Vietnam Pagodas

Linh Quang Pagoda (Bình Thuận)

Lâm Đồng(formerly Bình Thuận)(Chùa Linh Quang (Bình Thuận))

Overview & history

Linh Quang Pagoda (Linh Quang Tự) is a pagoda located in Phú Quý Special Zone, Lâm Đồng Province, Vietnam.

This pagoda is a nationally recognised historical monument. The pagoda is situated on a gentle hill in Hội An hamlet, Phú Quý Special Zone, Lâm Đồng Province. The pagoda was built in 1748 (the 8th year of the Cảnh Hưng era), making it over 200 years old. Many imperial edicts and precious Buddha statues are still preserved here.

Name of the Monument

Chùa Linh Quang, also known as Linh Quang Tự, means the halo, the light of the sacred pagoda shining brightly.

Location of the Monument

Situated on a gently sloping hill, the scenery here is both solemn and airy, as if separated from the mundane, everyday world.

Historical Events and Figures

Most of the origins and history of pagodas in Lâm Đồng are associated with the migration of people from the far northern and central central provinces.

If the official age of the pagoda is calculated according to the family genealogy left behind, the pagoda was constructed and restored in the year Đinh Mão 1747, during the reign of King Lê Hiển Tông – the 8th year of the Cảnh Hưng era. This is one of the earliest pagodas in Bình Thuận, with significant and representative values and meanings.

In its early days, this place was just a small, simple thatched hermitage standing quietly on a deserted hill. Around the pagoda at that time were forests and primeval rocky outcrops, harmonising with the Buddhist landscape. The founding patriarch of the pagoda was Nguyễn Cánh, who, before passing away, established this genealogy and entrusted it to his son Nguyễn Khách to inherit the hermitage.

When Emperor Gia Long was still Nguyễn Ánh and was being pursued by Tây Sơn forces, he fled to Phú Quý and stopped to rest at Linh Quang Pagoda.

To commemorate the days when the emperor wandered to the island, and to preserve the memory of the king's visit to the pagoda, Linh Quang Tự composed a poem right in front of the pagoda's terrace as follows: "Gia Long, in exile during the national crisis

Docked at the island, concealed his name, arrived at Linh Quang

Gazing westward, encountered the sacred land

Set the main gate facing west for protection."

Type of Monument

Linh Quang Tự is a natural scenic site combined with architectural features. The pagoda is located amidst a tranquil setting, harmonising with the realm of Immortals and Buddhas. It is a complex of grand folk architectural works, with forms that are both ancient and modern, interwoven within a poetic landscape that attracts all visitors. The art of carving, from the Buddha statues to the decorative themes, is both soft and skilful, yet lively, expressing the mystical nature of the fairyland realm. The architecture, carvings, painting, and decorative art of the pagoda, from the outside in, clearly reflect religious characteristics.

Linh Quang Tự was classified as a National Scenic Site by the Ministry of Culture and Information (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) under Decision No. 51 QĐ/BT dated 12/01/1996.

Description of the Monument

All the main architectural structures of the pagoda face west and are arranged in the shape of the Chinese character 'đinh' (丁), in the following order: the main hall, the great gate, the assembly hall, the monks' quarters, the vọng tower, and so on.

Photos

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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.

Read more & references

Useful links to learn more before your visit:

References

Other pagodas in Lâm Đồng

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