofs, named Tâm Đăng (Lamps of the Mind). On the translucent paper panels of each lantern are brushed short calligraphy verses of mindfulness such as 'Peaceful steps' and 'Breathing in, the mind is still', reminding visitors to walk in awareness.
Set in a quiet corner of the grounds stands the multi-tiered historical stupa where Founding Patriarch Trí Hiền (Thầy Năm Phận, passed away 1939) rests alongside early monastic predecessors, next to the City-level Historical Heritage stele pavilion erected after the 2007 ranking decision, linking the 1905 temple with the contemporary monastery.
A refined detail in the liturgical arrangement of Khánh An Monastery is the minimal use of smoke inside the Hall of Mindfulness. Before the Buddha altar stands only a small burner diffusing natural aloeswood incense, avoiding heavy bundles of burning joss sticks that would darken the timber rafters, keeping the sanctuary air pure and clear for sitting meditation and the resonant sound of the bronze mindfulness bell.
IVThe lie of the land and the facing
The analysis below is the library's reading of the An Phú Đông terrain through the eyes of traditional East Asian landform feng shui, and is neither part of the official heritage dossier nor Buddhist doctrine. We state this clearly so that readers may distinguish historical record from topographical interpretation.
Viewed on the hydrographic map of northern Saigon at latitude 10.86117 degrees North and longitude 106.70483 degrees East, Khánh An Monastery occupies a distinctive riverine peninsula in An Phú Đông ward (former District 12), Ho Chi Minh City. Seen from above, the entire alluvial terrace of An Phú Đông and Thạnh Lộc is embraced on nearly three sides by two major waterways: to the east and southeast, the Saigon River sweeps in a wide arc around the land (facing former Thủ Đức and Bình Dương across the water), while to the south and southwest, the Vàm Thuật River branches off from the Saigon River to wrap around the lower edge of the peninsula. In the classical water-method landform reading of the southern delta, a raised alluvial mound embraced on three sides by two converging, curving rivers represents the auspicious formation of two waters meeting and wrapping like a jade belt before the hall, keeping the soil fertile, the vegetation lush year-round, and the site's qi gently gathered by water.
With respect to internal layout and orientation, Khánh An Monastery is set back more than one hundred meters north of the busy East-West artery of National Highway 1A (Đỗ Mười Street) along Võ Thị Thừa Street and lane 1055/3D. That hundred-meter setback functions as an effective outer buffer bright hall (sheltering from wind and gathering qi): it dissipates the noise and rushing qi of the highway so that the moment one steps through the triple gate into the monastery courtyard, the atmosphere immediately settles into stillness. Within the compound, the Hall of Mindfulness rises upon its high bluestone terrace as a solid rear backing (hậu chẩm), while in front and to the side open the wide courtyard, rockery, and lotus pond serving as the inner bright hall (nội minh đường) where water gathers, achieving a balanced harmony of yin and yang between the lofty timber hall above and the tranquil lotus waters below.
VAwakened Living retreats and major annual Buddhist festivals
Beyond its status as a historical heritage site and architectural landmark, Khánh An Monastery has served for nearly two decades as one of Ho Chi Minh City's most active centers for Dharma propagation and mindfulness practice. Under the guidance of Venerable Thích Trí Chơn and the resident monastic sangha, the monastery hosts monthly weekend retreats titled Sống Tỉnh Thức (Awakened Living), Zen meditation courses, summer youth retreats, and the major annual festivals of Northern Buddhism.
| Date (Lunar calendar / Periodic) | Retreat or festival | Principal practices and rites at Khánh An Monastery |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly (on a Sunday announced on the monastery schedule) | One-day 'Sống Tỉnh Thức' (Awakened Living) Retreat | Hundreds of lay practitioners gather in the Hall of Mindfulness and Deer Park Garden for sitting meditation, sutra chanting, Dharma talks, walking meditation around the lotus pond, mindful silent meals, and deep relaxation. |
| First lunar month (from New Year's Eve to the Full Moon of the 1st month) | New Year Prayer for Peace and Upper Prime Lantern Festival | Chanting of the Medicine Buddha Sutra for national peace, lighting of thousands of lotus lanterns around the Hall of Mindfulness and pond, and first Dharma talk of the spring. |
| Full Moon of the 4th lunar month (8th to 15th days of the 4th month) | Vesak Celebration (Buddha's Birthday) | Traditional Bathing of the Baby Buddha rite (Mộc dục) on the platform before the Hall of Mindfulness, Dharma discourse on the Nativity of Shakyamuni Buddha, and cultural offerings. |
| 6th day of the 6th lunar month annually | Memorial Day of Founding Patriarch Trí Hiền (Thầy Năm Phận) | Solemn annual commemoration of the 1905 founder Patriarch Trí Hiền (passed away 1939), with circumambulation of the Patriarch's Stupa and incense offerings to predecessor monks. |
| Full Moon of the 7th lunar month | Vu Lan Filial Piety Festival and Rose-Pinning Ceremony | Pavarana ceremony concluding the three-month monastic Rains Retreat, rose-pinning rite honoring parents and the fourfold gratitude, and prayers for the departed. |
| 11th and 12th lunar months | Amitabha Buddha Lantern Night (17/11 lunar) and Year-End Retreat | Candlelight vigil honoring Amitabha Buddha, commemoration of Shakyamuni Buddha's Enlightenment Day (8th day of the 12th lunar month), and year-end review of spiritual practice. |
One of the most memorable practices during retreats and festivals at Khánh An Monastery is Mindful Tea Meditation and Formal Silent Meals (Quá đường). At midday meals or during tea meditation beneath the trees of the Deer Park Garden, hundreds of participants from university students to elders practice noble silence, listening to the mindfulness bell as they savor each cup of tea and each grain of vegetarian rice, turning this century-old monastery in An Phú Đông into a peaceful oasis nurturing inner stillness amid the southern metropolis.
VILocation And How To Get There
- Address
- Số 1055/3D Quốc lộ 1A (đường Đỗ Mười và Võ Thị Thừa), phường An Phú Đông (Quận 12 cũ), Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh
- Getting there
- From central Ho Chi Minh City, follow Nguyễn Kiệm and Nguyễn Oanh streets across the Ngã Tư Ga overpass (former Gò Vấp and District 12), turn right onto National Highway 1A (Đỗ Mười Street) toward Thủ Đức for about 2 km, and turn left into Võ Thị Thừa Street (lane 1055/3D National Highway 1A) in An Phú Đông ward for about 100 meters to reach the gate of Khánh An Monastery.
- Coordinates
- 10.86117, 106.70483
Khánh An Monastery is a contemplative sanctuary for monastic training and lay mindfulness practice, not a commercial tourist attraction or photo studio. When visiting to venerate the Buddha or walk the grounds, visitors are asked to wear modest, respectful attire (sleeved shirts and trousers or skirts reaching below the knee), walk softly, and speak quietly. By monastery rule, wedding photography, commercial fashion shoots, and noisy filming are not permitted on the stone steps of the Hall of Mindfulness or near the Monks' Quarters. Before ascending the Hall of Mindfulness, please leave footwear neatly at the base of the stone stairs, light at most a single stick of incense at the outdoor burner, and never strike bells or ritual instruments without permission.
Nearby places in the library
VIIContribute To This Page
Contribute photos, information or video for Khánh An Monastery
Góp ảnh, thông tin hoặc video cho Tu viện Khánh AnEveryone is welcome to enrich this page: a photo you took, a detail the page misses, a short video. Every contribution is read and answered.
Thầy Ưng Khiêm mời cộng đồng cùng làm giàu trang này. Ảnh chụp tận nơi, một chi tiết lịch sử chưa được nhắc, một đoạn video ngắn: mọi đóng góp đều được đọc và trả lời.
No community contribution yet. You could be the first. Chưa có đóng góp nào từ cộng đồng. Bạn có thể là người đầu tiên.
?Quick Questions
Who founded Khánh An Monastery, when was it built, and why was it called Chùa Thầy Phận?
Khánh An Monastery (originally Khánh An Pagoda) was founded in the Ất Tỵ year (1905) by Patriarch Trí Hiền on roughly 4 hectares of land donated by Mr. Biện Lục between the old villages of An Lộc Đông and Hanh Phú. Because Patriarch Trí Hiền's secular name was Nguyễn Văn Phận (1861 - 1939), local villagers affectionately called him Thầy Năm Phận (Master Năm Phận) and knew the temple as Chùa Thầy Phận.
Was Khánh An Monastery built in the style of a Japanese temple?
No. Although visitors often compare it to Japanese architecture because of its dark-brown timber columns and tiled roofs without brightly painted dragons or phoenixes, the entire Khánh An Monastery complex (reconstructed under Venerable Thích Trí Chơn from 2006 to 2016) was designed in the classical East Asian Northern Buddhist monastic style and traditional Vietnamese timber joinery, emphasizing the contemplative simplicity of wood, bluestone, and fired clay tiles.
When was Khánh An Monastery ranked as a historical heritage site?
On 27 July 2007, the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City issued Decision No. 3269/QĐ-UBND ranking Khánh An Pagoda (Khánh An Monastery) as a City-level Historical Heritage Site, recognizing more than a century of historical value since Patriarch Trí Hiền founded the temple in 1905.
Which Buddha is enshrined in the Hall of Mindfulness and what are its architectural features?
The Hall of Mindfulness (Phật đường Tỉnh Thức) is the central sanctuary of the monastery, rising nearly 20 meters high with a timber frame and three tiers of curved tiled roofs resting on an elevated bluestone terrace. The upper sanctuary enshrines a wooden statue of Shakyamuni Buddha seated in meditation upon a lotus throne, while the ground floor houses a large lecture and meditation hall for retreats.
When can visitors join the Sống Tỉnh Thức (Awakened Living) mindfulness retreat at the monastery?
The one-day 'Sống Tỉnh Thức' (Awakened Living) retreat led by Venerable Thích Trí Chơn and the monks of Khánh An Monastery is held once a month on a Sunday (announced in advance on the monastery's official website tuvienkhanhan.com), alongside major annual festivals such as the First Full Moon Lantern Night, Vesak (15/4 lunar), Patriarch Trí Hiền's Memorial Day (6/6 lunar), and Vu Lan (15/7 lunar).