Giám Pagoda

Hải Phòng(formerly Hải Dương)(Chùa Giám)

Overview & history

Giám Pagoda (formal name: Nghiêm Quang Tự) (Chinese characters: 嚴光寺) is a pagoda located in Cẩm Giàng commune, Hải Phòng city. This is a unique Buddhist structure found only in Vietnam.

Administration

Giám Pagoda's formal name is "Nghiêm Quang Tự". Based on two stele inscriptions from the 17th year of Chính Hòa "Year of the Rat, 1696" and the 22nd year of Chính Hòa "Year of the Snake, 1701", Giám Pagoda (Cẩm Sơn) previously belonged to An Trang tổng, Thượng Hồng phủ, Hải Dương trấn, which is now Cẩm Giàng commune, Hải Phòng city.

Cẩm Giàng commune previously belonged to Lương Tài district, Bắc Ninh. In 1897, during the French colonial period, administrative boundaries were changed, transferring it to Cẩm Giàng district, Hải Dương province. Therefore, inscriptions on the bronze bell and pagoda pillars record it as An Trang commune, Lương Tài district, Bắc Ninh province.

Commemoration

Giám Pagoda is a place of worship and commemoration for the Saint of Vietnamese Herbal Medicine – the great physician and Zen master Tuệ Tĩnh. The pagoda was built during the Lý dynasty and was restored and embellished by Tuệ Tĩnh in the 14th century.

Construction

By the late 17th and early 18th centuries, the pagoda was rebuilt on a large scale in the "nội công, ngoại quốc" architectural style.

Heritage Listing

The pagoda was designated a national historical site in 1974.

National Treasure from the Late 17th Century

The national treasure from the late 17th century at Giám Pagoda, located in Cẩm Sơn commune, Cẩm Giàng district, Hải Dương, is the Cửu Phẩm Liên Hoa Tower – the Dharma Wheel.

The Cửu phẩm tower is lacquered and gilded, with highly aesthetic decorative motifs. The Cửu phẩm tower is placed on a stone pivot resembling a ball bearing. On Buddhist festival days, people gently rotate the Cửu phẩm. On the lotus tiers are 144 statues on 54 layers of lotus petals, with an Amitābha statue on the top tier. The Cửu phẩm liên hoa still preserves its original ancient architecture and is one of three Cửu phẩm towers (Bút Tháp Pagoda – Bắc Ninh, Đồng Ngọ Pagoda – Thanh Hà – Hải Dương) of special value in sculpture and decoration in our country.

In 2016, the Cửu Phẩm Liên Hoa tower of Giám Pagoda was recognised as a national treasure.

According to Buddhist belief, each rotation of the Cửu Phẩm Liên Hoa tower multiplies the recitation by 3,542,400 times, helping the practitioner quickly attain enlightenment.

Significance of the Cửu Phẩm Liên Hoa

The Cửu Phẩm Liên Hoa not only conveys the message of compassion, altruism, and charity of Buddhism, but also reflects the development of the Trúc Lâm Yên Tử Zen tradition in our country. The presence of Cửu phẩm liên hoa towers in Vietnam once again affirms the pinnacle of sculptural art in Vietnam at the end of the 17th and 18th centuries.

Photos

📷 Contribute photos

Visiting tips

Dress modestly; remove hats and keep quiet inside the main hall.
Incense, flowers and offerings are usually sold right outside the gate; light an odd number of sticks (1 or 3).
Most pagodas open from early morning to evening and are free to enter (some major sites charge a small scenic fee).
Full-moon days, the 1st of the lunar month and Tet are very crowded; visit on weekday mornings for a quiet experience.
Ask permission before photographing inside shrines; do not touch statues or altar objects.