I went to Pho Minh Pagoda on a weekend, the sun was shining like fire. When stepping through the door of Tam Quan gate, guests will see a cultural world of the Tran Dynasty appear before their eyes, a quiet and dignified space.
Architecture “internal, foreign”
Following a small road paved with red bricks between two rows of tall areca trees and two large lakes, I slowly entered the temple courtyard. At this time, due to the influence of the Covid-19 pandemic, the temple is also absent from visitors to visit and worship the full moon in July.
Perhaps, Pho Minh pagoda in Tuc Mac village has never been as quiet as it is now. This place has long become a famous tourist destination in Thanh Nam because it is located in the Complex of Tran Temple Cultural Historical Relic Site, (more than 200m from Tran Temple).
Before the Covid-19 epidemic appeared, every day, many groups of tourists from all over the world flocked to the temple to visit and worship Buddha at Pho Minh Pagoda.
Pho Minh Tower is a typical stupa of Truc Lam Zen sect located on the premises of Pho Minh pagoda. Photo: Mai Chien
According to historical books, Pho Minh pagoda was built during the Ly Dynasty, where the Pho Minh cauldron was located – one of the four great gases of Dai Viet. The scale of the pagoda was expanded to a large scale with the construction of palaces in Thien Truong under the Tran Dynasty in 1262.
Therefore, Pho Minh Pagoda is considered a great landmark of ancient Vietnam associated with historical figures of the Tran Dynasty.
From 1533 to 1592, Pho Minh Pagoda continued to be restored. The person who repaired the pagoda was Princess Mac Ngoc Lam. She went to the temple to practice for a while and developed a heart to repair the temple scene.
Since this restoration, Pho Minh Pagoda has undergone many other repairs, but the pagoda still retains its appearance and grand scale with the “domestic and foreign” architectural style.
The architectural items and works of Pho Minh pagoda include: Tam Quan Gate, Tien Duong, Thieu Huong, Upper Palace, Pho Minh tower, corridor, ancestral house, model palace…
According to the Management Board of Cultural and Historical Relics of Tran Temple – Thap Pagoda, although Pho Minh Pagoda was formed and embellished continuously through feudal and later dynasties, the architectural vestiges of Tran Dynasty here remain relatively. many and still preserved intact.
Pho Minh tower taken from the corner of the big lake in the campus of Pho Minh pagoda. Photo: Mai Chien
Tam Quan pagoda gate has 3 entrances, brick walls, ancient tiled roof, designed in the style of “two floors, four roofs”, on the roof of the first floor there are 4 Chinese characters, translated as “Dai, Hung, Bao, Dien” “.
Under the 3-level stone platform at the entrance, there are a pair of stone squirrels in the Tran Dynasty carved in monolithic rock, in a running position from top to bottom, and the entire step is bundled into rectangular green stone.
The main architectural cluster of the pagoda includes Tien Duong, Thieu Huong and Thuong Dien which are arranged in the shape of the word “public”. In the temple grounds, there are many artifacts bearing the imprints of carved art of the Tran Dynasty such as the foot of a lotus flower, stone dragon, stone squirrel…
But, a special point must be mentioned is the set of doors between the front porch including 4 wings made of ironwood, big and thick; There are dragon carvings, water waves, patterns. The two doors in the middle touch two large dragons adoring the Sun, when closed, the two dragons form a leaf shape – a symbol of Buddhism.
In front of the tower, there are 4 sutra columns, incense bowls made of stone and many lotus-shaped stone legs. Photo: Mai Chien
Pho Minh Pagoda worships Buddha like other temples; But most of all, this place is a place of worship and has a close relationship with the King – Buddha Emperor Tran Nhan Tong, who founded the Truc Lam Zen sect, making Pho Minh Pagoda a major religious center of Vietnam. Dai Viet country.
Therefore, in the temple are worshiping 3 ancestors of Truc Lam Zen sect founded by King Tran Nhan Tong during the Tran dynasty. In it, in the middle is the statue of King Tran Nhan Tong entering nirvana (side-lying position), the whole statue is placed in a rectangular block; On the left is a statue of Phap Loa and on the right is a statue of Huyen Quang.
In addition, in the shrine there is a statue of Queen Mac – princess Mac Ngoc Lam, who had the merit of repairing Pho Minh pagoda during the Mac dynasty.
When she died, people remembered her merits, carved her statue in white stone, sitting cross-legged on a lotus, wearing a robe, leaning against the background decorated with light rings. Her grave is also located on the premises of Pho Minh pagoda.
One of the two ancient steles placed in the premises of Pho Minh pagoda. Photo: Mai Chien
Pho Minh Tower – Remnants of Dong A’s pride in Dai Viet country
The highlight that attracts the most attention in the courtyard of Pho Minh pagoda is the Pho Minh tower and 2 stone houses. In which, Pho Minh tower is placed in the middle of the temple yard, in front of the temple’s front hall; and 2 stone houses are located on both sides of the tower, about 4m apart.
The stone stele on the right is Pho Minh meditation self-engraved in 1668 talking about the construction and restoration of the pagoda. The stone stele on the left is the Compassionate Stupa carved in 1916 about Pho Minh Tower. Both steles are placed on the back of the stone turtle.
According to historical records, Pho Minh tower was built in 1308 according to the popular tradition of the Tran Dynasty culture with square shape; including 14 floors; 19.5m high. On each floor, there are 4 arched doors, between the floors is the roof ledge…
Pho Minh Tower was built in 1308; including 14 floors; 19.5m high. Photo: Mai Chien
As a person with many years of working with, researching and researching about Pho Minh pagoda, historian Doctor Nguyen Xuan Nam – former Director of Nam Dinh Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism shared, Pho Minh tower consists of 3 main components: Tower base. , tower body and tower top.
In particular, the base of Pho Minh tower is made entirely of stone, the stones are of different sizes, carved with lotus petals, water wave patterns and the entire base bears the image of a palanquin.
The tower body has 14 floors, the tower floors have the same appearance, but there are some differences in details. The first floor is built entirely of green stone, from the 2nd floor upwards is built of bricks and plastered closed. Each brick head has the words “Hung Long Thirteen Decades” and depicts a floating dragon of the Tran Dynasty.
The top of the tower is a stone block shaped like a lotus consisting of many different layers. Photo: Mai Chien
The top of the tower is a stone block shaped like a lotus, including many different layers such as: The top of the lotus bud is oblong, consisting of 5 layers of lotus petals facing up and bunches; where the last layer has a double border and has a floating centerline. The entire lotus bud is placed on a terracotta block with an oblong shape with two red layers.
The tower is surrounded by walls, and there are lanterns at all points of the tower. In the middle of the walls, there are 4 doors to the tower, in front there are pairs of stone dragons.
At the foot of Pho Minh tower are two large incense trees (also known as scripture columns) made of stone, created in the 17th century. Before the two large columns are two small columns, delicately crafted in the shape of flowers. lotus; on top of the lotus petals, inside there is an image of Buddha sitting on a lotus flower.
In particular, around the sutra columns and incense bowls, there are 12 lotus-petal stone legs of similar shape and size.
The base of the tower is made of stone, bearing the image of a palanquin. There are 4 arched doors on all floors. And, in the middle of the entrance to the tower, there are stone dragons. Photo: Mai Chien
According to Dr. Nam, Pho Minh tower is a typical stupa of Truc Lam Zen sect, a success for tower construction techniques of the Tran Dynasty, making an important contribution to the art of ancient tower architecture in Vietnam.
It can be said that Pho Minh tower is not only a valuable work in terms of culture, history, and architecture, but also carries with it the national pride, showing the will, indomitable and indomitable spirit of the East. A.
Pho Minh Pagoda was associated with the Tran dynasty – Vietnam’s feudal dynasties against the invasion of the strongest country at that time, the Nguyen Mong Empire.
Because the Tran Dynasty defeated the invasion of the Nguyen Mong army 3 times. Therefore, Pho Minh tower is considered a symbol of Nam Dinh. In 1991, the State Bank of Vietnam printed the image of Pho Minh tower on a 100-dong banknote.
The set of doors between the front hall of Pho Minh pagoda consists of 4 wings made of ironwood, carved with dragons, water waves, and patterns… Photo: Mai Chien
In Pho Minh Pagoda, there is a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha – one hand pointing to the sky, one hand pointing to the ground. Photo: Mai Chien
Statue of Emperor Tran Nhan Tong entering nirvana (reclining position) at Pho Minh pagoda. Photo: Mai Chien
Phap Loa statue and Huyen Quang statue are worshiped at Pho Minh pagoda. Photo: Mai Chien.
Statue of Queen Mac – Princess Mac Ngoc Lam worshiped at Pho Minh Pagoda. Photo: Mai Chien
Pho Minh Tower is printed on a 100 dong banknote. Photo: Mai Chien
Source: Collected internet.