Explore Perfume Pagoda - Journey to the sacred land of Buddha
Perfume Pagoda is located about 65km from the center of Hanoi, is a pagoda complex in Huong Son commune, My Duc district. This is a place where many tourists come every holiday season to pray for peace for their families.
In early spring, going to the pagoda to pray for peace has become one of the typical traditional cultural features of the Vietnamese people. Every Spring Festival, people across the country have the opportunity to make a pilgrimage to the land of Buddha, to Huong Pagoda, both to worship Buddha at the beginning of the year, to purify their souls, and to immerse themselves in the beauty of the mountains and rivers. water.
1. History of Huong Pagoda formation
People often call it "Huong Pagoda", but in fact this place's full name is Huong Son, and is a large cultural complex with many different pagodas and temples. Huong Son is located exactly on the right side of the Day River, in Huong Son commune, My Duc district, Hanoi
Trong Pagoda, also known as Perfume Pagoda, is located in the center of Huong Son and was built in the late 17th century. However, the years of resistance against the French (1947) caused Huong Pagoda to It was almost completely destroyed and was only rebuilt later following the instructions of the late monk Thich Thanh Chan (1988).
2. Temple architecture
The entire Huong Pagoda architectural complex is scattered in the Yen stream valley, including the Outer Pagoda and the Inner Pagoda. From Duc wharf up Yen stream, visitors will reach Ngoai pagoda, or often called Tro pagoda. The Outer Pagoda has three entrance gates built on three extremely large, completely tiled courtyards, along with a three-story bell tower built in the third courtyard. The most special highlight of this architectural block lies in the two triangular gables exposed on the top floor, typical of ancient architecture.
Unlike the architecture of the Outer Pagoda, which was created by human hands, the Inner Pagoda originated from an ancient natural cave. When you visit this place, you will see right at the entrance to the cave the four words "Huong Tich Dong Mon" engraved along with a stone path with a total of 120 steps leading into the cave. Historical traces and writings are still left here through the five Chinese characters "Nam Thien De Nhat Cave" engraved by Tinh Do Vuong Trinh Sam himself in 1770.
Along with its spiritual beauty, Huong Pagoda also attracts visitors with its surrounding scenery. Yen stream flows all year round on both banks with clear water, along with lush flowers and trees in all four seasons, making this place a favorite sightseeing spot for many people every time they come to Huong Pagoda. The boat ticket price is also extremely "affordable", only 50,000 VND/person for the Huong Tich ferry.
Sitting on a small dugout boat floating along the stream, each season you can admire the beauty of a different flower. It's the bright, brilliant red of rice flowers every summer, the dreamy pale purple of water lilies every late fall, or the pure, heavenly white of banyan flowers and plum blossoms every spring. That's why the wharf next to the small stream is always crowded with people coming to visit.
3. Perfume Pagoda Festival
Visitors from near and far come to Perfume Pagoda just for the purpose of sightseeing, but once they have returned, there is no one who doesn't light a stick of incense and pray a few prayers for peace for friends, relatives, and family. But the most crowded is the Perfume Pagoda festival. The stream of people came from all directions, small boats followed each other moving on the Yen stream. Perfume Pagoda Festival is considered the longest festival of the year with a duration of up to 3 months, from the 6th of each month until the end of March.
At the festival, incense offering and worship activities will take place as well as cultural programs to serve visitors from near and far. Every year, about 1.5 million tourists flock to Huong Pagoda to participate in the festival. The current ticket price to visit the entire relic site is 78,000 VND/person (excluding 2,000 VND/person insurance fee. The main routes you can choose when coming here are Thien Tru - Huong Tich, Long Van, Tuyet Son, Thanh Son
Perfume Pagoda smells smoke all year round, not only a tourist attraction but also a spiritual destination for many people who want to return to the land of Buddha.
