The project will be completed in time to celebrate the millennial anniversary of Hanoi this October. It will cost around VND50 billion (USD2.8 million), which has been made up from contributions by the State, organisations and individuals.

Half of the money has been donated by Nguyen Thi Thoa, the Director of a company in Hanoi.

"I believe that the saint would recognise my sincerity," she says, "carving my name in the list of contributors is not important for me."

"I have thought long and hard about the construction. An image of Saint Giong makes me think of peace, hope and belief. That's the important thing."

Once when Thoa visited Phuc Khanh Pagoda, Hanoi, the Most Venerable Thich Thanh Quyet told her about Saint Giong, one of the Four Immortals of the nation, and the idea for the statue was born.

He also said that if someone wants to contribute to solemn projects like the building of pagodas and the casting of statues, money is not enough, they must have a good mind and a natural bond with the project.

"I had the chance to donate to Saint Giong’s statue, that's my natural bond, it's as if the saint wanted me to do so," she says.

Thoa also contributed to the casting of a copper bell at the Cao An Phu Temple in the northern province of Hai Duong and donated money to the Thu Le Temple, Hanoi, and the Tang Phuc Pagoda in the northern province of Thanh Hoa.

Thoa nurtures a dream of setting up a fund named after Saint Giong to support poor students. She also prays the saint protects and helps everyone to stay healthy and brave like him.

Legend has it that the three-year-old Giong suddenly grew into a giant when invaders attacked the country. He promptly chased the invaders out of the country with an iron sword and bamboo. He and his horse then flew into the sky from Soc Mountain in Soc Son District. The 85-tonne cooper statue will depict the hero with bamboo in his hand flying into the sky on his horse.