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| Guide | Hochiminh city | Attractions | Giacvien |
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| GIAC VIEN PAGODA |
Giac Vien Pagoda is
located about 10km south-west of downtown Ho Chi Minh City, amid a
quiet area near Dam Sen (lotus pond) tourist park. It has the
ancient architecture of the pagodas built in the Nguyen dynasty of
the 19th century, and typical characteristics of the southern area
in terms of the architecture, design and arrangement of the
worshipping shrines.
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In 1789, a monk who
was in charge of taking care of the restoration of Giac Lam Pagoda,
built a small pavilion for his daily prayers, called Quart Am Cac
(Kwan Yin Pavilion).
In the third year under king Tu Duc's reign (1850), the pavilion was
rebuilt and named Giac Vien Pagoda. When building Dam Sen tourist
park, the Management Board decided to preserve Giac Vien Pagoda
intact and incorporate it into the park, making the park more
attractive due to its cultural-historical value. |
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Giac Vien Pagoda has typical features,
of southern Vietnam. The main shrine, also a big hall, is 360 sq.
rn in area, and used to worship Buddha. To its East and West,
there are corridors, a room for the monks to prepare clothing
before assisting the Superior Monk, and a large and spacious
compartment at the rear. Along the corridors, there are small
altars with worshipping items.
In particular, there are rows of wooden pillars engraved with
parallel sentences. The letters are carved delicately and painted
with red lacquer and trimmed with gold. Around them there are
decorative designs of leaves and climbing plants. All 153 statues
in the pagoda are made of jack wood. The faces and postures of the
statues look honest and they are placed low, creating a close
feeling between them and the viewers.
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 The most attractive items
are 60 plates, which are engraved on both sides made of jack
wood. They are and made with gold. The most beautiful plate is
engraved with 18 fat, honest and smiling Arhats, with each
riding on the back of a buffalo, a cow, a pig, a goat, etc.
Some plates are engraved with birds, ducks, fish, etc., but
all looking alive. Other plates are carved with fruits popular
in the South, such as coconut, mangosteen, durian, rambutan,
etc. These wooden engravings are the only ones that have been
kept intact in Vietnam. The Buddhist spirit of the ancient
Viet people, during their migration South, accepted different
religious tendencies and sects, on condition that they were
useful to society. |
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This is clearly seen through the items preserved at Giac Vien
pagoda. For this reason, Giac Vien Pagoda became a centre for
worshipping ceremonies and discussions on Buddhism of the six
southern provinces in the 19th century- a prosperous time for
Buddhist followers and talents whose works remain valuable until
today.
Giac Vien Pagoda has been classified by the State as a cultural
relic and a mini-museum of wooden engravings of historical and
artistic Value. For this reason, it attracts a lot of researchers
and visitors all year round.
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