Dau Pagoda (Bac Ninh) – The oldest pagoda in Vietnam with more than 1,000 years old

Dau Pagoda (Bac Ninh) – The oldest pagoda in Vietnam with more than 1,000 years old.
This time we will introduce to you about Chua Dau – the oldest pagoda in Vietnam with more than 1,000 years old.
Dau Pagoda is one of the oldest pagodas in Vietnam, where Buddhism originated. This is one of the typical spiritual tourist spots of Bac Ninh province, attracting a lot of domestic and foreign tourists to pilgrimage and learn about historical values. This temple was certified as a Special National Monument in 2013.

Tourists visit the pagoda, color Spring 2023, photo by LAG Media

We would like to introduce you to discover the ancient beauty in architecture as well as the historical and cultural values of this temple.
Dau Pagoda, also known as Dien Ung, Phap Van, Co Chau or Ca Pagoda, is located in Thanh Khuong commune, Thuan Thanh district, Bac Ninh province, about 30 km from Hanoi.
Dau Pagoda (Bac Ninh) – The oldest pagoda in Vietnam with more than 1,000 years old.
Dau Pagoda is associated with the legend of Buddha’s mother Man Nuong and the four Dharmas (Phap Van, Phap Vu, Phap Loi, Phap Dien), a vivid expression of the skillful combination between Vietnamese folk beliefs and Buddhism at that time. newly imported.
This is considered the oldest temple of Vietnam and the oldest place of worship of the Vietnamese.
Because, Dau Pagoda was built in BC and still exists until now. After many times being destroyed by war and repaired, the pagoda is still ancient and pristine. King Tran Anh Tong (4th king of the Tran dynasty, reigned 1293-1314) directed Poinsettia Mac Dinh Chi (1272-1346) to rebuild Dau pagoda into a hundred-room pagoda, nine-story tower, and nine bridge. rhythm. Like many pagodas in Vietnam, Dau Pagoda was built in the style of “foreign domestic work”.

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The statue of Phap Van is majestic, contemplative, bronze color, photo by LAG Media
The temple faces west. The outermost of the Dau pagoda is the front hall consisting of 7 compartments, 2 wings, throughout the width of the pagoda. Wooden frame house, 4 roofs, tiled roof, curved blade. The interior has a number of tables and chairs for guests to prepare for the ceremony, before entering the Buddha ceremony. Behind the front yard is a large yard, the center of the yard is Hoa Phong tower.
According to ancient bibliographies, in the Tran Dynasty, Mac Dinh Chi Poinsettia restored the Dau pagoda, building a 9-storey tower. But the architecture of the tower is still of the Le Trung Hung period. The tower is built of old fired bricks, with 3 floors, 15m high. The front of the 2nd floor has a stone board engraved with the words “Hoa Phong tower”. The base of the tower is square, each side is nearly 7 m. The lower floor has 4 arched doors. In the tower, hang a bronze bell cast in 1793 and a bronze bell cast in 1817.
In the tower, there are 4 statues of Thien Vuong – 4 gods in the legend who rule the 4 heavens. In front of the tower, on the right is a square stele erected in 1738, on the left is a statue of a stone sheep 1.33 m long, 0.8 m high, the only trace left from the Han Dynasty. The main pagoda consists of a cluster of three buildings forming the shape of the letter “H”: Bai Duong, Thieu Huong and Thuong Dien.
Bai Duong includes 7 compartments, 2 roofs, tiled roofs. In front of the house is a three-step running through the 5 nave. In the middle, there are 2 stone steps carved with dragons, with the artistic style of the Tran Dynasty. At the front hall, there are altars to worship the Dharma Protector, Monsignor, Duc Thanh Hien, and Bat Bo Diamond. Burning incense consists of 3 compartments, 2 roofs, connected to Bai Duong and Thuong Dien by a corridor (tube). Burn incense to worship the Temple of Diem Vuong, Tam Chau Crown Prince, poinsettia Mac Dinh Chi… Here is a statue of Ba Dau (Phap Vu) transferred from Dau pagoda. Upper hall consists of 3 compartments, 2 wings with 4 curved roofs. In the middle, there is a statue of Ba Dau, or Phap Van. This is one of four statues in the system of Four Dharma statues in the Dau -Luy Lau region recognized as a national treasure.
The statue of Phap Van is majestic, quiet, bronze color, nearly 2m high. The statue has a beautiful face with a large dark mole in the middle of the forehead, reminiscent of Indian dancers, coming to the homeland of Tay Truc. On both sides are statues of Kim Dong and Ngoc Nu. In front is a ceramic box, inside is Thach Quang Buddha. On both sides of the altar, there are statues of Lady White and Lady Red. These statues are all dated to the 18th century. To the left of the Upper Palace is a statue of Zen master Bhikkhuni Da Luu Chi (An Indian Zen master who came to Vietnam around 580 AD and resided at Phap Van Pagoda, Bac Ninh. ). The statue is placed on a wooden pedestal in the shape of a lion wearing a lotus, possibly dating to the 14th century.

This is the garden of the towers in the Strawberry Pagodaphoto by LAG Media

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Dau Pagoda (Bac Ninh) – The oldest temple in Vietnam with more than 1,000 years old is very beautiful. Behind the main pagoda is the Hau Palace with 9 compartments, 2 roofs, where the statues of Bodhisattvas, Tam The, Monks, and Saints are located. The back hall connects with two rows of parallel corridors and with the front hall forming a rectangular space (the letter of the country) surrounding the pagoda.
Two rows of corridors on both sides, each row has 22 compartments with 2 roofs and is divided into 2 parts: 12 compartments in front; Corridor behind 10 compartments. Separated from each other by a set of paneled doors. The corridor behind worships 18 Arhats.
Next to the pagoda is the Tomb of the Way and the Tower Garden. There are currently 8 brick towers, which are the resting places of the temple abbots, dating from the Le to Nguyen dynasties, from the 14th to 19th centuries.

You have been admiring a complex of Buddha statues left by the ancients at that time. Especially, the statue of Mrs. Dau, the statue of the Dharma protector, the 8 Diamonds and many other Arhat statues, etc. In addition to the early architecture, the pagoda is also the crystallization of the architectural quintessence of the time. Ly, Tran Dynasty. With this article, you must have known and admired the thousand-year-old Buddhist architecture left by generations of ancestors.
Before the wear and tear of time, Strawberry Pagoda has lost many things, but still retains its inherent magnificent beauty. Perhaps, that is why Dau Pagoda is still a place that many people choose to visit. If you have the opportunity, you can go to Dau pagoda on the occasion of the festival on the 8th day of the 4th lunar month every year. At the Dau Pagoda Festival, you will see solemn and solemn ceremonies in accordance with the traditional customs to celebrate the day when Buddha’s mother Man Nuong gave birth to a daughter. The festival has many rituals of folk activities and many rich and attractive performances, attracting a large number of tourists from all over the world.

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