Keo – one of most beautiful ancient pagodas in Vietnam

The Keo Pagoda, or Than Quang Tu, is located in Dung Nhue hamlet, Duy Nhat commune, Vu Thu district, the northern province of Thai Binh. Built in 1632 under the Le dynasty, it is one of the oldest in Vietnam where ancient architecture has been preserved. The pagoda initially included 157 compartments covering a total area of 58,000 sq.m. The pagoda now has 128 apartments covering 2,000 sq.m. Despite several upgrades and repairs over the past 400 years, the Keo Pagoda retains its unique architecture from the 17th century. It is surrounded by three lakes, one in the front and two at both sides, creating a serene natural environment to worship. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

This is one of the pagodas in Vietnam that still retain its ancient architecture for nearly 400 years and is one of the 10 typical ancient architectural works of Vietnam. Keo Pagoda worships Buddha and Duong Khong Lo, a monk of the Ly dynasty, who founded the pagoda. Duong Khong Lo was born in 1016 in Giao Thuy district, the northern province of Nam Dinh. He became a monk at 29. In 1061, after practicing Buddhism in India, he returned home and founded Nghiem Quang pagoda. In 1167, King Ly Anh Tong changed the name of the pagoda from Nghiem Quang to Than Quang. However, it was destroyed by a typhoon in 1611 and rebuilt in 1632. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The Keo Pagoda was built in 1632 under the Le dynasty. The pagoda worships Buddha and Duong Khong Lo, a monk of the Ly dynasty, who founded it. In September 2012, the pagoda was designated as a special national relic. Keo Pagoda Festival was recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2017. The wooden bell tower of the structure was recognised in 2007 by the Vietnam Record Organisation (Vietkings) as the tallest of its kind in the country. The festival is held annually from the 10th to the 15th day of the ninth lunar month to honour the founder of the pagoda. A spring festival also takes place here annually on the 4th day of the first lunar month. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Located in Vu Thu district, the northern province of Thai Binh, the pagoda initially included 157 compartments covering a total area of 58,000 sq.m. The pagoda now has 128 apartments covering 2,000 sq.m. Despite several upgrades and repairs over the past 400 years, Keo Pagoda retains its unique architecture from the 17th century. Also known as Than Quang Tu, Keo Pagoda worships Buddha and Duong Khong Lo, a monk of the Ly dynasty, who founded it. Keo Pagoda is not only a place of worship but also one to learn more about Buddhism and to explore the history and culture of Vietnam. The pagoda attracts thousands of visitors to Thai Binh every year. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Despite several upgrades and repairs over the past 400 years, Keo Pagoda retains its unique architecture from the 17th century. In September 2012, the pagoda was designated as a special national relic. Keo Pagoda Festival was recognised as the national intangible cultural heritage in 2017. The festival is held annually from the 10th to the 15th day of the ninth lunar month to honour the founder of the pagoda. It features religious rituals and communal activities and a range of folk games like duck catching, rice cooking, and blindfolded drum beating. The traditional folk games and art forms reflect the lifestyle of residents in the Red River Delta in general, and Thai Binh province. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Just over 130 km away from the capital Hanoi, Keo Pagoda, which was built in 1632, is home to a wealth of ancient artefacts. They range from intricately carved wooden dragons to a collection of over 100 statues. Also, at the pagoda are preserved many valuable antiques, such as a pair of candlesticks from the Mac Dynasty, pottery and altars from the Le Dynasty and several imperial boats. The pagoda was recognised as a national historical-cultural relic on April 28, 1962. In September 2012, the Prime Minister recognised Keo pagoda as a special national relic. The pagoda attracts thousands of visitors to Thai Binh province every year. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The Keo Pagoda in the northern province of Thai Binh is famous for its unique wooden structure, which represents Vietnam’s ancient architectural style. The whole temple is made of ironwood, without rivets but only wooden joints to hold pieces of wood together. After several hundred years, the structure of the temple is still very solid. The supporting columns and rafters were carved with dragon patterns by craftsmen of the period.  Keo Pagoda is not only a place of worship but also one to learn more about Buddhism and to explore the history and culture of Vietnam. In September 2012, the pagoda was designated as a special national relic. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The Keo Pagoda worships Buddha and Duong Khong Lo, a monk of the Ly dynasty, who founded the pagoda. The section for worshiping Buddha houses nearly 100 statues. At its rear is an area for worshiping the founder of the pagoda. Next to the section for worshiping genies is another well-walled with 36 rock barrels which, according to legend, were used for polishing rice for those who built the pagoda. Keo Pagoda is architecturally unique and stands at a scenic spot on the Red River Delta. The Pagoda is home to a wealth of ancient relics, from intricately carved wooden dragons to a collection of over 100 statues. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The Keo Pagoda in Duy Nhat commune, Vu Thu district, was built in the early 17th century to honour Duong Khong Lo, a Vietnamese monk who is said to have reached nirvana. It is one of the most ancient temples in Vietnam that still retains an almost intact traditional wooden architecture that dates back 400 years. Classified as a special national relic in September 2012, the pagoda is now a highlighted attraction in Thai Binh. Keo Pagoda Festival was recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2017 while the wooden bell tower of the structure was recognised by the Vietnam Record Organisation (Vietkings) as the tallest of its kind in Vietnam in 2007. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The roof of Keo Pagoda reflects the ancient features. A masterplan for Keo Pagoda was devised by the provincial People’s Committee to make it easier for the preservation and value promotion work. Keo Pagoda Festival was recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2017. It features religious rituals and communal activities such as Buddhist offerings, palanquin parades, love duet singing on boats, and a range of folk games like duck catching, rice cooking, and blindfolded drum beating. The traditional folk games and art forms reflect the lifestyle of residents in the Red River Delta in general, and Thai Binh province. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The best time to visit Keo Pagoda is between 13th and 15th September, following the lunar calendar. Thai Binh is a coastal eastern province in the Red River Delta. It is bordered by Hai Phong, Hai Duong, Hung Yen, Ha Nam, and Nam Dinh. It has a coastline of 53 km, with large estuaries, seaports, and sand beaches. The province is home to 86 relics at the national level and 400 provincial relics, such as the Dong Bang and Tien La temples, and the Keo Pagoda.  This province is also home to traditional handicraft villages, along with cheo (traditional opera) and water puppetry. The Keo Pagoda alone helps the northern province attract more than 2,500 visitors every year. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Some 130km from Hanoi capital, the Keo Pagoda can be found in Vu Thu district of Thai Binh province. The pagoda was constructed by Duong Khong Lo, a monk and famous doctor during Ly Dynasty. He became a monk at 29. In 1061, after practicing Buddhism in India, he returned home and founded Nghiem Quang pagoda. In 1167, King Ly Anh Tong changed the name of the pagoda from Nghiem Quang to Than Quang. However, it was destroyed by a typhoon in 1611 and rebuilt in 1632. The whole temple is made of ironwood, without rivets, but with only wooden joints to hold pieces of wood together. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The Keo Pagoda is now a tourism highlight of Thai Binh province. With 53 km of coastline and beaches remaining untouched like Dong Chau, Con Vanh, Con Den, along historical and cultural relics such as Keo Pagoda, Tran Temple and Dong Bang Temple, the pagoda increasingly becomes an attractive destination for domestic and foreign tourists. Every year at the Keo Pagoda, there are two festivals in spring and autumn. In addition to rituals, visitors can participate in an array of folk games. In September 2012, the pagoda was designated as a special national relic. Keo Pagoda Festival was recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2017. (Photo: VNA)

There are two passages which separate the pagoda from the temple. They are designed with curved roofs that join at the 11.5m-high iron and wood bell tower. The bell tower is the most outstanding feature of the Keo Pagoda. It is 11.04m high and has a three-layered tile roof. On the first floor of the tower, there is a 1.2-meter-high stone plaque. On the second floor, there is a bronze bell cast in 1686 which measures 1.30m in height and 1m in diameter. There are two smaller bells on the third and the upper floors which are 0.62m in height and 0.69m in diameter, both casted in 1796. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Vietnam holds huge potential for cultural and spiritual tourism thanks to its diversity in terms of culture, customs, and traditions. This culture has been shaped and practised across the nation for thousands of years. Official statistics show that Vietnam has around 40,000 tangible and 60,000 intangible heritages, most of them in connection with temples, pagodas, monuments, churches, and expressed in religious rituals, traditional festivals and art forms. Cultural-religious tourism generates an important source of revenue while creating stable incomes and jobs for residents. Local residents participate in tourism activities such as sales of worship offerings, souvenirs, local products and restaurant-transport services. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The Keo Pagoda is a special national relic site located in Vu Thu district, which is 130km (approximately 3 hours) from Hanoi. The bell tower is the most outstanding feature of the Keo pagoda. It is 11.04m high and has a three-layered tile roof. On the first floor of the tower, there is a 1.2-meter-high stone plaque. On the second floor, there is a bronze bell casted in 1686 which measures 1.30m in height and 1m in diameter. There are two smaller bells on the third and the upper floors which are 0.62m in height and 0.69m in diameter, both cast in 1796. Buddhism followers, culture adventurers, photographers, history and architecture explorers can immerse themselves in the fascinating world of Keo Pagoda. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Buddhism is more than just a religion. It has become a cultural identity that takes deep roots in the nation. There are pagodas in almost every community, from remote areas to cities. There are nearly 15,000 pagodas across the nation, accounting for nearly 40% of the nation’s relic sites. Nearly 500 have been recognised as national relic sites and become tourist attractions. Buddhism is a tolerant faith and has the largest number of followers among the religions in Vietnam. In any Vietnamese pagoda, there are three major altars, worshipping the Buddha, Mother Goddesses, and national heroes or great masters who honour the country. Trips to and experience in sacred places, including pagodas, will inspire good behavior, gratitude and physically and mentally healthy lifestyle among visitors. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

In addition to the main architecture, the Keo Pagoda also has several auxiliary facilities such as houses of monks and nuns, guesthouses and the headquarters of the relic management board. Joint efforts by administrations at all levels and sectors have been made to promote spiritual tourism in a professional and sustainable manner while focusing on preserving cultural and religious values. They include connections among localities and between localities and tourism agencies to explore cultural and religious tourism potential and to lengthen tourists’ stay. Many destinations have become major tourism attractions as a result of their connections to sacred people, places and events, such as Tran Temple in Nam Dinh, Bai Dinh Pagoda in Ninh Binh and Yen Tu Temple in Quang Ninh. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The Keo Pagoda is a unique wooden artwork, typical of Vietnam's ancient architecture in the late Le dynasty (1553-1789). Records show that the Keo pagoda was founded in 1061. After it was swept away by a flood in 1611, the pagoda was rebuilt in 1632 and most of its architectural features, including 17 structures with 128 rooms, remain today. In 2012, it was recognised as a national special relic site. The Keo Pagoda Festival is held annually from the 10th to the 15th day of the ninth lunar month to honour the founder of the pagoda. In addition to the autumn festival, a spring one takes place here annually on the 4th day of the first lunar month. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Visitors can easily find sophisticated carvings at the temple. Notably, a ceremony was held in the Vu Thu district of Thai Binh province on October 5 to announce the Prime Minister’s decision to recognise the altar in the Keo Pagoda as a national treasure. The altar in the Keo Pagoda has a total length of 227 cm, a width of 156 cm and a height of 153 cm. The altar was elaborately and delicately carved and has been preserved almost intact. This is a handmade product with more than 1,000 skillfully carved motifs in a tight layout. According to many researchers, the altar has great historical, cultural, artistic, and technical values. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The Keo Pagoda features Buddha statues made from the 17th and 18th centuries. Since Buddhism entered Vietnam from India and China thousands of years ago, it has mixed with the nation’s traditions and beliefs, while contributing to shaping the nation’s cultural heritage. Buddhism has made significant contributions to Vietnam’s culture, with its legacy prominent in the nation’s ethics, philosophy, literary, architecture, sculpture, rituals, and paintings, among others. Vietnam now has more than 15,000 Buddhist worshipping establishments. Nearly 600 pagodas are recognised as historical relic sites, over 300 as cultural relic sites, 1,300 as historical and cultural relic sites, and more than 130 as architectural and artistic sites. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The Keo Pagoda is home to a wealth of ancient artefacts, which range from intricately engraved wooden dragons to a collection of over 100 statues. It has also preserved many valuable antiques, such as a pair of candlesticks from the Mac Dynasty, pottery and altars from the Le Dynasty and several imperial boats. Each village or community in Vietnam has at least one pagoda. Pagodas are seen anywhere, on high mountains, in deep caves, in borders and remote areas, on islands, in rural villages and in cities. Many pagodas have become tourism destinations and architectural and spiritual symbols of the nation and localities, including Keo Pagoda. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Buddhism followers, culture adventurers, photographers, history and architecture explorers can immerse themselves in the fascinating world of the Keo Pagoda. Old pagodas in Vietnam witness ups and downs of people. Most community-based cultural activities take place in or around local pagodas, including festivals. Vietnam has nearly 8,000 traditional festivals held nationwide yearly, with most originating from Buddhism. The Keo Pagoda Festival features religious rituals and communal activities such as Buddhist offerings, palanquin parades, love duet singing on boats, and a range of folk games like duck catching, rice cooking, and blindfolded drum beating. The traditional folk games and art forms reflect the lifestyle of residents in the Red River Delta in general, and Thai Binh province. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The practice of worshipping both Buddha and ancestors on the first and fifteenth day of each lunar month has become a religious and cultural hallmark of Vietnamese people. Before Buddhism came to Vietnam, Vietnamese people mainly worshiped Holy Mothers, making it a favourable land for the new religion to grow. With careful selection and mingling, Buddhism has become localised. Therefore, Vietnamese Buddhism is, to some extent, different from general Buddhism or Chinese and Indian Buddhism. Buddhist deities worshipped in Vietnam are described in ways that fit Vietnamese people’s belief and expectations. Most Buddhist gods are loved rather than feared. The Buddha himself has also entered Vietnam’s folk culture as a gentle and kind old deity called “But”. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

In Vietnamese people’s belief, “But” always appears to help disadvantaged people and their sufferings. The Vietnamese people even have their own Buddha. Tran Nhan Tong (1258-1308), the third king of the Tran dynasty, had huge influence on Vietnam’s view of Buddhism. The King abdicated at the age of 35 after 15 years in the throne and spent the rest of his life on the Yen Tu Mountain practising and propagating Buddhism. He founded Vietnamese Zen Buddhism called Truc Lam Yen Tu with minimal amounts of transition from traditional Chinese Buddhism. The King-Monk also worked to unify different Vietnamese Buddhism sects into Vietnamese Zen Buddhism. In photo: A stone stele in the Keo Pagoda that is hundreds of years old. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

There are spring and autumn festivals at the Keo Pagoda. The autumn festival is held annually from the 10th to the 15th day of the ninth lunar month to honour the founder of the pagoda. It features religious rituals and communal activities such as Buddhist offerings, palanquin parades, love duet singing on boats, and a range of folk games like duck catching, rice cooking, and blindfolded drum beating. The spring festival takes place here annually on the 4th day of the first lunar month. The relic site management board and Vu Thu district authorities have been working to ensure safety and order for the festival and promote its values to visitors. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

In Vietnam, Buddhism has mixed with the nation’s traditions and beliefs, while contributing to shaping the nation’s cultural heritage. The practice of worshipping both Buddha and ancestors on the first and fifteenth day of each lunar month has become a religious and cultural hallmark of Vietnamese people. Many international delegations from Buddhist nations are surprised at the fact that Vietnamese pagodas are not just dedicated to Buddhist deities. There are different altars at each pagoda, worshiping Buddhist deities, Mother Goddesses, even national heroes. Establishments of different religions such as churches and pagodas coexist in one area without disputes. This reflects the unique characteristics of Vietnamese Buddhism and the freedom and harmony in religious practices of Vietnam. (Photo: VietnamPlus)