Bích Động Pagoda

Bích Động Pagoda is an ancient pagoda built on the Tràng An limestone mountain range, located in Nam Hoa Lư ward, Ninh Bình province. This is a cultural and historical relic belonging to the Tràng An - Tam Cốc - Bích Động Scenic Complex, which has been classified as a special national relic and recognised by UNESCO as a world heritage site. Bích Động Pagoda was originally named "Bạch Ngọc Thạch Sơn Đồng"—meaning a beautiful stone pagoda as pure as jade in a remote and secluded mountain area. In 1774, Lord Trịnh Sâm visited and renamed it Bích Động Pagoda.

Bích Động Pagoda is a type of cave pagoda very common in Ninh Bình, with other notable examples such as Bái Đính Pagoda, Địch Lộng Pagoda, Cánh Diều Pagoda, Kỳ Lân Pagoda, Hoa Sơn Pagoda, Hang Pagoda, etc. Xanh Cave (Bích Động) is one of the famous scenic spots, known as "Nam Thiên đệ nhị động", meaning the second most beautiful cave in the South.

Bích Động Pagoda was originally established in 1428, at the beginning of the Later Lê dynasty, as a small pagoda on the mountain peak. In 1705, two monks, Trí Kiên and Trí Thể, from Nghĩa Hưng district, Nam Định province, met and became sworn brothers. Both monks were devout and wished to travel to spread Buddhism and build pagodas. Upon arriving here, seeing the beautiful terrain of Bích Động mountain and the existing pagoda, the two monks decided to settle, personally renovating the old pagoda and raising funds to rebuild it into three pagodas: Hạ (Lower), Trung (Middle), and Thượng (Upper) for their practice. In 1707, the two monks Trí Kiên and Trí Thể cast a large bell, which is still hanging in the Dark Cave (Động Tối).

The inscription on the bell, considered the pagoda's stele, is written in Chinese characters, with a passage:

Tư sơn lũy tích

Phúc ngộ thiên duyên

Khai sơn tạc thạch

Uẩn khí lưu truyền

Translation:

Having climbed this mountain

With blessings and destiny

Opening the mountain, carving the stone

The pure spirit is passed down

In the year Giáp Ngọ 1774, Lord Trịnh Sâm visited the pagoda. Observing the panorama of mountains, caves, rivers, fields, and lush greenery, with the pagoda nestled amidst the green, he named it Bích Động Pagoda. Bích Động Pagoda is an ancient architectural work, like other pagodas built of ironwood, with traditional curved-tile roofs, rounded eaves, and roof corners rising sharply like the blade of a sword or the tail of a phoenix, giving the roof a wave-like, graceful appearance, resembling a dragon boat gliding on water or two wings of a bird spreading in flight.

Mountains surround, water flows all year round

The bamboo boat gently rows along

Waves ripple around the cave

Mist and clouds drift over the pagoda scene

Bích Động Pagoda is built in the "Tam" (三) character style, with three separate buildings on three levels along the mountain slope, relying on the mountain from low to high to form three distinct pagodas: Hạ, Trung, and Thượng. The unique feature of Bích Động Pagoda is the harmonious combination of mountain, cave, and pagoda, hidden among ancient green trees, blending the pagoda with the extraordinary natural scenery. The whole scene is like a majestic mountain forest painting, adorned with a bas-relief of three ancient pagodas with mossy tiled roofs, featuring the eight beautiful sights once called "Bích sơn bát cảnh" (Eight Scenes of Bích Mountain). The three pagodas are built on the high mountain slope, with Xuyên Thủy Cave running underneath.

Hạ Pagoda has five compartments built on a high foundation at the foot of the mountain. The pagoda worships the Buddha and is constructed in the "Đinh" (丁) character layout. The beams and crossbars are also made of ironwood. The pagoda roof has two tiers, with eight curved roofs. The stone columns in Hạ Pagoda are made from single solid blocks, without joints, over 4 metres high—a remarkable feat.

At Hạ Pagoda, a large horizontal inscribed board in Chinese characters at the centre reads "Thanh thản cổ mộ" (Peaceful and ancient), expressing the pagoda's pure heart from past to present. At the top is the Tam Thế altar, with three statues representing the three ages of the Buddhas. Next is the set of Western Three Saints statues, with Amitabha Buddha in the centre, Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva on the right, and Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva on the left.

The third row features the statue of Thousand-Armed, Thousand-Eyed Avalokiteśvara. The fourth row is the statue of the Infant Shakyamuni. Eight generals in armour stand on the right, representing the Eight Vajra Warriors; on the left are figures representing the Four Dharma Protectors—encouraging good deeds, punishing evil, and overseeing karma in the human realm. Finally, the three seated figures on the left are Chí Kiên, Chí Thể, and Chí Tâm—the three great masters who contributed to the founding and construction of Bích Động Pagoda. The two outer statues are Nam Tào and Bắc Đẩu, who oversee the register of life and death. The large stone stele on the right lists the names of those who contributed to building Bích Động Pagoda.

From Hạ Pagoda, climb 120 S-shaped steps halfway up the Ngũ Nhạc mountain range to reach Trung Pagoda. Right in front are the words "Bích Động" carved into the cliff. This is a very unique pagoda, rarely found elsewhere, half embedded in the cave and half open to the sky, with three compartments for Buddha worship. After worshipping in the Upper Hall, climb 21 stone steps to reach the Dark Cave (Động Tối). This is the main cave, solemn and tranquil, where nature has meticulously sculpted, over countless ages, exquisite details forming figures such as immortals, fairies, child attendants, winding dragons, swimming turtles, elephants in attendance, crouching tigers, etc.

This pagoda has had three different names over time: in the early period (1428) it was called Động Pagoda; in 1740, during King Lê Hiển Tông's reign, it was expanded and renamed Bạch Ngọc Thạch Sơn Đồng. In the 19th century, under King Tự Đức, it was named Bích Động Pagoda. Above the pagoda roof are ten golden Chinese characters: "Già Lam Thần Đại Hùng Bảo Điện Nam Thiên Tổ"—meaning all the patriarchal monks of this southern land originated from Bích Động Pagoda. In terms of arrangement at Trung Pagoda, the central Buddha is Shakyamuni with the Nine Dragons canopy. The two seated statues outside are Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva (right) and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva (left); inside the main sanctuary is the statue of Ānanda, also known as the Holy Sage, etc. Trung Pagoda also has a path leading to the Dark Cave. Right in front of the cave entrance hangs an ancient bronze bell with exquisitely carved patterns. Looking out is the Giải Oan Bridge. Most visitors here customarily ring the bell three times, as if to "dispel grievances" and find peace of mind at the Buddha's gate.

Inside the cave are three imposing stone statues: Amitabha Buddha in the centre, Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva on the right, Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva on the left, and a stone statue of the Old Longevity deity in a small shrine.

To reach Thượng Pagoda, visitors must climb nearly 40 stone steps along the mountain slope. Thượng Pagoda is also called Đông Pagoda and is dedicated to Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva. This is the highest pagoda, near the summit of Bích Động mountain. From Thượng Pagoda, looking out, there are five independent peaks facing Bích Động mountain, resembling five lotus petals, called Ngũ Nhạc Sơn, including Tầm Sặng Mountain, Gia Định Mountain, Con Lợn Mountain, Đầu Cầu Mountain, and Hang Dựa Mountain.

Bích Động is a unique pagoda in Vietnam, with no other place having such terrain and mountains. Thượng Pagoda has two miếu (small shrines): on the right worshipping the Earth Deity, on the left worshipping the Mountain God. Next to the pagoda is a water tank called "Cam Lộ Water Tank" of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva. In front is the Ngũ Môn field. Standing at Thượng Pagoda, one can take in the entire beautiful scenery of Bích Động Pagoda, not only charming and poetic in landscape and architectural art, but also significant as a historical relic of Ninh Bình province.

From Trung Pagoda, climb about 6 metres higher to reach the Dark Cave (Động Tối). This is the main cave, solemn and tranquil, long and slightly slanted eastward. If the cave containing Trung Pagoda is the first floor of a 6-metre-high structure, then the Dark Cave is the second floor, reaching 8 metres high. The path to the Dark Cave is nearly vertical, passing under the Giải Oan Bridge, as the cave entrance is shaped like a rainbow. Above the entrance hangs a large bronze bell cast by the two monks Trí Kiên and Trí Thể in 1707. The Dark Cave is a long, wide space with electric lighting. It is like a petrified fairy-tale world created by nature. Near the cave entrance, facing visitors, is the statue of Amitabha Buddha and Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva. On the left is Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva. Near the cave entrance, on the left, is a small cave with a shrine to Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva.

On the floor of this small cave are stalactites resembling a turtle, and notably two strange stone blocks that, when struck, sound like a wooden bell—one with a deep tone, one with a high tone. The Dark Cave is also a natural pagoda for Buddha worship. It is a pagoda created by nature.

Xuyên Thủy Cave is a dark, water-filled cave running along the length of Bích Động, passing under the mountain of Bích Động Pagoda. Xuyên Thủy Cave is like a semi-circular stone tunnel about 350 metres long, winding from east to west. The average width of Xuyên Thủy Cave is 6 metres, with the widest point being 15 metres. The ceiling and walls are usually flat, as if nature had stacked large stone slabs into an arched, semi-circular vault of countless shapes.

The entrance to Xuyên Thủy Cave is at the back of the mountain, opposite the entrance to Bích Động. At the end of the journey through Xuyên Thủy Cave, visitors can climb the mountain to reach the cave and Bích Động Pagoda.