LINH UNG PAGODA

Linh Ung pagoda is located at no. 290, Kham Thien street, Tho Quan ward, Dong Da district, Hanoi city.

Based on currently available materials in the pagoda such as: bronze bell dated 11th Thanh Thai year (1890), stone steles dated to 3rd Duy Tan year (1909) and 14th Bao Dai year (1939), etc., Linh Ung pagoda started to be built from the beginning of 19th Century, was repaired and embellished in the beginning of 20th Century, and went through great restoration in 1951. In the event that B52 airplanes of the US army bombed to demolish the Kham Thien quarter in the end of December 1972, Linh Ung pagoda was seriously damaged and was then repaired again by the local people.

Besides the Buddha as traditional, the pagoda is also the place for worshiping Saint Tran Hung Dao, the National Hero in 18th Century, who leaded our people to defeat the Mongol-Yuan invaders twice in 1285 and 1288.

In the past, because lying in a crowded area with many households, the pagoda’s landscape was not beautiful and architectural works were not in harmonic synchronization. From 2014 to 2017, with the attention of the Dong Da district authority and the contribution of the chief monk and Buddhists far and near, the whole precinct of the pagoda was re-planned, architectural works were repaired, restored and arranged in the correct traditional principles.

The three-door entrance gate of the Linh Ung Pagoda is built with 3 roofs with one overlaying the other; the ground storey is in in arch form; two upper storeys are built with 2 overlaying roofs with 8 roof sides altogether, covered with traditional tiles. On the main entrance gate, there are 3 embarked Chinese characters saying “Linh Ung Tu” (meaning Linh Ung Pagoda), and on the two sides there are an embarked parallel sentences in Chinese character.

The Three-Jewel House is the most important work of the pagoda, consisting of the Front Hall and the Main Hall with layout of the Dinh (丁) character.

The Front Hall consists of 3 main compartments and 2 auxiliary compartments on the sides, 2 overlaying roofs covered with traditional tiles. At the middle of the roof top line, there is a mortar-embarked ornamental ancient scrolled paper book with three Chinese character meaning Linh Ung Pagoda. The wooded frame system consists of side-frames linked in form of “Overlaid beams and Gong hanging frame in upper and sculptured wooden boards in lower” laid on 4 column rows; the floor is covered with red-colored Bat Trang tiles. The front doors are made of ironwood in style of “Railing in upper, plate in lower”.

The pagoda veranda is quite large. Veranda roof pillars are made of green marble inscribed with sophisticated figures and parallel sentences in Chinese characters. In front of the veranda, there are 2 symbolic pillars, at the top of which are 4 embarked phoenix with grouping tails and heading to 4 directions, symbolizing a stylized Cape jasmine fruit. The pillars body surface is divided into different decorative areas, embarked with parallel sentences in Chinese characters. In the pagoda yard, there is a two-storey tower tomb to hold the Śarīra (remaining of the body in form of pearl-like beads after death) of a chief monk.

The Main Hall has two main compartments and 1 auxiliary compartment at the side. The Hall is in perpendicular with the Front Hall and has roof covered with traditional tiles. Its wooden frame system is of traditional style. In the Hall, the statue of Buddha Amitābha on 2.5-meter high lotus throne and pedestal is outstanding in the Buddha shrine. The statue body is 3.5m tall and its shoulder is 2.2m wide. The figure is sculptured in special sitting position, with hands forming a meditation configuration. The Buddha is wearing a monk’s robe, showing the Swastika (卍, i.e. God’s symbol) character at the chest; the face showing mercifulness, holiness and devotion, and nobleness was created with great artistic value. The size of the statue is equal to that of the bronze statue of Buddha Amitābha in Ngu Xa Pagoda, Ba Dinh district. Besides the statue of Buddha Amitābha, there are also some other statues in the Buddha shrine, such as: Nine Dragons statue, Avalokiteśvara statue, Mahāsthāmaprāpta statue, 2 Heavenly Kings statues, 10 Hell Kings statues, etc. which were also very specially created.

The Mother Goddess House consists of 3 compartments, close brick walls at the sides and roof covered with traditional tiles. The wooden frame system is linked in form of “Traverse beams in upper and diagonal beams in lower”. The middle compartment is for worshiping the Three Mother Goddess, the right compartment is for worshiping Chua Son Trang (the Queen of Mountain Farm), the left compartment is for worshiping the Saint Tran (meaning Saint Tran Hung Dao).

The Patriarch House has 5 compartments, with the wooden frame system linked in form of “Overlaid beams and Gong hanging frame in upper and sculptured wooden boards in lower”. The middle compartment is for worshiping Ancestral monks.

Linh Ung pagoda currently preserves many vestiges and worshiping objects, including nearly 30 statues, stone steles, bronze bells, horizontal lacquered boards, door paintings in fresco, parallel sentences pairs, throne, ancestral table, etc. which were created from 19th Century to beginning of 20th Century, luxuriously lacquered, carved and decorated with “the four supernatural creatures”, “the four seasons”, flanking dragon, daisy, holy fruit trees, giving the holy and close feelings to the visitors when they come to kowtow to the Buddha.

Through many variations, Linh Ung pagoda now has a complete scale with the harmony between the architectural style and natural landscape in the urban environment, satisfying the people’s and visitors’ aspiration to enjoy the values of traditional cultural heritages.

Linh Ung pagoda was classified as National Vestige in 1993.