Dia Tang Phi Lai – Beautiful pagoda in Ha Nam

Dia Tang Phi Lai Pagoda is established in Ninh Trung village, Liem Son commune, Thanh Liem district of Ha Nam. Along with meeting the demand for spiritual life practising of local people, in recent years, the pagoda has attracted many domestic and foreign visitors thanks to its tranquil and peaceful beauty. The Pagoda has become a highlight of spiritual tourism in the northern province. Dia Tang Phi Lai Pagoda is located in the forest at the foot of the mountain. The structure consists of the Three Jewels tower, the ancestral altar, the Anathapindika altar, the Holy sage altar, the residential area, lecture halls and guest houses. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

With its unique architecture, and pure and charming space, the pagoda is likened to a "fairy scene" in Ha Nam. The pagoda leans against the mountain, and its two sides are mountain ranges. The main hall is spacious and breezy. There lie the statues of Lord Buddha, Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha, Venerable Ananda and Mahakassapa, and the four Great Four Kings, all enormous and sculpted from unburnt ceramic. The pagoda was built in the 10th century. It was said that after the Siam conquest, prisoners were brought here to build the pagoda. Therefore, the bricks and tiles here have a clear Champa architectural style, which the monks in the temple preserve carefully. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Dia Tang Phi Lai Pagoda, whose ancient name is Dung Pagoda, is around 70km from Hanoi and is famous for housing many sacred and historical artefacts. The pagoda leans against the mountain, and its two sides are mountain ranges. It is hidden among pine forests at the foothill, creating a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere. According to Eastern feng shui, the location can be interpreted as having a dragon to the left and a white tiger to the right. The place was known as the southern fence of the Thang Long capital thanks to the mountain range which rises in the middle of the plains. From the Buddhist pagoda, one can explore the old forests or climb nearby mountains. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

According to the elders in Ninh Trung village, the pagoda was built in the 11th century with over 100 compartments. It was where King Tran Nghe Tong (1372-1394) lived in seclusion, and King Tu Duc prayed for having children. In December 2015, Venerable Thich Minh Quang upgraded the Dung Pagoda and renamed it Dia Tang Phi Lai. It was said that after the Siam conquest, prisoners were brought here to build the Pagoda. Therefore, the bricks and tiles here have a clear Champa architectural style, which the monks in the temple preserve carefully. Dia Tang Phi Lai Pagoda has become a hotspot for spiritual tourism in the province. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The story of the artefacts found at Dung Pagoda contains many interesting historical facts. Historian Le Van Lan said that the land where the Pagoda stands is a good place where the quintessence of heaven and earth converges. According to the historian, it was a very suitable place to build a religious centre. The historian noted that this land was mentioned in Nguyen Trai's book "Du dia chi" with the name Doi, Diep (Diep Son, Doi Son) and was known as the southern fence of the Thang Long capital thanks to the mountain range which arose in the middle of the plains. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The road from Hanoi to the pagoda is wide and smooth. It takes visitors only one hour to drive to the place. Many visitors know about Dia Lang Phi Lai Pagoda for the beautiful scenery, with the garden decorated with white stones, flower trees of numerous colours in bloom and goldfish swimming in a clear lotus pond. The pagoda is not only a sacred place of worship but also delivers a sense of purity and comfort for the soul. For reading lovers, it is an ideal destination with numerous books. Walking on the campus to enjoy the peaceful Buddhism atmosphere or drinking a cup of tea is interesting experience. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Visiting the pagoda, visitors will be surprised by the path leading to the pagoda, which is covered in white gravel instead of being paved with red bricks like other pagodas. The layout of Dia Tang Phi Lai is also different. Two giant statues of guardian deities are at the entrance of the pagoda. In front of the main chamber, twelve circles are drawn on the gravel background, featuring twelve human destinies. The statue of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha is placed solemnly inside the chamber. On the right of the main chamber, an ancestral hall is a worshipping place for 42 generations of monks of the pagoda. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Visitors to the pagoda will be impressed by the greenery in every corner. At the pagoda, there are gardens of fruit, vegetables and herbal medicines grown by monks and locals. At the foot of the mountain, the monks have built a mushroom-growing house to supply clean ingredients for vegetarian meals. Many visitors know about Dia Lang Phi Lai Pagoda for the beautiful scenery, with the garden decorated with white stones, flower trees of numerous colours in bloom and goldfish swimming in a clear lotus pond. The pagoda attracts numerous local people and tourists each year. It is not only a sacred place of worship but also delivers a sense of purity and comfort for the soul. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

To fully explore Dia Tang Phi Lai Pagoda, visitors should spend a full day. Dia Tang Phi Lai is among the many famous pagodas in Ha Nam, along with Tam Chuc and Ba Danh Pagodas. Ha Nam has recently emerged as a religious tourism destination. The province is beautiful all year round, but spring, whereas January to April, the festive season in Ha Nam, is the best time to visit pagodas and enjoy the atmosphere with locals. To get to Ha Nam from Hanoi, visitors can take National Highway 1A. There is also a public bus that runs from Hanoi. The trip from the capital city takes just one hour. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The forest behind the pagoda is also an attractive place for visitors to the pagoda. Around 10-15% of the territory of Ha Nam is mountainous hills with limestone mountains, forests, hills and mountains. Many have steep terrain. Karst here is part of Hoa Binh - Ninh Binh limestone mountains, which have high split density and create stalactite caves with fascinating shapes. Down to the east are lowland hills, interspersed with rocky mountain and stretching fields and valleys. The soil in the area is suitable for forest trees, fruit trees and industrial crops. With caves and historic cultural monuments, this region also has great potential for developing tourism zones. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The Dia Tang Phi Lai Pagoda was rebuilt to provide a place for the spiritual life of the local folks. Visiting the pagoda, visitors will be surprised by the path leading to the pagoda, which is covered in white gravel instead of being paved with red bricks like other pagodas. The layout of the pagoda also is different. Many artefacts were discovered during the reconstruction of the pagoda, such as the statue of the Garuda bird, shoe tip tiles, lotus pillar foot, dragon-shaped brick, phoenix plaques and many other ceramic objects. These artefacts date back to the Ly - Tran dynasty a thousand years ago. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The ancient pagoda, where King Tran Nghe Tong (1372-1394) chose to live the life of a hermit, has a poetic scenery with lotus ponds, a green garden and traditional pagoda architecture, giving visitors a feeling like in a fairyland. The pagoda is not only a sacred place of worship but also delivers a sense of purity and comfort for the soul. For reading lovers, it is an ideal destination with numerous books. Walking on the campus to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere or trying tea cups are interesting experiences. For many reasons, the pagoda has attracted many visitors, especially during special festivals such as Vu Lan Festival in the seventh lunar month. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Two giant statues of guardian deities are at the pagoda's entrance. Many artefacts were discovered during the reconstruction of the pagoda, such as the statue of the Garuda bird, shoe tip tiles, lotus pillar foot, dragon-shaped brick, phoenix plaques and many other ceramic objects. These artefacts date back to the Ly - Tran dynasty a thousand years ago. Though Ha Nam province is not a fixture on most tourist itineraries, its stunning landscapes, historic architecture, and religious sites make the locale the ideal destination for a weekend visit. Ha Nam is also home to many other famous pagodas, such as Tam Chuc and Ba Danh, offering pilgrims a chance to experience the spiritual side of the province. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Dia Tang Phi Lai is a worshipping place and a venue for locals to practice their religion. Buddhists are found throughout Vietnam, from North to South. Buddhism is the single largest organised religion in Vietnam, with somewhere between 12.2% and 16.4% of the population identifying as Buddhist. Some argued that the number is higher than reported, as many declared themselves atheists but still participate in Buddhist activities. The religion reflects the rituals, beliefs and notions of all three faiths in a balanced manner. Although some people think the different schools of Buddhism are incompatible and cannot practice together, the Vietnamese practice them without any problem or contradiction. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

As an emerging spiritual tourism centre, Ha Nam was chosen to be the host of the United Nations Day of Vesak 2019 celebration. It was the third time the United Nations' commemoration of Vesak was held in Vietnam. Previously, it took place in Hanoi in 2008 and in the northern province of Ninh Binh in 2014. The UN General Assembly on December 15, 1999, recognised the Day of Vesak to celebrate the thrice-sacred event of the life of the Buddha Gautama and to acknowledge the contributions Buddhism, one of the oldest religions in the world, has made to humanity. The UN Day of Vesak was first celebrated in 2001. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Dia Tang Phi Lai Pagoda often organises summer Buddhism courses in the sixth and seventh lunar months. Particularly, on the last day of the seventh lunar month, the pagoda usually organises Vu Lan Festival, which is dedicated to living parents and those who have passed away. On the 15th day of the eighth lunar month or the Full Moon Festival, the pagoda becomes an ideal place for visitors to enjoy the full moon in its vast and peaceful space. The pagoda is beautiful throughout the year, especially in the festive seasons. In each season, the pagoda brings different feelings and experiences to visitors. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

In front of the main chamber, twelve circles are drawn on the gravel background, featuring twelve human destinies. The statue of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha is placed solemnly inside the chamber. Ha Nam, home to many famous ancient pagodas, has great potential for spiritual tourism development. The province has cooperated with neighbouring localities to tap this potential, luring more visitors and making tourism a spearhead economic sector of the locality. Recently, Ha Nam and Ninh Binh provinces and Hanoi have introduced a tour connecting three spiritual tourism destinations: Hanoi's Perfume Pagoda, Ha Nam's Tam Chuc Spiritual Tourism Complex, and Ninh Binh's Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, to attract more visitors. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

On the right of the main chamber, an ancestral hall is a worshipping place for 42 generations of monks of the pagoda. There is a small hall dedicated to Quan The Am (Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva), Duc Ong and Duc Thanh Hien, a housing area for monks, nuns, and Buddhist followers in the pagoda. In this lecture hall, Buddhist followers listen to the head monk's daily sermon. There is also a guest house for tourists and those participating in retreats and experiences at the pagoda. The pagoda attracts numerous local people and tourists each year. It is not only a sacred place of worship but also delivers a sense of purity and comfort for the soul. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Arriving in the pagoda, all worries seem to disappear, replaced by a feeling of calmness and serenity. Dia Tang Phi Lai Pagoda has organised summer courses to help people achieve tranquillity and happiness through meditation. Today, many pagodas have also held such courses for children of different ages in summer, meeting the demand of educating children to practice good deeds and become calmer, helping them get away from electronic gadgets. The summer Buddhist courses often cover content on morality, gratitude to parents, individual and social responsibility, and prevention of social evils. The course participants will also engage in exchanges of cultural and sports activities. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Buddhism first came to Vietnam more than 2,000 years ago. It has been widely developed and practised by millions of local people over the years. Religion has mixed with the nation's traditions and beliefs while contributing to shaping the nation's cultural heritage. There are more than 14,000 pagodas, which account for more than 30 per cent of the total number of relics in Vietnam. One can enjoy the unique scent of incense and hear the peaceful sound of Buddhist bells in pagodas in the middle of busy Hanoi capital, at heights of more than 2,000m above sea level or far off the coast on Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The wind chime corridor is at the back of the pagoda. Vietnamese people often go to pagodas and pray on the first and 15th day of a lunar month, especially on the first day of the lunar year. Going to the pagoda at the beginning of the year is a cultural beauty of Vietnamese because Vietnamese people believe that going to the temple is not simply a pagan holiday; it is also a moment for people to enjoy themselves in spirit and leave behind the hard work in life. At the Buddha's door, in the middle of pure space, with the smell of incense smoke and the flower's light colour, we will feel our hearts soothed and serene. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Dia Tang Phi Lai Pagoda is becoming more popular among visitors who love tranquil beauty and wish to explore Buddhism. Ha Nam is focusing on spiritual tourism in its overall tourism development plan. The provincial tourism sector set the goal of serving 2.5 – 3 million visitors, including 190,000 foreigners by 2020 and 7.6 million by 2030. To such end, the sector will build and popularise the Ha Nam tourism trademark, work with the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism and the Vietnam Tourism Association to join tourism fairs in traditional markets such as Japan, China, the Republic of Korea, and in new markets like Russia, Germany, UK, Canada and India, and welcome group trips to the province. (Photo: VietnamPlus)