Coming to Thanh Mai pagoda, you will admire the beauty of the red maple forest in the ancient and pure scenery of the ancient temple and have the opportunity to discover the national treasure. Let’s visit this sacred temple with Ximgo!
1. Introduction to Thanh Mai Pagoda
Thanh Mai Pagoda is a religious center of Truc Lam Zen sect in the deep forest and high mountains. The pagoda was built on the mountainside, next to a small stream, looking south. Located on Tam Ban mountain, it was built by Second Patriarch Phap Loa as a place of practice for the Truc Lam Zen sect.
Thanh Mai pagoda together with Con Son pagoda, Ngu Dai pagoda of Chi Linh town, Hai Duong province and Quynh Lam and Yen Tu pagoda of Dong Trieu, Quang Ninh province are one of the centers of this Zen Buddhist sect led by 3 monks. The group includes: the first group of Dieu Ngu Giac Hoang Tran Nhan Tong; Second Patriarch Phap Loa; Third patriarch Huyen Quang founded and developed.
In front of the pagoda is Bai Vong mountain where the grave of Nguyen Phi Khanh – Nguyen Trai’s father is located. Now the pagoda is being partially restored on the relics of a large project including: 7-room frontage, 5 compartments Tam Bao, two corridors, ancestral house, monk’s house. Behind is Vien Thong tower, built in 1334. In front there are 7 towers. At the relic, there are 7 valuable steles, of which Thanh Mai Vien Thong tower has the greatest value.
The presence of the monument proves the extraordinaryness of the religion of the Tran Dynasty. There is also an ancient forest planted by man in the midst of the great natural landscape, a system of towers and valuable inscriptions, typically the stele “Thap Vien Thong”. Therefore, the relic site and the natural forest have been preserved. The state has zoned it for protection, gradually restored and embellished it in order to preserve a cultural heritage and create an attractive tourist attraction in terms of culture and natural landscape. become an annual temple festival, starting from March 1 to March 3. However, due to the interesting landscape, Thanh Mai is not empty of visitors.
2. Address
Thanh Mai pagoda in Hoang Hoa Tham commune, Chi Linh district, Hai Duong province, was built around 1329 by Zen master Phap Loa, the second patriarch of Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen sect.
To come to Thanh Mai Pagoda, you go along National Highway 18 in the direction of Hanoi – Quang Ninh.
Map Instructions on how to move to Thanh Mai Pagoda:
3. Visit Thanh Mai Pagoda
3.1 The beauty of Thanh Mai pagoda
Thanh Mai pagoda is located halfway up Tam Ban mountain in the Dong Trieu – Yen Tu arc. This is a unique primeval forest of Hai Duong province, with a rich diversity of flora and fauna systems. For locals, this place has a poetic beauty. In the spring, the trees sprout and sprout, the green color of the trees and leaves and the sound of birds chirping in the forest make people’s hearts more excited and love life. Currently, Thanh Mai is a lush green village with fruit trees and is the commune that still retains the largest natural forest in the province.
The natural forest here is typical with two types of fillings and chestnuts and many precious woods such as iron, cheesy, slices, etc. Every year when winter comes, the chestnut flowers bloom white and the leaves turn yellow, creating a picture. unique nature of Thanh Mai. Birds and animals in Thanh Mai forest are quite abundant with high density, now they are hunted a lot, but recently people still see pheasants, wild boars and many rare animals.
Returning to Thanh Mai in the springtime in the midst of a dark place, a fresh green color full of vitality of the forest on Tam Ban mountain is budding, making each visitor’s heart even more excited and excited. The road to Thanh Mai pagoda is paved with zigzag concrete carpet, winding between pine and maple forests, under the trees echoing the chirping birdsong, making visitors forget all their fatigue. The ancient temple is located halfway up the mountain, surrounded by maple forest and many other ancient trees, with big tree stumps, making the scenery of the temple even more quiet, ancient and majestic.
3.2 Admire the ancient maple leaf forest
In Thanh Mai, there is an ancient maple leaf forest hundreds of years old. In late autumn to winter, the whole maple leaf forest turns bright yellow, strangely beautiful, attracting many tourists from all over the world to visit the unique architecture and admire the natural scenery.
Having the opportunity to visit Thanh Mai Pagoda, you will admire the ancient maple tree stump of 2-3 people hugging. Smaller sized maples grow a lot and only grow on Tam Ban mountain and the southern slope of where Thanh Mai pagoda is located, while other nearby mountains don’t exist.
Maple forest is only found in cold countries, but nature has endowed this beautiful landscape here. Leaves change color with the seasons. Maple leaves are luxuriant in summer and gradually turn yellow, crimson, and then fall off in winter. Although the maple leaves here are not all bright red as often seen in the West, but only sporadically change color and then fall.
In early winter, the maple forest changes leaves creating a poetic and peaceful scene. The long-stemmed, three-lobed maple leaves with serrated edges falling down can be a unique gift for you to give to friends and relatives. The natural setting here is suitable for many people who want to go hiking, picnic or find a peaceful place where the Buddha’s door is located.
Thanks to the maple forest surrounding Thanh Mai Pagoda, it has created a charming scene every winter. Looking back to Thanh Mai pagoda these days, you not only enjoy the silence of the meditation gate but also see with your own eyes the wonderful red color of the maple leaves, which is not easy to see in Vietnam.
3.3 Visiting national treasures
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Thanh Mai pagoda still preserves many heritages and artifacts of historical, cultural and spiritual value such as: Vien Thong Bao Thap was built in 1334, Pho Quang tower was built in Chinh Hoa year 23 (1702), Linh Quang tower was built in Chinh Hoa 24 year (1703), with 7 steles of the Tran and Le dynasties. Among the 7 steles, the most precious and valuable is ” Thanh Mai Vien Thop Bi”.
After the Second Patriarch Phap Loa passed away, his disciples carved a stele called Thanh Mai Vien Thop Bi, to record his name, life, and spiritual career for eternal transmission. Nearly 7 centuries have passed, the stele is still standing at the same time, so that every occasion visitors come to burn incense to worship, visit the pagoda, admire the beer and be proud. Because this ancient stele has just been recognized by the Prime Minister as a “national treasure” at the end of 2016.
The stele “Thanh Mai Vien Thong tower bi” is an absolute dating stele, of great value when studying the history of Buddhism in particular and the history of Vietnamese culture in general.
The content of the stele is a valuable historical source for studying the behavior of the Truc Lam Zen monks. Especially, about the biography and behavior of the Second Patriarch Truc Lam Phap Loa, the venerable man from spreading the Dharma, building a monastery to a monk.
Thanh Mai stele has shown the development of Buddhism in the Tran Dynasty: The stele says that Phap Loa built pagodas, cast statues, compiled scriptures, and preached to his disciples. In particular, the list of disciples who obtained the Dharma with more than 30 people from all over the pagodas, attached the place name at the end of the epitaph, shows the development of the Dharma sect spread throughout Dai Viet.
The beer with a dragon-shaped decoration project with a crest, a bag, a daisy flower, and a mountain-shaped water wave is a unique style of fine art decoration in our country, making an important contribution when studying the history of typical patterns. of the Tran Dynasty in particular and the history of Vietnamese art in general.
4. Where to stay when coming to Thanh Mai Temple
Ximgo suggests some motels and hotels for you to stop by after your long day of discovery.
Con Son Union Hotel
- Address: Tien Son, Cong Hoa commune, Chi Linh city, Hai Duong province
- Phone number: 0320.3882240 β 0320.3883329
- Price fluctuates: 250,000 VND β 300,000 VND / room / night
Huu Nghi Hotel
- Address: 01 Doan Ket, Hai Duong City, Hai Duong Province
- Phone number: 0320.3855859
- Price fluctuates: 250,000VND β 300,000VND/room/night
Con Son Lake Guest House
- Address: Cong Hoa, Chi Linh city, Hai Duong province
- Phone number: 0320.3882982 β 0912.256.344 β 0320.38844023
- Price fluctuates: from 250,000 VND/room/night
Military Zone 3 Guest House
- Address: No. 214 β Nguyen Trai 2 β Sao Do Town, Chi Linh City, Hai Duong Province
- Phone number: 0320.3882289
- Prices range from VND 250,000/room/night
Star Hotel Hai Duong
- Address: No. 1 Hong Chau, Hai Tan ward, Hai Duong city, Hai Duong province
- Prices range from: 250,000 VND to 350,000 VND/room/night
Nam Cuong Hai Duong Hotel
- Address: No. 10, Highway 30/10, Tu Minh ward, Hai Duong city, Hai Duong province.
- Prices range from: 2,000,000 VND to 2,500,000 VND/room/night
5. Foods to try
5.1 Green bean cake
Hai Duong cake was born in the early years of the 20th century. The cakes here always have a difference, the sweetness is hard to resist. In addition to the traditional flavor of green beans, now there are some more flavors such as: durian bean cake, taro bean cake, lotus bean cake, Siamese coconut bean cake, etc.
5.2 Ninh Giang spiked cake
To make a delicious cake, the stage of choosing ingredients is very important from choosing rice, grinding rice, choosing hemp leaves, steaming the cake, etc. When eating the cake, we will feel the sweetness of the cake, the greasy taste but not. feel bored, smooth from the crust and soft spongy of the cake.
5.3 Thanh Ha Fabrics
Thanh Ha lychee is a very famous lychee in Hai Duong, with great sweetness and thick pulp, so it was chosen to be the king in the past.
5.4 Kinh Mon Heart Cake
Banh Long is made from the main ingredients of yellow flower sticky rice, sugar, peanuts, sesame and coconut jam. The processing stages of peanuts, sesame, and coconut are carefully prepared, and the white sugar into honey shows the ingenuity and skill of the workers. You will feel the typical taste of the cake such as: fragrant and greasy from Kinh Mon’s specialty yellow flower sticky rice, peanuts, sesame, spicy ginger and moderate sweetness from sugar and jam.
6. Note when coming here
- To the temple, you can park your car at the temple, ask the temple to take care of it without paying for parking.
- The people in the temple are very enthusiastic, guiding visitors here, so you are free to learn about the culture and history here.
- When traveling anywhere, especially in Thanh Mai pagoda, you should be aware of hygiene issues, do not litter, avoid using fire to prevent fire.
- You should dress neatly, discreetly and politely when visiting the temple
- The most ideal time to travel to Hai Duong is from February to April: This is the main festival season in Hai Duong, a number of historical sites attract tourists from all over the world such as Con Son pagoda, Kiep Bac temple. β¦And from June to July : This is the season of lychee, sapodilla, Thanh Ha guava, the most popular fruits in Hai Duong.
With a system of relics, heritage and ancient artifacts, plus unique scenic spots with ancient maple forests, Thanh Mai pagoda relics are increasingly known to tourists from all over the world. Traveling to Hai Duong, remember to arrange your time to visit this temple. Ximgo wishes you a happy trip!
Source: Collected internet.