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Tho Ha communal house
Bac Ninh village
Dau pagoda
Statue of Arhat
Tho Ha village
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Bac Ninh is the homeland of temples and pagodas as well as festivals and folk rituals. As a famous centre of Buddhism in the Ly Dynasty (1010-1225), many ancient temples with intriguing architectural and sculptural works can be found. Bac Ninh villages have been preserved and developed for thousands of years. Each village has its own fetes and rituals, which are organized annually with diverse and attractive cultural activities and artistic performances.
Traditional Handicraft Villages
Bac Ninh is one of the cradles of Vietnamese civilization and a hub of numerous big cultures and religions. In Bac Ninh there are a lot of art villages, such as Dong Ho Village engaged in making folk paintings, Dong Giao producing many beautiful pieces of wood carving, the ceremonial song-singing village of Thanh Tuong, the water puppetry village of Dong Ky, Tam Lu and Tam Bao villages which have quite a few classical opera troupes and renowned artists. Activities in trade, handicrafts, tourism and agricultural production flourish. This province has implemented international projects with the aim of tapping its potentials in culture, production, commerce and tourism.
Do Temple
Only 15km from Hanoi on NR1A, the temple is located in Dinh Bang village, Bac Ninh province. It was built during the reign of the Le King and has been altered several times since. At that time, a high wall of ancient architectural style was erected to surround the temple. The interior residence contains a sanctuary where the sacred throne and ancestral tablets of the eight Le Kings are kept. The outer building consists of a square chamber with eight roofs. It has the worshipping house, the storehouse, the guesthouse and the Queen’s temple, which is dedicated to Princess Le Chieu Hoang. A five-dragon entrance leads to the square house by a paved stone path. Here visitor will see a water puppet stage with eight roofs and curved corners. Besides, visitors can observe many valuable ancient relics and important historical documents which are well preserved in the temple.
Dinh Bang Temple
Just 500m from Do Temple, Dinh Bang Temple or Dinh Bang Communal House was built in the early 18th century and the construction was completed in 1736. Located in the centre of the Dinh Bang village, it is an architectural site full of national identity with unique carving and decoration. The temple faces south, with a lake at its front. The central gate was built with bricks in the shape of a lantern. At its two sides there are vaulted gates with fake roofs. Behind the gate is a large yard paved with stones. On its left and right sides, colourful flowers and luxuriant bushes grow harmoniously. Moreover, the temple was built on high ground and is circled by two green stone stairs that gives it an imposing look. The four roofs stretch in four directions and cover the verandas, with rising dragon shaped ends. The tiles are large and deep green with moss. The pavilion floor was made of hard timber, and its pillars are as big as two men’s hand embraces. Each carving at Dinh Bang communal house is like a masterpiece and is reputed for its uniqueness, which impresses any visitor. Three genies are worshipped at Dinh Bang Temple, including Earth, Water and Farming. Six family patron saints, who made great contributions to re-building it after a big fire took place in the 15th century, include the Nguyen, Tran, Le, Ngo, Do and Dang who have memorial statues erected at the back of the temple. Every year, Dinh Bang spring festival is organized, luring a great number of visitors, who come to enjoy traditional entertainments and relaxation after hard working days.
Dau Pagoda
Dau Pagoda is situated in Thuan Thanh district, Bac Ninh province. Built in the 3rd century, Dau Pagoda is the oldest pagoda in Vietnam. Later the pagoda became a Buddhist center well known throughout the country and abroad. In the 14th century the pagoda was enlarged and then underwent several renovations during the following centuries. In the pagoda’s yard, there is a three-storey tower called Hoa Phong. In the tower, there is a large bell produced during the Canh Thinh dynasty (1793), a big bronze gong produced during the reign of Minh Mang (1817), and statues of Phap Van, Kim Dong, and Ngoc Nu, followers of the Goddess of Mercy according to Buddhist legends. Nowadays Dau Pagoda is one of the interesting sites in the trip to Bac Ninh.
But Thap Pagoda
The 17th-century pagoda includes 10 buildings spread over 100 meters, from the three-entrance gate to the bell-tower and back house. Two 13-m towers, Ton Duc and Bao Nghiem, are made of white rock, making the pagoda seem higher, more majestic and peaceful. Inside the pagoda there are various valuable ancient objects and statues which are considered Vietnamese masterpieces of the 17th-century wood carving. Among them are the Tay Thien Dong Do Lich Dai To statue and the Quan Am Statue with on thousand eyes and one thousand arms, made in 1656 and symbolizing the reverence of both religion and beauty. |
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