(Baonghean.vn) - Duc Son Pagoda in Bac Son hamlet, Van Dien commune (Nam Dan, Nghe An) is known to everyone not only as one of the oldest pagodas in Nghe An but also famous for its unique system of statues and many rare ancient artifacts.
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| Duc Son Pagoda was built during the Tran Dynasty on the ancient land of Van An. It still preserves nearly 40 statues of many genres, creating a rich and unique system of statues. |
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| In addition to statues of Buddha, Bodhisattva, Arhat, and Patriarch, there are also statues of Kings, mandarins, women, etc. In the photo is a statue of a person believed to be Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, which was meticulously crafted by ancient craftsmen with soft lines. |
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| In the upper pagoda, there are 3 vertical compartments with 3 adjacent altars. The statues are arranged in 3 vertical rows, from front to back, from few to many, from low to high. In the photo: The altar in the second compartment with statues of a leisurely, benevolent demeanor. |
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| The dharma statue at Duc Son Pagoda is representative of Vietnamese dharma statues, imbued with Asian culture... |
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| ...has its own unique features. |
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| The chest of a military officer's robe is carved, engraved, and painted very delicately. |
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| The last and highest altar has 3 rows and 4 rows, 11 statues, including: King, Mandarin and Tam The. The King statue sits in the middle in the front, with the word “Vuong” on his hat; at the back is the Tam The set with 3 statues of the same size, similar in style, 1.2m high, located on a lotus pedestal, elaborately crafted from jackfruit wood. |
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| According to monk Thich Quang Tinh, abbot of Duc Son Pagoda, the Buddha's birthday statue wearing a lotus leaf (about 0.5m high) is the most special statue in the pagoda's system of dharma statues. |
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| The statues of Kings and mandarins here are often sculpted in the style of sitting on chairs. |
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| Crafted from wood, each statue has its own unique look, but all are lively, soft, and graceful, thanks to the creative minds and talented hands of ancient Vietnamese craftsmen. |
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| In the lower temple and the Patriarch's house, there are 10 statues, but the 3 statues in the Patriarch's house are crafted with different, simple, and elegant lines. |
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| In addition to the system of statues, the pagoda also preserves 210 ancient woodblocks made from soft, durable wood. The large block is 80 cm long and 30 cm wide, the small block is 50 cm + 18 cm. |
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| On the engravings, there are many Chinese characters carved and engraved to print and circulate Buddhist scriptures. |
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| The pagoda also has an ancient bell weighing 185 kg, which has been stolen and lost many times. After hundreds of years with many events and ups and downs, Duc Son Pagoda still preserves many rare artifacts. The pagoda was ranked as a national historical relic in 2001 as a typical relic in the Bac Son relic cluster, an attractive sightseeing and sightseeing spot for tourists from inside and outside the province. |
Huy Thu
