Tien Giang is renowned for its stunning landscapes, rich with the character of the Southwest region’s rivers and gardens. A must-visit for any visitor is Vinh Trang Pagoda, a unique temple that blends Eastern and Western cultures. It is the greatest pagoda of Tien Giang Province and was recognized as a national historical and cultural relic in 1984.
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Vinh Trang Pagoda in Tien Giang, VietNam is located at Nguyen Trung Truc street in My Tho city, Tien Giang province. To get there from Ho Chi Minh City, take National Highway 1A towards My Tho city and turn onto provincial road 879 after about 3km.
History of Vinh Trang Pagoda
Vinh Trang Pagoda has a history of construction with many ups and downs and has undergone many lifetimes of change and embellishment. About the history of its formation, it is known that the pagoda was built by Mr and Mrs. Tri of Bui Cong Dat district during the Minh Mang period, early 19th century. Initially, the pagoda was just a workshop to serve as a place to practice during the retirement days of Mr. and Mrs. Tri in the district.
In 1849, the Most Venerable Abbot Thich Hue Dang put it up a big pagoda and named it Vinh Trang Pagoda. The Abbot’s successor was the Most Venerable Thich Thien De. In 1890, lay-Buddhists came to the Royal-Chartered Linh Thuu Pagoda to invite the Most Venerable Thich Chanh Hau take charge of the Abbot of the Pagoda. In 1895, he had the Pagoda reconstructed. The pagoda has many netlike panels, horizontal boards and oblong boards of the parallel sentences. These netlike panels were elaborately carved. The Most Venerable Thich Minh Dang who had the Triple Gate, the main hall and the Patria. The pagoda has many netlike panels, horizontal boards and oblong boards of the parallel sentences.
Architecture of Vinh Trang Pagoda
Vinh Trang Pagoda is the greatest pagoda of Tien Giang Province, in an area of 2,000m2 with many beautiful trees. It was built in 1849 in My Phong village, My Tho City, with the architecture of Han character 国 (Quoc). The pagoda includes four large departments connected with each other: the front department, the main department, the worship department and the back department, bearing a combination of European-Asian architecture, and it measures 70m in length and 20m in width, and is constructed from both cement and precious wood.
The splendid but simple features of this Buddhist construction are a result of the harmonious fusion of Asian and European architectural styles. The pagoda has Renaissance-style patterns, Roman-style arches, and Japanese enamelled tiles. However, the pagoda’s internal architecture is also imbued Vietnamese traditional sculpture art.
Particularly in the front part of the outside of the main hall, visitors will see Renaissance-style patterns or Roman domes. This is French iron wool, it is Japanese ceramic tile. You’ll also find familiar features such as Chinese characters written in the ancient seal style, and national language characters written in the Gothic script.
All these architectural patterns come together in harmony, creating a beautiful work. Due to the features of the West mixed with the East, up to now, the temple is many years old but still has modern and ancient features. This creates a special attraction of its own that no other temple in the West has encountered. The main hall and ancestral house showcase bold Vietnamese architecture, with wooden statues and carvings that are skillfully made with lively and cheerful images. In addition, at the temple, there are still nearly 20 different painting and water paintings which are also considered as “old antiques”.
System Of Buddha Statues Of Vinh Trang Temple
In Vinh Trang pagoda. There are more than 60 statues of wooden Buddha, copper, earthenware and cement. All statues are iridescent gold. Besides the statues and pagodas, there is a Dai Hong Chung named Bao Phap. The bell is 1.2 meters high, weighs about 150 kg. Also there are 20 valuable pictures.
In the temple, there are also 3 large Buddha statues: Amitabha 98 cm high; Quan Am and The Chi are 93 cm tall and a large bronze bell called Phap Bao Chuong is 1.2 m high, weighing about 150 kg on the body with the word “Vinh Truong Tu” engraved in the middle of the 19th century.
In the temple grounds, there is a Maitreya Buddha statue in a sitting position in the middle of the park, with a length of 27m, a width of 18m, a height of 20m and a weight of 250,000kg with concrete and reinforced materials. The statue of Buddha Vinh Trang pagoda is used for the working office of the Buddhist Association of Tien Giang province, with lecture halls and accommodation for 200 people.
The Amitabha Buddha statue was inaugurated in 2008. Standing 18 m tall from foot to top, it rests on a 7 m high pedestal and weighs 150 tons.
Shakyamuni reclining Buddha statue: Many people who visit the temple often misunderstand that it is the statue of Amitabha Buddha. This Shakyamuni Buddha statue, made of concrete and reinforced concrete, was completed in 2013 with a length of 32 m, a height of 10 m, and a weight of 250 tons.
7-storey tower: Besides the giant and majestic Buddha statues, Vinh Trang Pagoda also has a tower located in the back. This tower is 7 floors high and this is also the place where the ashes of Buddhists and monks in the temple are kept.
Vinh Trang Pagoda is considered a famous ancient temple and a unique architectural masterpiece. It can be said that its beauty lies in its visual arts and reflects the art history of Tien Giang. Today, the pagoda has become a must-visit destination for both domestic and foreign tourists when they have the opportunity to visit My Tho city. People come here not only to see a big temple, but also to send their peaceful wishes, to spread their hearts in a peaceful and peaceful space. If you have the opportunity to visit Tien Giang, you must definitely visit Vinh Trang Pagoda at least once.
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