An Hau Pagoda received the Provincial Historical Relic certificate

(Baonghean.vn) -On the morning of November 17, the People's Committee of Nghi Duc Commune, Vinh City solemnly held a ceremony to receive the Certificate of Recognition of An Hau Pagoda as a Provincial Historical Relic. Attending the ceremony were representatives of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism; departments, branches, sectors, organizations and the city; the Provincial Buddhist Association and a large number of Buddhists and people in the area.

Representative of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism awarded the Certificate of Recognition of the Historical Relic of An Hau Pagoda to Nghi Duc Commune, Vinh City.

According to folklore, An Hau Pagoda has a 700-year history, originating from a wet nurse of Emperor Tran Due Tong. After leaving the capital, she returned to her hometown and with the local people built An Pagoda in the 13th century in On Village, An Hau Commune, Chan Phuc District (now Nghi Duc Commune, Vinh City). This is also where two close ministers of King Trung Quang De (Tran Dynasty), civil mandarin Truong Quoc Dien and military mandarin Tran Van Dinh, took refuge in the pagoda, shaved their heads and continued their religious career. During their religious life, the two monks devoted their efforts and helped people in many ways, especially in curing illnesses and saving lives. The two monks passed away and their remains were buried at An Pagoda.

During the resistance war against the French, An Hau Pagoda was the meeting place of the An Hau Communist Party Cell, and also a place of shelter for communist party members to come and contact. General Vo Nguyen Giap also visited An Pagoda to meet with key leaders of the revolutionary movement of 1930 - 1931.

Venerable Thich Minh Tri, abbot of An Hau pagoda, gives gifts to families in difficult circumstances in Nghi Duc commune.

With its cultural and historical values, meeting the expectations of monks, nuns and Buddhists, on October 27, 2009, the Provincial People's Committee decided to restore An Pagoda and the Central Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha appointed Venerable Thich Minh Tri to preside over the pagoda.

On July 19, 2013, the Provincial People's Committee issued a decision to recognize An Hau Pagoda as a provincial-level historical and cultural relic. This is a great honor for the locality, contributing to promoting the cultural identity of the homeland, a place to return to the roots, pay tribute to the merits of ancestors; a spiritual tourist destination attracting visitors from all over to visit the landscape and worship Buddha.

News and photos: Pham Ngan