Tran Quoc Pagoda with 1500 years history, is considered the oldest in the Thang Long – Ha Noi. Architecture temple there harmonious combination between majestic, ancient landscapes and tranquil elegance with background of a vast lake. As a Buddhist center of Thang Long in the Ly and Tran dynasty. With the value of the history and architecture, Tran Quoc Pagoda is a famous sacred place of Buddhism, is attracting a lot of Buddhist devotees and visitors, tourism in Viet Nam.
Location of pagoda
Tran Quoc pagoda is located East of West Lake, Thanh Nien Street, Ba Dinh District, Ha Noi. It is one of the most famous landscapes in Thang Long, Le Dynasty. Appreciate the value of history and religion as well as the landscape of the temple, in the past, Vien Dong Bac Co Institute was once ranked Tran Quoc Pagoda as the 10th historical works of the whole Indochina. In 1962, Tran Quoc Pagoda was ranked Historic Monuments, national culture by State.
History of Tran Quoc Pagoda
According to the dictionary of cultural relics in Vietnam (Ha Noi, 1993), the former Tran Quoc Pagoda is a Khai Quoc Pagoda, built from the Ly dynasty (Ly Nam De, 541-547), in Y Hoa village, near the Hong River. In 1615, Le Trung Hung Dynasty, the temple was moved into the Yen Phu dike, built on the old foundation Thuy Hoa (Ly Dynasty) and Han Nguyen temple (Tran Dynasty).
In the 1624, 1628 and 1639, the temple continued to be renovated, expanded. Poinsettias Nguyen Xuan Chinh was composed epitaph in temple building work in 1639 on this embellishment. In Nguyen dynasty, the temple was restored, the bell foundry, statues. In 1821, King Minh Mang to visit the temple, give 20 taels of silver to remodeling. In 1842, King Thieu Tri visiting temples, give large 1 gold coins and 200 silver coins and the temple were renamed Tran Bac. But Tran Quoc Pagoda name from King Le Hy Tong was used to call people to this day.
Landscape and architecture of Tran Quoc Pagoda
Tran Quoc Pagoda is located on the largest freshwater lake a unique island in Ha Noi. At Hai Ba Trung (40-43), the area around West Lake is very sparsely populated, with medium and small caves and woods covered in forest also includes some rare species survival. At the same time going through thousands of years of existence of the temple, where the landscape is now completely changed. Lakeshore has large a road surrounded homes and villas forming modern works. One side shows the overall improvement of the city’s architecture, but on the other hand accidentally broken landscape of history and spiritual conception of life of the indigenous population.
Above the temple door has scored three digits Phuong Tien Mon and couplets written in Nom. Like most other temples in Viet Nam, structural and interior Tran Quoc Pagoda with the sequencing and follow strict principles of Buddhism. Consisting of multiple layers of the trinity is the forecourt, the incense burning and a shaped upper connector Cong. The main hall west direction, both sides burnt incense house and the upper hall was two corridors. After power is the bell tower roof. The Bell tower, temple is a house three space, roof overlapping roof, located in the main hall. To the right is the ancestral home and on the left the house of beer. The temple is currently keeping 14 steles. On the stele in 1815 with text by Dr. Pham Quy Thich recorded rebuilding work after a long period temple ruin. This work began in 1813 and ended in 1815. Behind the temple there is an ancient tower grave from Vinh Huu and Canh Hung ( 18th century).
The precincts are altitude lotus chedis was built in 1998. Chedis large 11-storey, high 15m. Each storey tower with 6 arched doorways, in each box, put a statue of Buddha Amitabha with precious stones. On the top of tower has lotus nine floors (called Cuu Pham Lien Hoa) also with precious stones. This chedis was built symmetrically with large Bodhi tree awarded by the President of India when he visited Ha Noi in 1959. The pagoda was recognized as a Historic Cultural Nationally in 1989.
However, so much restoration and repair of the temple architecture should not be mixed from the architectural style of the period. Everybody comes to Tran Quoc Pagoda, besides the sincere Buddhist ceremony was to have a bit traveling short, is to visit a peaceful spot emerged between the noisy streets, busy. Solitary midst of the city, which also deserves honorable squared up again.
Tran Quoc pagoda not much moss stone steps, or mountainous part, but peaceful and could give our soul stems positive droplets, washing away part secular, to do good things with the human.
At the annual spring villagers held procession of from tower to temple and from the temple to the village by a concatenated fleet empty flag ended jubilantly.
