A ceremony to welcome the Special National Relics site title for Vinh Nghiem pagoda in Tri Yen commune, Yen Dung district, northern Bac Giang, will take place on March 20th (the 12th of the second lunar month).
The pagoda is known as a centre for Buddhism, a national monk training court, a place for the rising up of Three Master Monks of Zen Buddhist, and a shining gem amongst Vietnamese ancient pagodas.
According to Mr Le Anh Duong, Vice Head of the Bac Giang provincial People’s Committee, under the theme “Vinh Nghiem - Supernatural power in a space of Buddhism”, the 90-minute art ceremony is expected to welcome around 3.5 thousand visitors.
It still preserves around 3,050 original engraved wood-blocks, most featuring Buddhist texts or sutras, and the writings of three Vietnamese master monks including Dieu Ngu Giac Hoang Tran Nhan Tong (1258 - 1308), Phap Loa Dong Kien Cuong (1284 - 1330), and Huyen Quang Ly Dao Tai (1254 - 1334), and some other master monks of Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen Buddhism, which were recognized by UNESCO as part of the world’s Asia Pacific documentary heritage on May 16th, 2012.
The pagoda, having undergone 14 major restorations, still keeps the wooden-origin style, and is a masterpiece of arts combining the Le Trung Hung and Nguyen dynasties.