Thanh Nguyen Temple, located in Ninh Binh province, is a historic site that preserves many centuries-old cultural treasures and is dedicated to one of Vietnam’s most revered spiritual figures.

The temple stands in Diem Village, formerly known as Dam Gia Loan and later Dam Xa, in the Trang An region - now Tien Thang Commune, Gia Vien District. It is dedicated to Zen master Nguyen Minh Khong (1065–1141), a prominent national spiritual advisor of the Ly dynasty, who was born in this area. He is affectionately known by locals as Saint Nguyen Minh Khong.

Born Nguyen Chi Thanh, he was appointed “quoc su” (national spiritual advisor) by King Ly Than Tong and is honored as the founder of Vietnam’s bronze casting tradition.

Thanh Nguyen Temple was constructed on the site of the original Vien Quang Pagoda, which Nguyen Minh Khong established in 1121. According to local belief, the pagoda was built on the monk’s former residence. After his death, the structure was moved westward, and the original foundation was used to build the temple in his honor.

Spanning about 100 meters in length, the temple follows the "noi cong - ngoai quoc" architectural layout, with an inner section shaped like the Chinese character for “gong” and the outer like “quoc.”

The first structure within the compound is Vong Lau, believed to be the monk’s former house. On the eastern side stands a stone lantern over one meter tall.

The main temple, or central sanctuary, is built in the “gong” shape and consists of the front worship hall (tien bai), an intermediate hall (ong muong), and the innermost sanctum (chinh tam). The architecture and wood carvings reflect traditional Vietnamese artistry.

According to remaining steles, the structure was restored in the 17th century and again during the third year of Emperor Bao Dai’s reign, in 1928. The five-bay front hall features a sophisticated system of overlapping beams, large rafters, and intricately connected wooden trusses.

Above the central bay is a wooden screen carved with four Chinese characters: "Thien khai thanh sinh" (Heaven gives birth to a saint).

The main sanctum consists of five bays and enshrines Saint Nguyen Minh Khong along with his parents. Behind it stands a two-story bell tower with eight curved roofs, constructed entirely from ironwood. The tower houses a bronze bell weighing over one ton and measuring 1.6 meters tall.

The temple is home to numerous relics: a stone lantern dating from the 10th to 11th centuries, ancient scripture columns, Le and Nguyen dynasty stone steles, decorative Later Le dynasty bricks, and stone pedestals from the Ly-Tran era.