Located in Chua village, Minh Hai commune, Van Lam district (Hung Yen), Huong Lang pagoda has the word Thach Quang Tu, also known as Lang pagoda – one of the pagodas with the oldest history in Vietnam. Experiencing many ups and downs of time, changes of history, the temple still preserves a number of typical artifacts with architectural and artistic characteristics from the Ly Dynasty.
Huong Lang Pagoda, originally named Thach Quang Tu, is now also known as Vien Giac Tu. The main direction of the pagoda is south facing Lang river. The pagoda not only worships Buddha but also worships Queen Thai Queen Ỷ Lan – a woman who was good at domestic work and took care of housework under the Ly dynasty. She is also the one who built this temple.
 |
| Huong Lang Pagoda is an ancient temple with long historical value. |
The pagoda was built in the Ly Dynasty, around 1115 with a stone structure, with a unique shape structure bearing the imprint of stone carving art of the Ly Dynasty at that time. The pagoda also left a number of relics of the Ly Dynasty such as stone pillars, stone crocodiles and especially a stone lion statue (local people often call him Thunder).
 |
| A statue of Guanyin with a thousand eyes and a thousand hands bears the symbol of the fruit of an egg. |
Due to the variation of history and time, the temple has been remodeled many times. Today, Huong Lang Pagoda is built smaller than the old foundation, including a great cult house, a front hall and a harem. In front of the pagoda, there are 6 stone crocodile statues facing the front, contributing to creating a unique feature for the temple.
On the stone crocodile statue, there are soft and sharp patterns that are delicately sculpted. It is the image of a sawing man, climbing a rainbow, a fig man, and gracefully winding dragons and phoenixes with auspicious meanings. Therefore, Huong Lang Pagoda is considered a long-standing historical, cultural and scientific relic.
 |
 |
 |
| The stone crocodile statue is placed in front of the temple door with delicate carvings of phoenix, crocodile and chrysanthemum flowers… |
The front hall has a structure of 4 rows of columns, all columns are placed on stone blocks shaped like lotus petals, decorated with patterns of the Ly Dynasty. The harem building is designed with 2 floors and 8 roofs. In the middle of the harem is a statue of Thunder god wearing a lotus throne. The delicate carvings and patterns create a mysterious and harmonious spiritual space that makes every visitor to the temple feel reverent and pure.
According to cultural heritage researchers, the lion mascot wearing a lotus throne at Huong Lang pagoda is the lion mascot pedestal symbolizing the relatively perfect Ly Dynasty sculpture art, the largest in Vietnam. This lotus stone pedestal has a total length of 4.2 m, a width of 3.5 m, a height of 1.15 m and is made of square stones carved with soft sacred flowers, the floating blocks on the surface of the statue are almost absent. rough edges, all smooth, smooth and polished.
 |
 |
| The stone lion statue still preserved at the temple is a testament to a prosperous period of the Ly Dynasty, a dynasty that achieved many glorious achievements in Vietnamese history. |
The stone lion at Huong Lang pagoda is one of the three massive, large and beautiful stone sculptures of the Ly dynasty still preserved in our country and is a lotus stone pedestal with the image of a lion mascot wearing a lotus throne. the largest in the country but so far no stone pedestal can be compared.
The statue is shaped from a monolithic rock, showing the lion mascot in a prostrate position on a stone pedestal, with a lotus head on his head, strong figure with delicate patterns, typical of the Ly Dynasty. According to conjecture, this is the pedestal of the Buddha statue placed in the main temple of the old temple.
In addition, at Huong Lang Pagoda, there are also a number of precious artifacts from the Ly Dynasty such as: 4 perpendicular stone pillars supporting the stone beams of the work, many footstones carved meticulously with lotus petals and chrysanthemums. , sophisticated… With the values of culture – history, art, architecture, the pagoda was ranked as a national architectural and artistic monument in 1974.
Every year, on the 10th day of the third lunar month, people in the region and tourists from all over the world make pilgrimages here to attend the temple’s traditional festival.
In addition to its historical, architectural and artistic value, Huong Lang Pagoda also contains great potential for developing historical tourism. Therefore, it is very necessary for the attention of local authorities and functional departments to make the ancient temple renovated and embellished and become an attractive destination for tourists across the country.
Through many ups and downs of history, the temple still retains its ancient and dignified beauty and is located in the middle of a quiet village. With relics left from the Ly dynasty until now, Huong Lang Pagoda deserves to become a long-standing historical and cultural relic. That is the pride of Hung Yen people in general and of Minh Hai people in particular.
Source: Collected internet.