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Hoankiem lake ( Sword Restoring lake) is located right on the heart of Hanoi, capital city of Vietnam. The legend has it that was since 17th Century when the Ming dynasty of China occupied Vietnam, Le Loi, a leader in ThanhHoa province lead Vietnamese to defend against the invaders. According to a legendary story, In the beginning of the defending, Le Loi had lost many times until one day at a forest, he met a God who gave him a miraculous sword. After then he got many victories and after 30 years of fighting, Le Loi and his people defeated the invaders out of Vietnam.

Le Loi had moved to royal capital named Thang Long (former name of Hanoi) and in the Celebration Day, when he took the boat tripping around the lake, suddenly a giant turtle was coming to the surface and said Leloi " Dear the King, now you should return the sword to me", then Le Loi dropped the sword to the giant turtle. From that the lake has been named Hoan kiem - in Vietnamese means sword restoring.

Nowadays, in Hoan Kiem lake there's still a turtle living there (someone says there are 02) and it is very old hundreds years of age. My grandfather told me that it is the turtle which took back the sword from the king Le Loi and it still lives to date.

Will you believe in it? For me and many Vietnamese especially the people living in Hanoi, we believe.

Above all else, the Hoankiem lake is like a symbol of the heart of Hanoi capital.