Existing for nearly 5 centuries, Cho Hen Pagoda, Hung Yen Bac Commune (Hung Nguyen) still preserves many unique ancient statues and stone steles. This is a relic associated with the famous Cho Hen Pagoda Festival.
Cho Hen Pagoda was built around the 15th century, and was once called Phuc Son Tu, Hien Phuc Tu... The pagoda is located on the slope of Chua Mountain, now in Hamlet 3, Hung Yen Bac Commune (Hung Nguyen) with beautiful and unique scenery. Near the pagoda is Hen Market, so since ancient times, local people have called it Cho Hen Pagoda. Photo: Huy Thu After many renovations and restorations, the pagoda has the appearance it has today, with architectural works such as the three-door gate, the main gate, the lower hall, the upper hall, the waiting room... The lower hall of Cho Hen Pagoda is a house with 3 horizontal rooms, with many steps to go up and down, the front of the hall is decorated quite elaborately. Photo: Huy Thu The upper hall of Cho Hen Pagoda is a house located along the length of the road, with an altar arranged from front to back. The pagoda combines many types of beliefs: worshiping Buddha, Mother Goddess, and gods who have contributed to the people and the country. Photo: Huy ThuCho Hen Pagoda still preserves many ancient artifacts of historical, cultural and artistic value, such as royal decrees, large characters, parallel sentences, dragon thrones, dragon palanquins, and many Chinese documents. In particular, the pagoda also preserves many unique ancient statues. Photo: Huy ThuThe number of ancient statues in the pagoda is not much but diverse in type and size... The statue of Buddha Shakyamuni has a benevolent and compassionate beauty, created in a unique meditative sitting position on a lotus throne, with both hands crossed on the thighs. Photo: Huy ThuThe two gilded Buddha statues sitting in meditation on a lotus throne have similar sizes, hair, faces and costumes, especially the highlight in the middle of the forehead, which is rarely seen in ancient pagodas in the province. Photo: Huy ThuThe statue of the Holy Mother or Buddha sits with her hands clasped in front of her chest, wearing a flower hat and a robe with many folds, showing pure Vietnamese beauty. Photo: Huy ThuAlthough the date of creation has not been determined, observing the shape and paint, many local elders confirm that the ancient wooden statues at Cho Hen Pagoda have been around for a long time, at least several hundred years old. Photo: Huy ThuBesides the statues with an average size of about 1m - 1.3m high, the pagoda also preserves small statues, only about 0.3 - 0.4m high, but quite unique, expressed in shape, face, costume, hat... Photo: Huy ThuAccording to Mr. Nguyen Ba Canh - the caretaker of Cho Hen Pagoda, the pagoda used to have an ancient stone stele attached to the back of a turtle that was lost during the war years. Currently, on the left of the lower hall, next to the altar of Dia Tang, there is still a stele with Chinese characters. Cho Hen Pagoda was ranked as a provincial-level Historical and Cultural Relic in 1999. Every year, in addition to the Buddha worship and the death anniversary of the gods, the pagoda also holds a festival in April, attracting a large number of local people and tourists from all over. Photo: Huy Thu
