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K
eo Pagoda is located in Duy
Nhat commune, Vu Thu district
of Thai Binh province, 130km
from Hanoi. Constructed be-
tween 1133 and 1154 by Duong Khong
Lo, a monk and famous doctor during
the time of the Ly Dynasty, the pagoda
has been recognised as a special nation-
al relic for its unique historical, cultural,
architectural and artistic values.
With 102 rooms - more than any
other pagoda in Vietnam - it is home
to a wealth of ancient artifacts, which
range from intricately engraved wood-
en dragons, to a collection of over 100
Buddha statues.
It also contains many well preserved
antiques, such as a pair of candlesticks
from the Mac Dynasty, pottery and altars
from the Le Dynasty and several 16th
century imperial boats. Moreover, the
pagoda contains one of the few surviv-
ing sets of rod puppets in Vietnam.
The Buddha and monk Khong Lo
are both honoured here. Legend has it
that after Khong Lo successfully cured
King Ly Thanh Tong of a serious dis-
ease, he was honourably given the title
of Quoc Su (Royal Teacher) and plenty
of money and land to build the pagoda.
The pagoda holds the Autumn Fes-
tival each year from the 13th to 15th of
the ninth lunar month, in honour of the
monk. Besides traditional religious ritu-
als that commemorate him, the festival
also hosts a variety of cultural activities
that reflect the lifestyle of the Red River
Delta’s agricultural communities.
Apart from the cultural values, Keo
Pagoda bewitches both local pilgrims and
tourists due to its unique architecture.
It stretches over some 7,200sqm along
the Red River. There are two passages
which separate the pagoda and temple
and each is decorated with curved roofs
that join together at the 11.5 meter bell
tower. This iron wood tower has three
stories, each of which possesses its own
tiled roof and bronze bell.
Next to the bell tower is an old well
which is said to have been used for
grinding rice to feed the builders during
the time of construction.
On the way back to Hanoi are two
other ancient relics in Nam Dinh city -
Pho Minh pagoda and the Tran cultural
area, including the Tran and Co Trach
Temples which are dedicated to the 14
Tran Kings and the great general, Tran
Hung Dao.
Thien Truong temple was built dur-
ing the later Le dynasty in the 15th cen-
tury, while Co Trach temple was built
under the Nguyen Dynasty in the 19th
century. King Tran Thai Tong hosted a
royal banquet here in honour of man-
darins and soldiers after their defeat of
Mongolian invaders in 1258. On that
day, the king commended and reward-
ed these men for their good deeds.
Nearby, Pho Minh Pagoda is set
peacefully in the midst of verdant gar-
dens, its 13-storey Pho Minh stone tow-
er - a structure that was added in 1305
- rising up in the shape of a lotus .
Historically, the pagoda was famous
for its seven ton cauldron, which has
since vanished. It once guarded the front
and could hold two men; it was one of
the four precious objects of An Nam
(the old name of Vietnam), together with
the Bao Thien tower, Quy Dien bell and
Quynh Lam statue. During the feudal
period the pagoda was the worshipping
place for high-ranking mandarins and
the aristocracy of the Tran royal court.
Today, it is not as crowded as the
Tran Temples, where the locals often
hold ritual ceremonies; Pho Minh pa-
goda is more tranquil and less noisy in
its natural surroundings.
GETTING THERE
Tran Temples
are 90km south
of Hanoi. By car,
follow National
Road 1A or 1B and
then turn left onto
National Road 21
toward Nam Dinh
City. From the Tran
Temples, drive a
further 30km to
reach Keo pagoda.
The Zen spirit and unique architectural and artistic
value of the centuries old Keo pagoda in Thai Binh
is one of the highlights of the north, writes
Nhat Ha
Wallow in the Zen
45
timeout