Sùng Hưng Pagoda (Phú Quốc)

Sùng Hưng Pagoda (崇興古寺) (Sùng Hưng Cổ Tự) is the oldest pagoda in the Phú Quốc special zone, An Giang province, Vietnam.

The pagoda is located on Trần Hưng Đạo street, Phú Quốc special zone, An Giang province.

According to surviving documents, this place was formerly a deserted cemetery. The poet Đông Hồ described it as follows: "In the past, this place was cemetery land, with a pagoda called Sùng Nghĩa Tự and another pagoda called Hưng Nhân Tự. Later, they were merged into one and the two characters Sùng - Hưng were taken as the pagoda's name." In a monograph on Phú Quốc in French (1906), Sùng Hưng Pagoda was mentioned as follows: "Phú Quốc has only one pagoda in Dương Đông, where Annamites, Chinese, and Minh Hương people, without distinction, come to bow and pray."

To this day, the exact year of establishment as well as the Dharma names, secular names, and biographies of the first abbots of Sùng Hưng Pagoda remain unknown; it is only tentatively known that the pagoda was consolidated and built at the end of the 19th century. The 5th and 6th abbots were Most Venerable Thích Đạt Vĩnh and Most Venerable Thích Minh Khiêm, both belonging to the 38th generation of the Lâm Tế Zen lineage.

Around the early 1920s, Most Venerable Tịnh Nghĩa, who was ordained at Quan Âm Tổ đình (Hồng Ngự), was sent to the island to maintain the Cổ Sơn Môn tradition. Most Venerable Tịnh Nghĩa oversaw the first major renovation of the pagoda in 1924 and served as the 7th abbot. He passed away on the full moon day of the second lunar month, 1946 (Year of the Dog), at the age of 61. His disciples built a stupa to worship him within the pagoda grounds. His successor as abbot was Most Venerable Thích Huệ Chánh (secular name Đinh Văn Dần). In 1960, he carried out a major renovation of the Buddhist structures in the pagoda, with yin-yang tiled roofs and brick walls, making the pagoda more solid and dignified, and also providing a place for disciples to practise. Due to his advanced age, Most Venerable Huệ Chánh passed away on the 2nd day of the 11th lunar month, 2007. The 9th abbot to succeed him was Yết ma Huệ Thông (who passed away on 12/03/Year of the Goat 2015). Currently, Bhikkhu Huệ Minh has been appointed to manage and oversee the Buddhist affairs of the pagoda.

Sùng Hưng Pagoda is situated on a hill near the centre of Dương Đông ward. The pagoda gate faces north, looking out towards the market, right on the main road, stretching over a large area from the foot to the top of the hill.

The ancient architecture of the pagoda is set in a very harmonious overall layout: rising gradually with each step, surrounded by lush greenery and enclosed by a fence, combining folk style with the layout of "miếu (shrine) in front, chùa (pagoda) behind".

Since its founding, the pagoda has undergone two major renovations, in 1924 and 1960.

From outside to inside, the layout is as follows:

Outside is a fence with a tall, imposing Tam quan (three-entrance gate), roofed with wave-shaped tiles and decorated with bas-reliefs of two dragons vying for a pearl. Above the gate, the pagoda's name is inscribed in both Han script and Quốc ngữ: 寺 古 興 崇 - Sùng Hưng cổ tự. In addition, there are couplets in Han script on the four pillars.

In the courtyard stands an outdoor statue of Bodhisattva Quan Âm on a pond, with a flagpole behind it. There is also a miếu (shrine) dedicated to Lady Chúa Xứ Nương Nương and the national hero Nguyễn Trung Trực. In front, a pair of lions sit majestically, looking very imposing. Further back is the Đại Hùng Bảo Điện (Main Hall of Great Hero) built on a stone foundation nearly 2 metres high. On either side are the symmetrical Đông Lang and Tây Lang (East and West Corridors).

Inside the main hall, the altar is solemnly arranged in hierarchical order, left and right, front and back, with a system of horizontal lacquered boards and parallel sentences, gilded and resplendent; along with many statues made of wood, bronze, and plaster, all exquisitely carved. The central altar is arranged in three tiers, with the set of Three Buddhas (Tam Thế Phật) worshipped on the topmost tier: the statue of Amitābha (A Di Đà) seated in the centre, the statue of Mahāsthāmaprāpta (Đại Thế Chí) standing on the right, and the statue of Avalokiteśvara (Quan Thế Âm) standing on the left... In addition, on both sides of the main hall are altars to the Ten Kings of Hell (Thập Điện Diêm Vương) and the Five Kings of Hell (Ngũ Điện Diêm Vương)... Scattered on the walls are vivid images from Journey to the West.

Behind the main hall are the Patriarchs' Hall (Hậu tổ) and the monks' quarters (hậu liêu). On the side of the pagoda is the Lộ Niết Bàn (Nirvana Path), following the steps up to the Amitābha platform, which dates from 1960. At the back is the Śākyamuni entering Nirvana platform, built in 1988, and other shrines. The scenery here is often cool thanks to the ancient trees.

A special feature at Sùng Hưng Pagoda is that since the death of Uncle Hồ (President Hồ Chí Minh), the abbots and devotees at the pagoda have offered rice to him every day during the midday offering. Before 1975, this rice offering was conducted in secret. It is known that Sùng Hưng Pagoda was also a secret contact point for revolutionary forces.

The pagoda still preserves many other valuable artefacts such as the Đại Hồng Chung (Great Bell), couplets, horizontal lacquered boards, gilded decorations, and vivid images depicting the journey to the West of Xuanzang and his disciples, etc. Sùng Hưng Pagoda is not only a large and ancient pagoda, but also the most architecturally unique pagoda on the island.

For a long time, Sùng Hưng Pagoda, together with Dương Đông đình (communal house), Dinh bà Thủy Long Thánh Mẫu (Lady Thủy Long Holy Mother Shrine), and Dinh Cậu (Cậu Shrine), has formed a spiritual-cultural complex in the island city...