Từ Đàm Temple

In 1841, Vietnam had been unified in its modern state by the Nguyễn dynasty and Emperor Thiệu Trị ordered that the temple be renamed so that it did not conflict with his name.

For a period the Association of Buddhist Studies of central Vietnam was based at the temple, during which time the main ceremonial hall was rebuilt.

[1] South Vietnam's Buddhist majority had long been discontented with the rule of President Ngô Đình Diệm since his rise to power in 1955.

Diệm had shown strong favouritism towards Catholics and discrimination against Buddhists in the army, public service and distribution of government aid.

As a result, Buddhist protests were held across the country and steadily grew in size, asking for the signing of a Joint Communique to end religious inequality.

Từ Đàm Temple was a major organising point for the Buddhist movement and was often the location of hunger strikes, barricades and protests.

[4][5] This was because Thích Trí Quang, the abbot of Từ Đàm, was the main figure in the Buddhist movement,[6] and at the time he was the head of the GAB in central Vietnam.

[7] Self-immolations were used as a form of protest, an on 16 August, one such occurrence occurred at Từ Đàm when an elderly nun set herself alight.