Ancient temple and precious artifacts
Duc Son Pagoda, also known as Duc Son Temple, or colloquially as Nam Pagoda, is located in Nam Son hamlet (Van Dien commune - Nam Dan district), within a complex of temples, pagodas, and shrines including: Duc Nam Temple, Nuong Hai Pagoda, Thanh Mau Temple, Chua Well, King Mai's tomb shrine... Duc Son Pagoda is considered one of the oldest pagodas in Nghe An province, still preserving many valuable artifacts...
Duc Son Pagoda, also known as Duc Son Temple, or colloquially as Nam Pagoda, is located in Nam Son hamlet (Van Dien commune - Nam Dan district), within a complex of temples, pagodas, and shrines including: Duc Nam Temple, Nuong Hai Pagoda, Thanh Mau Temple, Chua Well, King Mai's tomb shrine... Duc Son Pagoda is considered one of the oldest pagodas in Nghe An province, still preserving many valuable artifacts...
According to historical records, Duc Son Pagoda is located on ancient land belonging to the former Van An citadel, and is an ancient pagoda that was built during the Tran Dynasty.
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A valuable collection of Buddhist scriptures printed on woodblocks. |
It wasn't until the 25th year of Emperor Tự Đức's reign that the pagoda took on its current form. The pagoda was recognized as a national historical and cultural relic in 2001.
Besides structures with historical and architectural value such as the gate, guardian tower, guesthouse, upper pagoda, lower pagoda, and ancestral hall, the temple also preserves many precious artifacts such as: a large calligraphic inscription, a temple bell, statues, and a rare collection of ancient books.
The bell, in the style of the Le Dynasty, is a large bronze bell—a precious relic of the temple. The collection of Buddhist statues at Duc Son Temple is rich, unique, and representative of Vietnamese temple statues, while also possessing its own distinctive features. The Three Buddhas set, with three statues of equal size and similar style, each 1.2 meters tall, seated on lotus pedestals, is meticulously and skillfully crafted from jackfruit wood.
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The Great Bell - the bell of Duc Son Pagoda |
Duc Son Pagoda is considered the oldest pagoda in Nghe An province. It serves as a spiritual center for the people of Nam Dan and surrounding areas. On birthdays and anniversaries, monks, nuns, and Buddhists from all over come to the pagoda to pray and chant. Currently, the pagoda is undergoing the process of preparing documentation for restoration and renovation.
Mr. Le Quang Huong, head of the Duc Son Pagoda relic management team, said: "Duc Son Pagoda is a place of worship for monks, nuns, and Buddhists not only from the Nam Dan area but also from other places, who flock there in large numbers on holidays and birthdays. The people's wish is for the pagoda to be renovated, its grounds expanded, and for a monk to be invited to reside there to guide the people in their religious practice..."
T. Phuc - Thuy Hien
