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New pagoda reveals
Ninh Binh's soul
By drawing on its
rich heritage of Buddhist pagodas and ancient sites, this picturesque
northern region hopes to attract more tourists from both
Nguyen Thi Gia, a
retired woman living in Ha Noi, says one of her greatest joys this year was
to see Bai Dinh Pagoda in the
"I was really
impressed to see the great buildings and the huge bronze Buddha statues
there. The pagoda, with its unique architecture, is a harmonious combination
of old and new," she says.
But Bai Dinh is not
the only wonder that the province offers.
Located in the
southern part of the Song Hong (
All these places of
historical, religious and scenic interests have been drawing tourists, both
local and foreign, in increasing numbers. Built to celebrate the 1,000th
anniversary of Thang Long-Ha Noi (1010-2010), the Bai Dinh Pagoda, the
largest in
The new pagoda is
near the ancient Bai Dinh Pagoda, which was built by Zen Buddhist priest
Nguyen Minh Khong (1066-1141) in the 11th century.
The ancient pagoda
is situated on top of a small mountain peak in Gia Sinh Commune in Gia Vien
District. To reach it, visitors have to climb up 300 stone steps. As an ancient
description explains: "Bai Dinh" means "the worship of heaven
and earth, Buddha and celestial angels."
The air in the
pagoda is fresh and cool. The quiet mountains and forests are conducive to
meditation. According to Vietnamese folk tales, this countryside region is
sacred land as it has given birth to kings and saints. Ly Cong Uan, birth
name of King Ly Thai To, meditated in the pagoda before moving the capital to
Thang Long.
Visitor Nguyen
Quang Thi from Ha Noi says: "The old pagoda and the new one have their
own interesting positions. The old one is in an isolated place on a mountain,
but it looks traditional, especially as it has Gieng Ngoc, a water well that
never runs dry. The new one is situated in an open and vast space, with a
river in front and a mountain on either side that resemble a crouching dragon
and a relaxing tiger."
On the way to the
old pagoda, tourists visit Sang (light) Cave where Sakyamuni Buddha is
worshipped, Toi (dark) Cave where the nation's Mother Goddess (Mau) is
honoured. The
The new Bai Dinh
Pagoda, also known as Bai Dinh Buddhism Spiritual Centre, covers 700ha, and
is the largest in
At the entrance
gate, there are two bronze statues of Ho Phap (Protective deities), each 5.5m
high and weighing 12 tonnes, and eight bronze statues of Kim Cuong (angels
who protect Buddhism), weighing 8 tonnes each.
The bell-tower has
three roofs, 22m high and covering 49 lineal metres of floor space. The tower
has the 36 tonne Dai Hong Chung bell, the biggest of its kind in the country,
which was cast in
People can hear its
sonorous vibrations from 10km away.
From the
bell-tower, visitors pass a lawn to arrive in a sanctum devoted to Kwan Yin.
Built of columns and carved timbers, it is 14.8m high, 41.8m long and 17.4m
wide, and has five main chambers and two side chambers. In the middle of the
sanctum is a 1,000-hand Kwan Yin bronze statue, 9.57m high and weighing 80
tonnes. Once again, it claims to be the biggest bronze Kwan Yin statue in
From Kwan Yin
Sanctum, visitors arrive in the Phap Chu Sanctum to worship Lord Buddha
Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism. The building is 30m high, 47,6m long and
43,3m wide, and has two main roofs and eight smaller roofs facing the four
directions.The building is high, light and airy and has five chambers. The
central chamber is 13.5m long and has four side chambers each about 8m long.
On a high platform in the central chamber, a great bronze statue of Lord
Buddha sits on a lotus throne.
Of course, the
statue, which is 10m high and weighs 100 tonnes, is said to be the highest
and heaviest bronze Lord Buddha in the country. Apart from size, the statue
is a tribute to the bronze casting artists in Y Yen District, Nam Dinh
Province. At the rear of the statue, there are 1,284 small boxes, each
containing a small bronze Buddha image.
Behind the sanctum
is the Tam The (past, present and future) Sanctum. Located on the highest
hill in the region, it is the biggest building in the new Bai Dinh complex.
It is 34m high, 59m long and 40m wide, with an inside area of 3,000sq.m. Yes,
once again, a record is claimed. The sanctum has three roofs and seven
chambers. In the main chamber, there are 66 pillars, including two rows 24.8m
high.
The sanctum is
reserved for worshipping Buddha Past, Present and Future. Each of the three
bronze statues is 7.2m high and weighs 50 tonnes. Another record is claimed
for this trinity. Behind each of the three statues is a giant leaf covered
with hundreds of small bronze Buddha statues.
The pagoda's
corridors run for a total of 1km. In them are housed 500 Arhat stone statues
of high artistic value.
Bai Dinh Pagoda's
records include being the largest pagoda in
Bai Dinh also
claims the record for the biggest number of Bodhi trees in one place in
Sacred land of heroes
Promoting its
claim to be a sacred land once home to the capitals of three imperial
dynasties Dinh, Tien Le and Ly, the region is linked to major changes in the
nation's history. According to Associate Professor Pham Mai Hung,
vice-chairman of
"Moreover,
its intricate river systems created an important geo-political barrier
throughout history. The existence of dynasties Dinh Tien Hoang (968-980), Le
Dai Hanh (980-1009) and Ly Thai To (1009-1226) were lively evidence."
The Director of
the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Lam Quang Nghia,
says the first international conference on spiritual tourism will be held
from November 21-22. It has been organised by the
Ministry of
Culture, Sports and Tourism, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation
and the Ninh Binh People's Committee. It will be held in the spiritual
tourism complex at Bai Dinh Pagoda.
The conference was
the initiative of the Secretary General of the UN World Tourism Organisation,
Taleb Rifai, after visiting
The ancient
capital of Hoa Lu attracts large numbers of tourists from around
Researcher Ha Manh
Khoa from the
The Trang An
landscape complex, one of the most attractive destinations in Ninh Binh, is
now being submitted to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) for recognition as a World Heritage Site.
Among the
well-known historical sites in Ninh Binh, Phat Diem Stone Cathedral in Kim
Son District is an architectural masterpiece. Its unique feature is that
while it is a Catholic church, it was built in the style of a traditional
Buddhist pagoda.
Nhat Tru Pagoda,
the ancient capital of Hoa Lu, the spiritual complex at Bai Dinh Pagoda,
Trang An landscapes, and Phat Diem Stone Cathedral lure many visitors,
especially Buddhists and Catholics. Dinh The Thap, director of the provincial
Statistics Department says, the province had received more than 4.18 million
visitors by the end of October 2013, an increase of 20.8 per cent over the
same period last year.
Venerable Thich
Duc Thien, Deputy General Secretary of Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha's Excecutive
Council, says the Sangha recently conducted a survey on the facilities of Bai
Dinh Pagoda to prepare for the United Nations Vesak 2014 (a very important
event of international Buddhism) to be held in the pagoda. The Government has
already approved the Sangha's plan to celebrate the Vesak festival at Bai
Dinh Pagoda.
"We believe
that the UN Vesak 2014 festival will be solemn and abundant with
activities," he says.
The provincial
People's Committee vice chairman, Tran Huu Binh, recommends Ninh Binh focus
on two types of tourism: eco-tourism and cultural tourism, which includes
spiritual sites such as these Buddhist pagodas.
"The
successful organisation of the conference will confirm the advantages that
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Chủ Nhật, 17 tháng 11, 2013
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