Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam, one of the most diverse relic complexes in Hanoi, was built in 1070 in the south of Thang Long Capital under the Ly Thanh Tong Dynasty. The complex consists of two major relics, Van Mieu (the Temple of Literature) that is dedicated to Confucius, sages of Confuci-anism and Rector of Quoc Tu Giam Chu Van An, a moral and remarkable teacher of Vietnamese education; and Quoc Tu Giam (the First National University of Vietnam) that operated for 700 years and trained thousands of talents for the country.

Today, Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam is not only an attractive tourist site for domestic and foreign visitors, but also the place to organize ceremonies to honour excellent pupils and students who have obtained excellent achievements in their study and Vietnam's Poetry Day (which is held annually on the fifth day of lunar January). It is also the place where students usually come to pray for luck before they sit for examinations. Particularly, Khue Van Cac (Pavilion of the constellation of literature) in Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam has been recognized as the symbol of Hanoi.