(Baonghean.vn) – Upstream of the Nam Non River, in Yen Hoa village, My Ly commune (Ky Son district), bordering the Vietnam-Laos border, stands an ancient thousand-year-old tower. Besides its beautiful architecture and exquisite carvings, this ancient tower also holds many mysteries…
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| To reach the thousand-year-old pagoda upstream of the Nam Non River, from Vinh City, travel to Muong Xen town in Ky Son district, then continue for about 50 km to Xieng Tam village, the center of My Ly border commune. Xieng Tam village is located on a high hill, surrounded by the winding Nam Non River, and is home to a large population of the Thai ethnic minority. |
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| Walking for about five minutes, you'll reach the middle of Yen Hoa village and see an ancient tower with a pointed spire reaching high, next to an old Bodhi tree. |
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| The tower bears many traces of time and human damage; it was built of fired bricks. According to those in the know, the binding agent was mortar mixed with lime and molasses. |
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| The tower's most striking feature is its surfaces, which are adorned with intricately carved and sculpted stucco reliefs. |
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| A section of stucco sculpture on the tower's body remains intact. |
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| On the tower's levels, there are several Buddha statues seated on embossed lotus pedestals. |
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| These Buddha statues, with their heads adorned with hats and their hands clasped in front of their chests, have a serene and peaceful demeanor. |
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| According to the people of Yen Hoa village, although the pagoda was vandalized and its ritual objects stolen by some criminals, it remains very sacred. Due to the pagoda's dilapidated condition, the villagers have set up an altar next to it. |
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| On the altar, there is a rather large bronze Buddha statue and two other smaller bronze Buddha statues. |
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| The large bronze seated Buddha statue was recently purchased and donated by a benefactor, reflecting the distinctive features of Theravada Buddhism in Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar. |
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| These two small statues, about 13 cm tall, are ancient Buddha statues from the pagoda that the local people have managed to preserve and protect. |
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| The two ancient Buddha statues have many distinct features. |
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| According to the elders of Yen Hoa village, the stupa was built around 1008. According to a researcher who visited the site, it was likely a structure built by the Theravada Buddhist sect that migrated from Thailand through Laos to Vietnam in the 7th century. However, Ky Son district and relevant museum and conservation agencies lack comprehensive research documents on this stupa. Therefore, the ancient Yen Hoa stupa still holds many undiscovered mysteries. |
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| My Ly - Ky Son, also known as the "beautiful border region," boasts picturesque landscapes that stretch as far as the eye can see, resembling ink paintings. The locals are welcoming to visitors from all over. Along with the winding Nam Non River and the ancient thousand-year-old Yen Hoa pagoda, My Ly is truly an ideal destination for exploration. |
Nhat Lan - Dao Tuan
