Quang Ninh has 5 relics in the World Heritage Complex of Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac

The Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son - Kiep Bac relic and scenic complex has just been recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site, consisting of 12 clusters and relic sites spread across 3 provinces and cities: Quang Ninh, Bac Ninh and Hai Phong. Of which, in Quang Ninh, there are 5 clusters and relic sites: Thai Mieu, Lan Pagoda, Hoa Yen Pagoda relic cluster, Ngoa Van hermitage - pagoda and Yen Giang stake field.

Hue Quang Golden Tower is where the relics of Buddha Emperor Tran Nhan Tong are enshrined.

Located in a cluster of relics related to the birthplace of the Tran family and the resting place of many kings and royal families of the Tran dynasty, in Quang Ninh there is the Thai Mieu relic. According to research by scientists , this was originally a place to worship the ancestors of the Tran family, and later became a place to worship the kings of the Tran dynasty.

The results of the 2009 archaeological excavation here revealed two layers of architecture from the Tran Dynasty (13th-14th century) and the Nguyen Dynasty (19th-20th century). In particular, during the Tran Dynasty, the architecture was located on a land area of more than 2 hectares, with a unique Vuong shape with many interconnected structures.

Special relics found at Thai Mieu include stone pedestals, lotus-shaped tiles and leaves in the Ly Dynasty art style, brown ceramic pots decorated with dragons in the Tran Dynasty style, glazed ceramics from the Le Trung Hung Dynasty and Chinese ceramics (Yuan and Qing Dynasties). The most recent construction was in 2014, located behind and still on the axis of the Tran Dynasty. Thai Mieu Festival takes place in January (lunar calendar) and is celebrated annually by villagers.

The relics in Quang Ninh related to the life and career of Buddhist Emperor Tran Nhan Tong and the birth of Truc Lam Buddhism on Yen Tu mountain range have 3 clusters, the relics are Lan pagoda, Hoa Yen pagoda and Ngoa Van hermitage. Of which, Lan pagoda dates back to the Tran Dynasty, associated with the dream of riding a dragon of Buddhist Emperor Tran Nhan Tong, and is also the place where the Second Patriarch Phap Loa and the Third Patriarch Huyen Quang preached to thousands of people.

The Hoa Yen Pagoda relic complex includes many hermitages, pagodas, tombs, stele, statues, pilgrimage routes... located in the middle of Yen Tu National Forest. The structures date back to the Ly Dynasty and have continued to be restored and embellished in later generations. Among them, Hoa Yen Pagoda is the central pagoda of the entire pagoda system on Yen Tu Mountain, where King Tran Nhan Tong practiced, attained enlightenment and preached to his disciples. The pagoda is located on a large and majestic mountain range on Yen Tu Mountain.

The Hue Quang Tower Garden and the Pearl Tower are places to enshrine the remains of many generations of Zen masters who practiced here. Among them, the Hue Quang Golden Tower was built by King Tran Anh Tong and the Second Patriarch Phap Loa in 1309, preserving the relics of the Buddha King. The tower has a marble statue of the Buddha King that has been recognized as a National Treasure.

Bach Dang Festival is held annually by local people.

Other pagodas in the Hoa Yen pagoda cluster also have their own meanings. In particular, Giai Oan Pagoda is associated with the story of Buddha Hoang setting up an altar to clear the names of the palace maids who followed the king to Yen Tu, preventing the king from practicing, and drowning themselves in the stream. Mot Mai Pagoda is where Buddha Hoang read books and composed sutras. Van Tieu Pagoda is where Buddha Hoang lived, practiced, trained talented monks and compiled many of the most important works of Truc Lam Buddhism. Bao Sai Pagoda is where Bao Sai's disciple presided over and edited the sutras of Buddha Hoang. Duong Tung has been associated with traditional pilgrimage routes for hundreds of years...

Am - Ngoa Van Pagoda is where Buddha Hoang came to build a small hermitage to practice in the last years of his life and then entered Nirvana here, considered the "holy land" of Truc Lam Buddhism.

Yen Giang stake field belongs to the system of stake fields and relics related to the historic naval battle on Bach Dang River in 1288, demonstrating the role and influence of Truc Lam Buddhism in Dai Viet life and the tradition of using land and water resources of the Vietnamese people. The stake field has been zoned and kept intact since then. Bach Dang Festival has been included in the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2022.

Phan Hang

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/quang-ninh-co-5-di-tich-trong-quan-the-di-san-the-gioi-yen-tu-vinh-nghiem-con-son-kiep-bac-3366953.html