Bich Dong Pagoda is an ancient pagoda built on the Truong Yen limestone mountain range, Ninh Hai commune, Hoa Lu district (Ninh Binh). The pagoda is a historical and cultural relic located in the Trang An scenic complex, recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural and Natural Heritage.
According to historical records, Bich Dong Pagoda has an ancient name “Bach Ngoc Thach Son Dong”, meaning (a beautiful stone pagoda like jade in a remote mountain). The pagoda was established in 1428, at the beginning of the Later Le Dynasty, with the initial scale being just a small pagoda on the top of the mountain.
Bich Dong ancient pagoda is located against the mountain and is known as "Nam Thien De Nhi Dong".
In 1705, two monks Tri Kien and Tri The (from Nam Dinh) came here and saw that Bich Dong mountain had a beautiful location and already had a pagoda. The two monks decided to stop, repair the old pagoda themselves, and go to raise funds to rebuild 3 pagodas for practicing.
Bich Dong Pagoda was named by Lord Trinh Sam in 1774 during a visit here. The pagoda is an ancient architectural work built of ironwood, the roof is covered with tiles without joints, rounded tips, the corners of the roof all have curved ends like the shape of a knife blade, or like the tail of a phoenix.
The temple leans against the mountain with ancient trees creating an ancient look.
The architecture of the pagoda is built in the style of the Chinese character “Tam”, three non-contiguous buildings, three levels along the mountainside, based on the mountain from low to high, forming three separate pagodas. The special thing about Bich Dong Pagoda is that the mountain, pagoda and cave complement each other among the giant trees.
In the Bich Dong pagoda complex, there are 3 large pagodas: Ha pagoda, Trung pagoda and Thuong pagoda. Ha pagoda has 5 compartments built at the foot of the mountain with ironwood and stone blocks with the pagoda architecture in the shape of the letter Dinh (Chinese characters).
Ha Pagoda was built of ironwood and stone blocks with a Dinh-shaped architecture.
The temple grounds still retain ancient architecture.
Trung Pagoda is located halfway up Ngu Nhac Mountain. This is a very unique pagoda with half of the pagoda attached to a cave, half open-air and has 3 Buddha worshipping rooms...
Thuong Pagoda, also known as Dong Pagoda, is located at the highest point, near the top of Bich Dong Mountain. The way up requires climbing 40 stone steps along the mountainside.
When tourism was not yet developed, Bich Dong Pagoda was hidden in the middle of a remote mountain, a peaceful place for many people to come to worship and take refuge in Buddha. This is also an ancient work of art, a harmony between man and nature and a picturesque landscape...
On the cliff in front of Trung Pagoda are two words Bich Dong carved deeply into the cliff.
The wall of Ha Pagoda is engraved with ancient Chinese characters.
Currently, this place is an attractive and indispensable tourist destination for domestic and international tourists every time they come to Ninh Binh.
Western tourists enjoy exploring the ancient temple.
An American female tourist shared, "I chose to come to Ninh Binh because the scenery here is very beautiful. Coming to Bich Dong Pagoda, I can feel the quietness, relaxation and am extremely surprised when I don't understand why they could build a pagoda perched precariously on a cliff or in a cave like that."
Tour guide Nguyen Tuan Anh said that every time he leads a tour to Ninh Binh, the itinerary of Western and Vietnamese tourists cannot miss Bich Dong Pagoda, a place of serenity, coolness and charming scenery, attracting tourists from near and far.
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