Phúc Lâm Pagoda (Hải Phòng)

Dư Hàng Pagoda (its formal name is Phúc Lâm Tự) is an ancient pagoda, built during the Early Lê dynasty; it is a centre of Buddhism, spiritual tourism, and a nationally recognised historical and cultural site; located at 121 Chùa Hàng Street, Lê Chân District.

Phúc Lâm Tự was built during the Early Lê dynasty (980–1009).

At the end of the reign of King Lê Đại Hành, a patriarch came to the pagoda to preach and illuminate the Buddhist teachings. During the Trần dynasty (1225–1400), patriarchs of the Trúc Lâm Yên Tử Zen sect, founded by Trần Nhân Tông, also had connections with the pagoda. During the reigns of King Lê Gia Tông (in 1672) and King Thành Thái (in 1899), the pagoda was renovated and additional bell towers were constructed. In 1917, a library, a statue garden, and renovations to the stupa garden were added.

Dư Hàng Pagoda was a site of revolutionary activity by the Communist Party of Vietnam during the pre-uprising period of 1945. In 1926, a large number of monks, nuns, Buddhists, and students held a memorial service for the patriot Phan Chu Trinh right at the pagoda. After the August Revolution (1945), the pagoda was also the venue for the inauguration of the Hải Phòng Association of Patriotic Monks, the organisation of the "Golden Week", and more.

In 1986, Dư Hàng Pagoda was designated by the State as a national historical and cultural site.

The pagoda is built in the traditional architectural style with: tam quan (triple-arched entrance gate), Buddha hall, Tổ house (ancestral hall), Mẫu worship hall (Mother Goddess), abbot’s residence, and monks’ quarters. The pagoda’s setting is a harmonious architectural complex blending with nature, peaceful in the heart of the city. The complete grounds of the pagoda include a seven-bay Buddha hall, a three-storey bell tower with soaring curved roofs, a large bronze bell inscribed with: "Phúc Lâm Tự Chung", meaning the bell of Phúc Lâm Pagoda. The pagoda also has a five-bay, two-storey bell tower, which houses a large bell.

The pagoda is built in the shape of the chữ "đinh" (T-shaped traditional layout). The front hall is separated from the bell tower by a spacious courtyard; on the right are five bays housing the ancestral hall, refectory, and side buildings; on the left are five bays of the rear hall.

Dư Hàng Pagoda preserves many precious relics such as: bells, gongs, bronze censers, decorative art objects made of ceramics, blue stone, and especially a set of Tràng A Hàm sutras—a rare ancient Buddhist scripture that has been handed down through generations of abbots.