The 'first Hoan Chau' pagoda on Hong Linh mountain

Huong Pagoda, also known as Huong Tich Co Tu, meaning Fragrant Pagoda, is located in Thien Loc Commune, Can Loc District. The pagoda is located at an altitude of 650 m, halfway up Huong Tich peak, one of the most beautiful peaks among the 99 peaks on Hong Linh Mountain. This place is known as "Hoan Chau De Nhat Danh Lam" - the most beautiful pagoda in Hoan Chau region (Nghe An), one of the 21 scenic spots of ancient Vietnam.

According to research, Huong Pagoda was built during the Tran Dynasty, in the 13th century, and is one of the oldest pagodas in Vietnam. Legend has it that King Trang Vuong of Chu gave birth to three daughters. When they grew up, two of the sisters married and became mandarins in the court. The youngest princess Dieu Thien was forced by her father to marry a military mandarin, who was a cruel and brutal man. She was angry and became a nun. Her husband later came to set fire to the pagoda, but fortunately, he was protected and saved by Buddha. Dieu Thien then went to Huong Tich cave, Hong Linh mountain to build a hermitage to practice asceticism.

Later, King Trang of Chu fell seriously ill. The doctor advised that only the eyes and hands of a girl who volunteered to be sacrificed could save him. Dieu Thien, knowing what had happened, sacrificed her eyes and hands to give to the messenger to save her father. The king recovered from his illness and sent someone to repay the favor, only to find out that the girl was his daughter. The Buddha was moved by Dieu Thien's kindness and used magic to restore her body to its original state. Dieu Thien then practiced and attained enlightenment, transforming into the thousand-eyed, thousand-armed Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara.

Right at the place where Dieu Thien practiced and became a Buddha, people built a place of worship, Huong Pagoda.

Source link: https://vnexpress.net/ngoi-chua-de-nhat-hoan-chau-tren-nui-hong-linh-4610436.html