Following the tranquil Ham Luong River, in the renowned coconut-growing region of Phuoc My Trung commune, Vinh Long province, lies a unique Coconut Pagoda built from over 1,000 ancient coconut trees. Coconut Pagoda is another name, imbued with the spirit of the countryside, for the Long Quang Pagoda that existed for centuries, since 1915, in My Son Dong hamlet.
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| Buddhists practice meditation, study the Dharma, and offer prayers in the main hall area of the Coconut Pagoda. |
Building a temple with 1,000 coconut trees.
For a long time, the coconut tree has been known as the tree of life, with thousands of useful applications in the daily lives of people in coconut-growing regions. Visiting Coconut Pagoda will give us a new perspective and new discoveries about the uses of coconuts.
Instead of using rare precious woods or reinforced concrete, Long Quang Pagoda has gradually replaced conventional building materials with decades-old coconut wood. The sturdy pillars, rafters, roofing planks, walls, and most of the interior furnishings are all crafted from coconut tree trunks.
Walking around the temple grounds, from the gate to the main hall, ancestral shrine, guesthouse, and kitchen, visitors are surprised to find that almost everything is meticulously crafted from coconut wood, from offerings and ritual objects to tables, chairs, altars, and shelves for scriptures.
Vo Phuc Tai, born in 2011, shared that he has known about this temple for 7 or 8 years, since he was very young. What impressed and resonated with him most, as a native of the Coconut Land, was its unique coconut architecture.
For Nguyen Thi Thanh Truc, born in 1993, even when studying or working far away, she always remembers the Coconut Pagoda as fondly as she remembers her homeland. Every time she returns to the Coconut Pagoda, her first feeling is one of peace and a strange sense of closeness.
Buddhist follower Tran Thien Tri shared: Upon entering the space surrounded by coconut trees, he felt a deep sense of familiarity, like returning to his roots. This very setting brought tranquility and joy to his soul.
The journey of over 8 years to build Coconut Pagoda
The person who conceived the idea of building a temple using coconut wood is Venerable Thich Le Quang, the abbot of Long Quang Temple (now known as Coconut Temple). For him, building a temple with coconut wood is not simply a choice of building materials, but above all, it is a love for coconuts and a fervent desire to preserve the rich local cultural identity at the very place of worship.
He confided: "Coconut trees are simple and unpretentious. That's what gives them a feeling of lightness and closeness, quite different from reinforced concrete structures. One summer afternoon, while drinking tea, I looked up at the old temple and saw that it was dilapidated. I had the idea to renovate it so that Buddhists would have a solemn place to return to for worship. Looking at the old, worn-out roof, but seeing the sturdy coconut beams from 60 years ago, I came up with the idea of rebuilding the temple entirely from coconut trees."
A unique beginning, something no one had dared to do before, was certainly not easy. He recounted: Initially, to preserve the coconut pillars and prevent termite infestation, he asked skilled carpenters to find a way to drill deep into the core of the pillars. But later, he himself soaked the coconut wood in oil for several days, allowing the coconut to fully absorb the oil, making it shiny, strong, and preventing termites from boring into the wood. More than 1,000 local coconut trees, some decades old, were used to build the temple.
Pointing to the massive coconut tree trunks, their wood grain shimmering red, he revealed: "Just the trunks alone took about 200-300 trees. Because each trunk is a single coconut tree. To save precious wood, I utilize every inch: large trunks for the pillars and large planks; smaller pieces are set aside for wall cladding or smaller items. I try to make the space uniformly coconut wood. Although it may not look glamorous, shiny, or expensive, it is entirely the result of my dedication, passion, and appreciation for the coconut trees of my homeland."
Recounting the arduous process of building the Coconut Pagoda, Venerable Thich Le Quang added that, due to self-study and learning while working, although construction began in 2018, only the basic components have been completed so far. He plans to add a coconut wood fence and create interior decorations. He also hopes to find an artisan to carve a statue of the founding patriarch from coconut wood to complete the set. Currently, the statues in the pagoda are still made of Cam Xe wood because coconut wood is very difficult to carve; it would require joining many blocks together, a very elaborate process.
More than just a unique structure, Coconut Pagoda is also a place that touches the emotions of those who visit. Within the pagoda grounds, there are cool, quiet corners for reading or enjoying tea meditation.
Besides its spiritual and cultural value, Coconut Pagoda also opens up a new direction for the locality. Mr. Cao Minh Trang, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Phuoc My Trung commune, said that Coconut Pagoda is unique because its entire architecture is designed and crafted from coconuts. This "uniqueness" has attracted an increasing number of Buddhists and tourists.
Adorned with a new design constructed with over 90% coconut wood, Coconut Pagoda (Long Quang Pagoda) is a unique spiritual and religious destination and a distinctive tourist attraction in the land of coconuts.
Text and photos: CAM TRUC
Source: https://baovinhlong.com.vn/van-hoa-giai-tri/202603/doc-dao-chua-dua-o-phuoc-my-trung-03856cb/
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