Hương Tích Pagoda

Hương Tích Pagoda (formal name: Hương Tích Cổ Tự; popular name: Thơm Pagoda) is a pagoda located at the summit of Hương Tích, part of the Hồng Lĩnh mountain range in Thiên Lộc commune, Can Lộc district, Hà Tĩnh province, at an altitude of 650m above sea level. The main festival of the pagoda takes place on the 18th day of the 2nd lunar month; the site is dedicated to the worship of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva (Quan Âm Bồ Tát).

Hương Tích Pagoda is associated with the legend of the Tiger Deity and the story of Princess Diệu Thiện's escape. According to legend, in ancient times the sacred Tiger Deity protected Princess Diệu Thiện as she fled to Hồng Lĩnh mountain to build a hermitage and practise asceticism. The Buddha then sent the White Tiger to help her escape to the land of Việt Thường thị. Upon reaching the Ngàn Hống mountain area, the Tiger Deity carried the princess to a stream named Hương Tuyền. Afterwards, the Tiger Deity took Diệu Thiện up to the high Đá Đôi cave to hide, but she still could not find peace. Finally, the Tiger Deity led her down to Hương Tích cave, where she stayed in a stone grotto—this is Hương Tích itself.

According to legend, the pagoda was built in the 13th century. In 1885, the pagoda was destroyed by a major fire. In 1901, the Governor of An - Tĩnh, Đào Tấn, organised a fundraising campaign to restore and rebuild the pagoda. In 1936, Emperor Bảo Đại had Hương Tích Pagoda engraved on the Anh Đỉnh—one of the nine great bronze urns placed at the Imperial Citadel in Huế. In 1990, the Ministry of Culture and Information of Vietnam recognised Hương Tích Pagoda as a national cultural and scenic heritage site. In 2003, the pagoda was restored. In 2006, it underwent a major restoration.

Due to the fire in 1885, most of the architectural structures, Buddha statues, and artefacts in the pagoda were destroyed, with only a few isolated architectural elements, Trần dynasty floor tiles, and a Lê dynasty bell surviving. It was not until 1901 that the pagoda was rebuilt under the leadership of the Governor of An - Tĩnh, Đào Tấn. Most of the architectural works such as temples, hermitages (am), and the pagoda itself were reconstructed to restore their original appearance. Unfortunately, the pagoda's genealogical records (Phật Phả) and inscription steles (Bia ký) no longer exist. Therefore, there are no precise historical records of the exact date, month, or year when Hương Tích Pagoda was originally built; later researchers have had to rely on conjecture.

In reality, Hương Tích Pagoda in Hà Tĩnh is an entire complex of traditional Vietnamese religious and cultural monuments, with many pagodas dedicated to the Buddha, several temples (đền) dedicated to deities, including those associated with agricultural beliefs and mother goddess worship. The Hương Pagoda complex, at an altitude of 650m above sea level, is divided into three main parts: the Upper Hall (Thượng điện), Thiên Vương Temple (đền Thiên Vương), and the Holy Mother Hermitage (am Thánh Mẫu).

According to legend, the Holy Mother Hermitage (am Thánh Mẫu) is where Princess Diệu Thiện practised asceticism and transformed into Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva. Around the pagoda are many scenic spots such as: Tiên Nữ Cave (động Tiên Nữ), Phun Mây Hermitage (am Phun Mây), Cô Shrine (miếu Cô), Tiên Tắm Stream (suối Tiên Tắm), and the Weeping Demon Ravine (khe quỷ khóc). At Hương Tích Pagoda, there is a statue of the Tiger Deity placed along the path to the main hall for people to worship; the tiger statue is located on the right side, on the way up to the Main Hall (Chính điện) of Hương Tích Pagoda. The Tiger Deity statue is made of concrete, painted yellow, and depicted in a resting position.

In the "Thiên Lộc Huyện Phong Thủy Cổ Chí" by Lưu Công Đạo (1811), it is described: "On the mountain summit there is a stone wall, beside which are 99 platforms, each made of smoothly hewn stone, called Trang Vương. People use stone to build the hermitage. Inside the hermitage is a statue of Quan Âm and several stone statues. To the right of the hermitage is a Buddhist pagoda, to the left is a temple to the great king of Hồng Mountain. In the temple is a stele inscribed with gold-leafed imperial characters. A blue stream runs up the stone steps, with a different scenic view at each step. From the heights, one can see in all directions; truly the most beautiful scenic spot in the Hoan Châu region."

One of the most outstanding architectural works in the Hương Tích Pagoda complex is the Tam Bảo Hall (Cung Tam Bảo), which houses many Buddha statues dating from hundreds to thousands of years old. Fifty Buddha statues sit quietly in the hall, chest-high, with clouds swirling around them. All appear to be shrouded in a mystical, ethereal aura of mist and candlelight. During the resistance war against the United States (1955–1975), to avoid being bombed by the US Air Force, the monks and nuns secretly buried the Buddha statues deep underground.

After reunification, it was not until 2006, when the pagoda was restored, that the monks, nuns, and abbot unearthed the statues, held ceremonies, and returned them to worship as before. Remarkably, after so many years underground, once they were ceremonially washed with fragrant water, the statues gleamed as before, showing no signs of weathering. Buddhists believe this is a miracle of the sacred Avalokiteśvara, the Buddha's blessing, the result of sincere prayers, and a sign of reverence for the grace of heaven and earth.

To reach Hương Pagoda, visitors can choose either to walk more than 5 km through pine and bamboo forests from the pagoda gate up to the main hall at 650m above sea level, or to take a boat on the Nhà Đường reservoir (about 2 km), enjoying the water flowing from the Weeping Demon Ravine and the picturesque stream, to the pagoda gate, then walk 1 km along the ravine to Hương Tuyền stream, and finally take a cable car up to the pagoda. The path to the pagoda is shaded by cool green pines, and throughout the journey visitors can hear the sound of streams mingling with the whispering pines amidst the vastness of nature. The time it takes to reach the pagoda is enough for one to reflect inwardly. The higher one climbs, the more one is captivated by the beautiful natural scenery; from above, looking down at the drifting clouds below, it feels as if entering a fairyland.

Hương Tích Pagoda in Hồng Lĩnh has been mentioned in the poem "Nhớ chùa Hương" (Remembering Hương Pagoda) by Thái Thuận:

Suddenly remembering Hương Tích Pagoda

The rocky stream is rugged

Traces of Avalokiteśvara in hiding

The Holy Mother Hermitage for ascetic practice

Knowing nothing but trailing clouds

The eternal sound of Châu Hoan

or in the poetry of Nguyễn Thiếp (translated by Thái Kim Đỉnh):

Hương Tích, a pagoda from the Trần dynasty

Built on the most beautiful peak of Ngàn Hống

The old hermitage still preserves white stones

The former Trang Vương platform now only green pines