BUT MOC PAGODA

Bụt Moc Pagoda is located at 71 Văn Chương Alley, Văn Chương Ward, Đống Đa district, Hanoi.

The pagoda has the pen name of "Long Hoa pagoda", but local people normally call Bụt Mọc Pagoda. According to the explanation of the people, in the past, this place used to be a sparsely populated area with many trees. One day, heavy rain and heavy storms broke the trees and it exposed the stone statue, the villagers were surprised to see that and thought that was awe-inspiringly powerful so they invited Zen teacher to come and build a pagoda to worship Buddha on that ground, from there the pagoda was called Bụt Mọc.

It is said that Bụt Mọc Pagoda was built very early, and in the 15th Gia Long year (1816), the pagoda was renovated and overhauled. In this renovation time, in addition to the architectural works, the people also contributed to re-cast the bell for the pagoda. Later, the pagoda continued to be repaired to become more and more spacious and beautiful. The current architectural scale is the result of a major restoration in 2008.

The pagoda is located on a beautiful land with surrounding walls to separate the pagoda from the residential area. Architectural space includes works: Three-door Gate, Front Hall, Main Hall, Patriarch house, Mother Goddess House and Tower Garden.

The Three-door Gate was built the form of overlapped matchboxes with two floors and eight roofs. The roof top is decorated with the sun pattern and arch shape below. The second floor places a stone statue of Guanyin sitting on a lotus throne, facing the gate. Two sides of the Three-door Gate are 4 pillars carved with the parallel sentence in Chinese language and the gate is hanged with the lacquered horizontal board carved with three words of “Bụt Mọc Pagoda”.

Entering to the yard, in front of the Front Hall, there is a small well. According to the local people, formerly there was no well here but a tree where the Buddha appeared. Then the ancient tree felt, the local people built this place into a well. The well has the depth of about 1 m and its walls are declared with the pattern of blooming lotus which symbolizes the Buddha. Under the well, there are 4 stone statues in the same stalagmite protruding above the water which are all called “Bụt Mọc” (Buddha).

The Front Hall consists of 3 compartments and 2 lean-tos which were built in the form of gables with traditional tiled roof, in the middle of the roof, there are 3 words of "Long Hoa Pagoda", in the front, there is the open wooden door system in the style of Bars on top and wooden flank at bottom. The structural framework includes four wooden trusses connected in the "Stacked beams with crossbars" style. The beams, rafter ends, ceiling panels, and porch brackets are intricately carved with motifs of vegetation, geometric patterns, spiraling leaves, dragons in clouds, the four seasons, rosettes, dragon-horse carrying Hà Đồ (a mystical diagram), wine gourds, and poetry scrolls. These details create a warm and serene atmosphere for the historical site.

The Main Hall is a 2-storey house at the back to form the "Đinh” shaped structure. The frame structure is the same as the Front Hall, the decoration is mainly on edges, clouds, and leaves etc. which are gentle and soft.

In the compartments of both the Front Hall and the Main Hall, horizontal plaques, portal decorations, and couplets are lavishly gilded and lacquered, enhancing the solemn and majestic appearance of the Buddha Hall. Below these decorations, layers of Buddha statues are meticulously arranged. At the topmost level are the statues of the Three Buddhas of Time (Past, Present, and Future). Beneath them are the statues of Amitabha Buddha, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva. Following these are statues of Cundi Bodhisattva, Brahma, and Indra. The lowest level features the Nine-Dragon Canopy and the statue of the Infant Buddha, depicting the moment of his birth under a celestial dome where nine dragons spout water to bathe him. On both sides of the Front Hall, there are statues of the Encourager of Virtue and the Admonisher of Evil, along with statues of the Honorable Lord and Saint Sangha.

The Patriarch house consists of 3 compartments, the Mother Goddess House consists of 7 compartments which are all constructed in traditional architectural style. In general, the architecture of Long Hoa pagoda is neatly planned, suitable to the uses of the relic.

Bụt Mọc Pagoda still keeps many valuable relics, including: 30 round statues, 14 horizontal lacquered boards, 05 pairs of parallel sentences, 01 letter board, 11 sets of doors painting in fresco, 01 bronze bell from the 15th Gia Long year (1816), 01 Stele stone from the Nguyễn Dynasty etc. which demonstrates the process of establishment and existence of the relic, contributing to enriching the cultural heritage treasure of Thăng Long Hanoi.

Bụt Mọc pagoda was classified as a city-level relic in 2011.