Vinh Trang pagoda – Famous Spiritual destination in Tien Giang
The land of Tien Giang is famous for its many beautiful landscapes that reflect the unique characteristics of the rivers and gardens in the Southwestern region. Especially, there is a famous Buddhist structure that visitors should not miss, which is Vinh Trang Pagoda – a unique temple that combines Eastern and Western cultures.
Vinh Trang Pagoda is located on Nguyen Trung Truc Street, My Tho City, Tien Giang Province. From Ho Chi Minh City, you go along National Highway 1A to the center of My Tho City. Then, follow Provincial Road 879 for about 3km to Vinh Trang Park, then turn left for about 300m to reach Vinh Trang Pagoda.
Vinh Trang Pagoda has a history of many ups and downs and has undergone many changes and renovations. In terms of its formation history, it is known that the pagoda was built by Mr. and Mrs. Tri, residents of Bui Cong Dat district, during the reign of Minh Mang in the early 19th century. Initially, the pagoda was just a small meditation place for Mr. and Mrs. Tri to practice after retirement.
In 1894, Venerable Thich Hue Dang was invited to be the abbot of Giac Lam Pagoda (Gia Dinh). Later, he organized the reconstruction of the pagoda, personally carrying the soil and receiving assistance from fellow practitioners. Finally, this place became a grand temple and was named Vinh Truong Pagoda. It is commonly known as Vinh Trang Pagoda. Over the generations, Vinh Trang Pagoda has become larger and more solemn, serving as a place for Buddhists or people from near and far to come on pilgrimage.
The pagoda impresses visitors near and far first by its grand scale and exquisite architecture and decoration. The pagoda covers an area of about 2 hectares, including various areas such as the Amitabha Buddha tower, the main hall, the Quan Am tower, the tower garden, and the scripture publishing room…
In front of Vinh Trang Pagoda, there are two majestic and magnificent martial-style triple gates, built in 1933 in the ancient architectural style. The special feature of these triple gates is the art of combining pieces of porcelain to illustrate the history of the Buddha’s house, with various impressive and unique shapes of dragons, unicorns, turtles, phoenixes, fish, turtles, birds, and flowers.
In particular, in the previous section outside the main temple, visitors will see decorative patterns in the style of the Renaissance or door arches in the style of ancient Rome. This is the ironwork of France, and that is the ceramic tiles of Japan. You will also see familiar features such as Han characters written in the style of ancient script, and Latin characters written in Gothic script.
All these architectural patterns blend harmoniously This uniqueness sets it apart from any other temple in the Western region.
However, the architectural style of sculpture still retains the traditional essence of the Vietnamese people. All the buildings are made of cement and precious wood, with high floors and solid walls. Inside the temple, there are many exquisite and delicate silk lanterns, horizontal lacquered boards, and couplets made of colorful floating bottle pieces, which look very beautiful. The silk lanterns are intricately and delicately carved, and the typical one is the set of silk lanterns depicting the Eight Immortals riding animals, placed in the middle building.
When traveling to Tien Giang, visit Vinh Trang Pagoda to admire over 60 precious Buddha statues made of wood, bronze, or terracotta, all gilded with shimmering gold. Among them, the most prominent are the 18 Arhat statues carved from jackfruit wood at the beginning of the 20th century. In the temple, there are 3 large Buddha statues: Di Da is 98 cm tall; Quan Am and The Chi are 93 cm tall, and there is a large bronze bell called Phap Bao Bell, which is 1.2 m tall and weighs about 150 kg. On its body, there is an inscription “Vinh Truong Tu” cast in the mid-19th century.
The statue of the Buddha Shakyamuni entering Nirvana began construction on February 15, 2012, completed on February 15, 2013, and was inaugurated on March 26, 2013. The statue’s pedestal is designed in a solid posture, 32 meters long, 10 meters high, weighing about 250 tons, with a gentle and peaceful facial expression that brings a sense of tranquility and serenity to all pilgrims from afar.
Outside the temple is a garden with many ornamental trees, tall ancient trees, a fruit tree garden that is always shady, and a beautiful lake. Standing out in the temple’s flower garden is a 24m tall statue of Buddha Amitabha (6m pedestal, 18m statue) symbolizing Buddha’s watchful care over all beings and is considered the symbol of the temple today.
The statue of Buddha Di Lac is honored to sit in the park of Vinh Trang ancient pagoda in My Tho city, with a length of 27m, a width of 18m, and a height of 20m. It was inaugurated on January 22, 2014, with a gentle smile.
During the two resistance wars against foreign invasion, Vinh Trang Pagoda was also a place of refuge and nurturing for revolutionary soldiers. Throughout its long history, despite the destruction caused by two wars, the ancient features of the pagoda have been preserved almost intact.
With great historical value and unique architecture, Vinh Trang Pagoda was recognized as a national cultural heritage in 1984, becoming a tourist attraction in the Mekong Delta that attracts a large number of visitors to come and admire. People come here not only to admire a large pagoda, but also to express their wishes for peace and tranquility in a peaceful and serene space.
*Some notes to know when visiting Vinh Trang Pagoda:
- Walk lightly, speak softly, do not laugh or speak loudly in sacred places.
- This is also the living and working space of the monks, so you need to respect their privacy and not disrupt their daily activities in the pagoda.
- Wear appropriate attire when entering the pagoda.
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