Tam Chuc Pagoda - Ancient beauty amidst majestic scenery

The ritual of Buddha bathing at Tam The temple, Tam Chuc pagoda (Photo: Duong Giang/VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) - As beautiful as a giant water-colour painting with natural and elegant lines created by nature, Tam Chuc is covered by green trees and reflected on the lake. Amidst the charming beauty, Tam Chuc pagoda appears majestically and superficially.

It can be said that the complex of Tam Chuc Pagoda (covering about 5,100ha) is the perfect harmony between the ancient beauty and the majestic beauty of immense mountain. It promises to be a new spiritual destination that attracts millions of tourists and Buddhists from all over the world. It is planned and built to become one of the largest pagoda in the world.

Specifically, the 2019 UN Day of Vesak took place at the Tam Chuc Buddhist Culture Centre (Ba Sao, Kim Bang, Ha Nam) from May 12-14, attracting 112 countries and territories with over 570 international delegations and individuals.

Hosting the 16th UN Day of Vesak 2019 once again confirmed Vietnam’s focus and respect for cultural, ethics values of religions, including Buddhism, while showing its policy on international cooperation and integration.

This is the third time Vietnam has hosted the UN Vesak celebrations, helping to improve Vietnamese Buddhism’s role in international integration and affirm Vietnam's position and responsibility for UN activities in all fields.

Tam Chuc tourist area has been recognised as a National Tourism Area in 2013. Ancient beauty of the thousand-year-old temple has become an attractive spiritual destination in recent time.

Tam Chuc is a very unique submerged karst area, with majestic water scenery. Especially, this place still retains the wild and natural beauty like the dreamland.

Looking down from above, Tam Chuc is like a giant ink wash painting created by nature.

Tam Chuc is also considered a spiritual land. It is also known as "Ha Long Bay" on land.

In 2000, many traces of artifacts related to the old Tam Chuc Pagoda was discovered.

From archaeological artifacts, it can be initially concluded that Tam Chuc Pagoda dates back over 1,000 years.

Over many years, only the remains of wooden pillars, stone pillars and stone beams remain buried in the old foundation, including wooden pillars with a diameter of over 1metre.

The new Tam Chuc pagoda has a total area of nearly 5,000 hectares, including 1,000 hectares of lakes, 3,000 hectares of natural rocky mountain and 1,000 hectares of valleys.

Tam Chuc Pagoda was built with thousands of stone paintings meticulously assembled by the talented hands of skilled craftsmen. 12,000 stone paintings depicting the Buddha's myths are carved by Indonesian Muslims in Indonesia and later brought to Vietnam.

International convention center for Vesak 2019 festival at night (Photo: Lam Khanh/VNA)

Buddha statues at Tam Chuc pagoda are very large in size. Jade Pagoda is located on the top of That Tinh mountain, which is being constructed by Hindu artisans.

Tam The Palace has a height of 39m, covering an area of 5,400sq.m, enabling 5,000 Buddhists to perform ceremonies at the same time.

Tam Chuc Pagoda also has the world's oldest Bodhi tree, which is donated by the Speaker of Sri Lanka Parliament. This Bodhi tree has the longest life span in the world and is considered a treasure of this island nation.

Deputy Chief of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s Central Office Venerable Thich Minh Quang said that for Buddhists, the Bodhi tree symbolizes the enlightenment of Buddha's mind and his kindness. Therefore, the Bodhi tree is considered as important as Buddha.

Currently in the world, Vietnam is the second country after Nepal to receive this precious tree./.