Bringing the tablet of the Three Patriarchs of Truc Lam to Ha Pagoda (Tay Yen Tu)
Spiritual place
Yen Tu mountain forest is located on the Dong Trieu arc, embracing the Northeast region of Vietnam, with the East side belonging to Quang Ninh province and the West side belonging to Bac Giang province. This is a land that converges many unique tangible and intangible cultural heritages, associated with the formation and prosperity of Truc Lam Buddhism founded by King Tran Nhan Tong. Along the West side of Yen Tu, from Son Dong district to Yen Dung district (now Bac Giang city), there is still a system of pagodas, towers, historical relics amidst the majestic mountain scenery and rich vegetation.
According to scientific research, the system of pagoda and tower relics belonging to Truc Lam Buddhism is distributed along the Huyen Dinh - Yen Tu mountain range, affirming the rich material cultural value. In Bac Giang province, there are about 11 relics belonging to Truc Lam Buddhism, typically: Vinh Nghiem pagoda, Hon Thap pagoda, Ma Yen pagoda, Binh Long pagoda, Ho Bac pagoda, Dam Tri pagoda... In particular, the cultural space of Truc Lam Buddhism does not stop at the Huyen Dinh - Yen Tu mountain range but also spreads to Yen The and Lang Giang districts (Bac Giang). This contributes to creating a special attraction, making Tay Yen Tu an attractive spiritual destination.
Among the relics of Truc Lam Buddhism in Bac Giang, Vinh Nghiem Pagoda plays a particularly important role. This is the place that King Tran Nhan Tong chose as the central headquarters of Truc Lam Sangha, where records of monks and nuns from all over the country are kept. All three founders of Truc Lam Buddhism, Tran Nhan Tong, Phap Loa and Huyen Quang, chose Vinh Nghiem Pagoda as the center for studying and propagating Buddhism. Under the guidance of the second patriarch Phap Loa, Vinh Nghiem Pagoda became a major Buddhist center, where Buddhist scriptures were carved and woodblocks were spread to propagate Buddhism. These historical marks affirm that Vinh Nghiem Pagoda has an important position in the development history of Truc Lam Buddhism and Vietnamese Buddhism.
Vinh Nghiem Pagoda (West Yen Tu)
Nowadays, with a convenient transportation system, Vinh Nghiem Pagoda and the pagoda and tower system on the western slope of Yen Tu are more closely connected, creating conditions for promoting the value of Truc Lam Buddhism. Nham Bien mountain area, Yen Dung district (now Bac Giang city), also marks the prosperity of Buddhism during the Ly - Tran period, with ancient pagodas such as Hang Cham Pagoda, Nguyet Nham Pagoda, Lieu De Pagoda, Kem Pagoda... reflecting the fusion between the Three Religions and folk beliefs. There is also a communal house and temple dedicated to Grand Tutor Tran Thu Do, demonstrating the spirit of "protecting the people and the nation" in the spiritual life of Vietnamese people.
To the colorful cultural picture
Besides the pagoda system, Tay Yen Tu also preserves many other unique cultural features, typically the Mother Goddess worship. While Buddhism is present in pagodas, the Mother Goddess worship is practiced mainly in temples and shrines. The most prominent is the temple system at Suoi Mo Eco-tourism Area (Luc Nam district), consisting of three temples (Ha temple, Trung temple and Thuong temple), all worshiping the Holy Mother of the Upper World (Princess Que My Nuong). Suoi Mo temple has long been a major center of the Mother Goddess worship, where visitors can worship and participate in typical rituals such as Chau Van singing.
Hat Chau Van is a unique form of performing art, combining music, lyrics and dance to praise the merits of saints and gods. This art is not only spiritual but also has high artistic value, attracting a large number of tourists to participate, contributing to the preservation and promotion of the intangible cultural heritage of Tay Yen Tu.
Bac Giang province's Van singing - Chau Van singing festival held at Suoi Mo Eco-tourism Area
The cultural space of Tay Yen Tu is also adorned with traditional festivals, ancient rituals and folk songs of ethnic minorities. On the journey to the Spring Festival, visitors can visit Dao villages at the foot of Yen Tu mountain to participate in the ritual of coming to the state of being a monk, worshiping Ban Vuong (the ancestor of the Dao people), enjoying Dao folk songs and experiencing traditional occupations such as picking medicinal herbs and embroidering costumes.
From the Dao villages, visitors can continue their journey to Luc Ngan district, which is not only famous for its four seasons of fragrant flowers and fruits, but is also the venue for the Sloong Hao Singing Festival and the Tan Son highland Spring Market. This market is commonly known as "Thac Luoi - Tan Son Love Market" by the locals, and is a place for cultural exchange and meetings of ethnic boys and girls. Here, visitors can not only enjoy typical cuisine such as three-color sticky rice, roast pork, hill chicken, sour meat, etc., but also immerse themselves in the folk songs that resonate in the mountains and forests, lasting throughout the spring.
The journey to Tay Yen Tu Spring Festival is a journey to find the origin of national culture, where the beauty of nature, history and spirituality converge. In the middle of Spring, Tay Yen Tu is like a colorful, shimmering and magical picture in the middle of the sacred mountain range, attracting visitors from all over.
Source: https://baodantoc.vn/kham-pha-mien-di-san-van-hoa-truc-lam-o-tay-yen-tu-1741951221862.htm
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