Giac Lam - the "oldest" pagoda
Giac Lam Pagoda, also known as Cam Son, Son Can or Cam Dem, is one of the oldest pagodas in Ho Chi Minh City. The pagoda was built by lay Buddhist Ly Thuy Long in the spring of the year Giap Ty (1744).
The architecture of Giac Lam Pagoda is considered typical of the architecture of Southern pagodas, with an overall plan in the shape of the letter Tam, including 98 supporting columns. Each column is carved with parallel sentences, elaborately gilded. Between the rows of columns are the arched doors, also gilded, carved with traditional decorative themes such as the four sacred animals, the four seasons, flowers and birds...
In the pagoda there are 113 ancient statues, mainly wooden statues, only 7 bronze statues. There are many valuable statues such as: Amitabha Buddha, Shakyamuni Buddha, Maitreya Bodhisattva; Ten Kings of Hell statue, Patriarch Bodhidharma statue...
Currently, the pagoda is the most famous ancestral temple, containing many valuable documents on history, culture, architecture, sculpture, religion such as horizontal lacquered boards, parallel sentences, altars, ancient worship objects... In particular, the set of Eighteen Arhat statues is the clearest evidence of the development of Buddhism in the South.
Address: 118 Lac Long Quan Street, Ward 10, Tan Binh District, HCMC.
Vinh Nghiem Pagoda – Home to the tallest and most elaborate stone tower in Vietnam
Temple gate.
worship
Vinh Nghiem stone tower
Vinh Nghiem Pagoda was built by two monks, Thich Tam Giac and Thich Thanh Kiem, after they went to the South to propagate Buddhism. They used the original design of Vinh Nghiem Pagoda, which was the center of Buddhist propagation of the Truc Lam Zen sect in Bac Giang.
The pagoda was started in 1964 on a low land area located next to Thi Nghe canal. During the construction process, about 40,000 m³ of soil had to be transferred from Hanoi highway to level the ground. The cost of building the pagoda was about 98 million VND at that time.
The temple architecture is in the ancient style of Northern Vietnam. The overall architecture includes the main items: Tam Quan, the central building and the Stupas.
Vinh Nghiem stone tower (just past the gate, tower on the right) inaugurated in 2003 is considered the first stone tower in the South, and also the largest and tallest stone tower in Vietnam to date. The tower was built with dense, elaborate stone carving art with patterns, sculptures covering... all in the Ly - Tran cultural style.
Address: 339 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Ward 7, District 3, HCMC.
Hoang Phap Pagoda – Famous for its summer retreat for teens
Hoang Phap Pagoda.
Nhi Nghiem Tower.
Young people attend summer retreat.
Hoang Phap Pagoda belongs to the Northern sect, founded by the late Venerable Ngo Chan Tu in 1957. After many restorations, the pagoda now has the ancient appearance of a Northern pagoda with curved corners and 2 red tiled roofs. The entire foundation, beams, columns, ceilings, and roofs are cast in solid concrete, the walls are built of bricks, the outside is tiled, the inside is painted. The floor is paved with granite tiles imported from Spain. All the doors,bagThe altar is made of precious wood and is intricately carved.
Hoang Phap Pagoda is famous for attracting Buddhist followers to visit and participate in Buddhist meditation courses. Among them, there is a 7-day summer meditation course that helps young people balance their material and spiritual lives, resolve sadness, build necessary provisions for the future, and find true values in life, which is very popular. Along with this, strict living rules such as going to bed and waking up early... help teenagers "quit" their computer addiction. This meditation course is completely free.
Address: Tan Hiep Commune, Hoc Mon, City. HCM.
Xa Loi - The pagoda with the tallest bell tower in Vietnam
Relic Tower.
Gilded Buddha statue in the temple.
Xa Loi Pagoda was completed on May 2, 1958. The pagoda was built to worship Buddha's relics, so it was named Xa Loi.
Xa Loi Pagoda is the first pagoda in the city to be built in a new architectural style, with the worship hall above and the lecture hall below. The pagoda was the headquarters of the South Vietnam Buddhist Association from 1951 to 1981. During the two years 1964-1966, the pagoda was also the teaching facility of Van Hanh University. From 1981 to May 1993, the pagoda was the headquarters of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (Office II).
The bell tower of Xa Loi Pagoda was inaugurated in 1961. The tower is 32 meters high, with 7 floors, and is the tallest bell tower in Vietnam. The top floor has a large bell weighing 2 tons, cast in bronze according to the model of the bell of Thien Mu Pagoda (Hue).
Not only known for its beautiful architecture and landscape, it is also quite famous for its historical evidence of the Buddhist struggle against the Ngo Dinh Diem dictatorship's discrimination and religious repression.
Address: 89 Ba Huyen Thanh Quan, Ward 7, District 3, HCMC.
The first pillar in the South - One Pillar Pagoda in the South
The First Pillar of the South Gate.
And Nam Thien Nhat Tru is modeled after the One Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi.
“Nam Thien Nhat Tru” is colloquially known as the One Pillar Pagoda in the South, built by monk Thich Tri Dung in 1958 and completed in 1977 with the purpose of being both a historical relic and a scenic spot for the people of the South to admire.
Nam Thien Nhat Tru follows the model of Thang Long Nhat Tru in Hanoi but is lower and smaller. Seen from the main gate, Nam Thien Nhat Tru is built in the middle of Long Nhan Lake, with lotus flowers swaying on the water, both pure and serene.
In addition, when you come here, you can also admire the 61 kg statue of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha cast in precious metal.
Address: 511 Dang Van Bi, Binh Tho Ward, Thu Duc District, HCMC.
(According to Infonet)
