Peaceful Truc Lam Tay Truc Zen Monastery

Panoramic view of Truc Lam Tay Truc Zen Monastery.

Panorama of Truc Lam Tay Truc Zen Monastery.

One autumn morning, we happened to meet a group of international tourists visiting the Truc Lam Tay Truc Zen Monastery. Through conversation, we learned that they came from Spain, the Philippines, and South Korea. Their interest in exploring majestic mountains and experiencing regional cultures brought them together, and they came to the Zen Monastery together. After worshiping Buddha and admiring the Zen Monastery's architecture, they found beautiful corners to check in, then looked at photos together with great interest.

Danie, a tourist from Spain, said: Every weekend, my friends and I visit many places in Vietnam. My friends recommended Truc Lam Tay Truc Zen Monastery, so today I finally got to visit. Indeed, I have been to many temples in Asia, but here I found a very different feeling. It is a rare peace, a place where people can truly blend in with nature. The buildings are built in harmony with the landscape, both solemn and intimate. I was also impressed to see many Vietnamese families bring their children to the temple, both to worship Buddha and to educate about tradition, very meaningful.

Peaceful corners in the campus of Truc Lam Tay Truc Zen Monastery.

KimBerly, a tourist from the Philippines, said: My hometown is a big city so it is quite crowded and noisy, and there is no custom of worshiping Buddha. When I came here, I experienced the customs of the Vietnamese people, I found it really peaceful, very different from the hustle and bustle of city life. I really want to come back here many more times, and next time I will definitely invite more international friends to experience worshiping Buddha and visit the beautiful scenery here.

Truc Lam Tay Truc Zen Monastery is located on the side of a high mountain, leaning against the mountain, on both sides are two mountain ranges Ba Go and Chom Vung curving like arms embracing the entire Zen monastery. From the three-entrance gate, a concrete road leads visitors to the main hall, where Buddha Shakyamuni is worshiped along with many statues of unique artistic value.

The reason why Truc Lam Tay Truc Zen Monastery attracts international tourists is because this place has both spiritual significance and a strong historical mark. This is one of the earliest places where Vietnamese Buddhism originated, built in an ancient architecture with moss-covered beauty.

The Zen Monastery area has two very meaningful relics: Thien Tay Truc Pagoda built 5 centuries ago and Lan Than - the place where Cao Son Guerrilla Team (Pham Hong Thai Liberation Army Platoon) was established during the period of resistance against Japan and France. Not only that, this place also has a captivating landscape.

The crystal clear Black Rock Stream flows around the Zen Monastery, contributing to its serene beauty.

From Thien Tay Truc Pagoda, looking out ahead, you can only see overlapping mountains, covered in a deep green color, dotted with white clouds floating gently, making the scene both majestic, immense, and as quiet as a fairyland.

At the foot of these two mountain ranges are two streams, Da Den and Da Trang, flowing from the heart of the mountain. The water is always crystal clear all year round, murmuring day and night along the foot of the mountain, then merging into Da Cong stream, flowing throughout the commune, winding into tea and fruit tree areas, providing a source of water to nourish the plants.

In recent years, the number of international visitors to Truc Lam Tay Truc Zen Monastery has been increasing. They come from many different countries: Japan, Korea, India, Philippines, Spain... In 2024, Thai Nguyen had nearly 3.5 million international visitors. Among them, many tourists came to Truc Lam Tay Truc Zen Monastery to visit, experience and all expressed their interest in participating in the religious activities and worship of Buddhists, finding peace of mind, at the same time to better understand the philosophy of Vietnamese Buddhism and to feel the depth of indigenous culture.

In addition to religious ceremonies, many groups of visitors also enthusiastically experience short meditation, breathing and listening to the sounds of nature. In the eyes of international friends, Truc Lam Tay Truc Zen Monastery is not only a relic, but also a cultural bridge. Many visitors when leaving left their impressions in the guestbook, expressing their desire to return to continue experiencing and learning.

Venerable Thich Thien Quoc, representative of Truc Lam Tay Truc Zen Monastery, said: Truc Lam Tay Truc Zen Monastery is closely associated with the tradition of Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen sect. This is a Zen sect with a strong national imprint, founded by Buddhist King Tran Nhan Tong in the 13th century. The characteristic of this Zen sect is the harmony between religion and life, between practice and worldly engagement. Therefore, international visitors when coming here are often impressed with the way Buddhism in Vietnam is closely linked with daily life. We hope that through the experiences here, international friends will better understand Vietnamese Buddhist culture, the land and people of Thai Nguyen.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/van-hoa/202510/binh-yen-thien-vien-truc-lam-tay-truc-d05022f/