Thousands of Buddhists flock to the Anniversary Ceremony of the Thousand-Year-Old Pagoda in Hanoi

Khai Nguyen Pagoda and Quan La Xa Communal House (Xuan La Ward, Tay Ho District) have a special and rare history in Vietnam. Khai Nguyen Pagoda alone has a history of thousands of years. Khai Nguyen Pagoda is often called Quan La Pagoda. The pagoda is also called Hang Pagoda because there is an ancient cave here.

According to the book Viet Dien U Linh by Ly Te Xuyen, the pagoda was built during the Tang Dynasty, Khai Nguyen era (715). At that time, this was the place where many Taoists practiced and attracted many tourists to visit. In the Thien Long year of the Tran Dynasty (Tran Du Tong 1341 - 1369), Zen master Van Thao restored the pagoda, then rebuilt it into a Buddhist temple, named An Duong Tu. After that, the monk went to another place to practice, so the pagoda was abandoned. During the Le Dynasty, the pagoda was rebuilt with the current architecture.

Quan La Pagoda has Tam Bao, Mau House and Stele House. Tam Bao building shaped like a mallet handle has a front hall and an upper hall. The front hall has five compartments built in the style of closed gable walls. The upper hall has three compartments. The pagoda still preserves ancient carvings dating back to the 19th century.

Here, there are still preserved 18 royal decrees and 11 ancient stone steles recording the renovation and restoration of communal houses and pagodas...

Khai Nguyen Pagoda is diverse with beautiful natural scenery and harmonious temple grounds with iron bridges, crescent lakes, stone embankments, natural gardens, close and very traditional. Currently, the main temple area is built in a modern style, decorated simply with few arched doors. The Tam Bao building faces south to a large brick yard. The front hall has 7 compartments and the back hall is 3 compartments deep, spacious, high, and has side doors to create light. On both sides are two long corridors leading down to the back house. In the temple, there is a bell engraved with the name "Khai Nguyen Tu Chung", cast in December of the first year of Thieu Tri (around the beginning of 1842), after the bell cast in Nham Than year of Chinh Hoa (1692) was lost. Khai Nguyen Pagoda currently preserves a wooden book (wooden book) with three words "Khai Nguyen Tu".

At the Khai Nguyen Pagoda Ancestor Commemoration Ceremony this year, Venerable Thich Dao Lac (abbot of the pagoda) organized many traditional Buddhist rituals to commemorate the contributions of the Patriarchs. Before and during the main ceremony, the pagoda attracted thousands of people and Buddhists from near and far to attend.

In the joyful atmosphere of the Ancestor's Death Anniversary, the authorities and organizations of Xuan La, Xuan Tao, Phu Thuong wards... respectfully offered the Ceremony to the Buddhas and Ancestors with the wish to pray for the health and peace of the people and Buddhists, for national peace and prosperity, and for every family to be happy and prosperous...

According to the Organizing Committee, before and during the ceremony, there will be many unique folk art activities by many artists and art troupes from wards...

Venerable Thich Dao Lac, abbot of Khai Nguyen Pagoda, said that the annual Ancestor Commemoration Ceremony is held to commemorate the great merits of the Patriarchs who devoted their lives to Buddhism and maintained the enlightenment and practice of Buddhism at Khai Nguyen Pagoda. Traditional Buddhist rituals are held during the festival to pray for the people, wishing for national peace and prosperity - long life... The festival organizers are very happy to receive the attention of the local government, being recognized as a pagoda that always implements well all policies of the Party and State, lives "good life, good religion", promotes and preserves heritage values ​​for future generations...

Khai Nguyen Pagoda was ranked as an architectural and artistic relic by the Ministry of Culture and Information (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) on January 31, 1992.

Photos at the Anniversary Ceremony of Khai Nguyen Pagoda:

The Three Jewels of the Ancient Temple

The Three Jewels of the Ancient Temple

Khai Nguyen Pagoda Ancestral Temple

Khai Nguyen Pagoda Ancestral Temple

Mother Goddess Temple

Vegetarian tray on February 24th lunar calendar at Khai Nguyen Pagoda

Cultural and artistic activities take place on the evening of February 23rd of the lunar calendar and on the Hung Kings' Death Anniversary on February 24th of the lunar calendar.

People and Buddhists near and far respect and love the Venerable Master of Khai Nguyen Pagoda.

Northeast