VINH TRANG PAGODA – MY THO

Vinh Trang Pagoda, a famous pilgrimage and tourist destination in Tien Giang and the Mekong Delta region, is an unmissable stop in My Tho, Tien Giang. Explore the impressivesto blend of Asian and European architecture, the serene grounds, and the fascinating Buddha statues of this impressive pagoda with Deluxe Group Tours today.

1. Uncover the history of Vinh Trang Pagoda

Vinh Trang Pagoda is the largest Buddhist tèmple in Tien Giang province and has been classified as a national historical and cultural relic since 1984.

The Vinh Trang Pagoda My Tho was just a small temple with a thatched roof and earthen walls. It was originally built by district chief Bui Cong Dat (an official under the reign of Emperor Minh Mang) at the beginning of the 19th century for spiritual retreat after retirement. That’s why locals often refer to it as “Mr. Huyen Pagoda.”

At that time, there was Venerable Minh Khiem–Hoang An, a renowned monk from Giac Lam Pagoda, who traveled to the Mekong Delta region to spread the teachings of Buddhism. Upon reaching My Tho, he was warmly welcomed by Venerable Tu Lam, the abbot of Buu Lam Pagoda, who respectfully invited him to the temple to share the Dharma teachings with the Buddhist followers.

Mr. and Mrs. Dat, the district magistrate, and his wife, also attended the sermon. Impressed by Venerable Minh Khiêm’s eloquent teachings, they decided to take refuge in Buddhism and become lay followers, inviting him to visit their temple.

Introduced by Venerable Minh Khiem, Mr. and Mrs. Dat visited Giac Lam Pagoda in Gia Dinh (now Ho Chi Minh City) to invite Venerable Hue Đang to come and reside as the abbot of their newly established temple.

In 1894, Venerable Thich Hue Dang from Giac Lam Pagoda (Gia Dinh) was invited to serve as the abbot. Later on, he reconstructed the temple and carried soil for the foundation by himself with assistance from fellow practitioners. Eventually, the temple transformed into a grand pagoda with 178 pillars, 2 courtyards, and 5 layers of houses, and was named Vinh Truong Pagoda, symbolizing the aspiration for the temple to endure for eternity. Locals commonly refer to it as Vinh Trang Pagoda.

In 1895, the entire temple underwent renovation under the guidance of Venerable Chanh Hau and devout followers. However, in 1904, a severe tropical storm caused significant damage to the temple. Consequently, it took three more years (until 1907) to complete the restoration of Vinh Trang Pagoda. Venerable Chanh Hau also oversaw the reconstruction of the Stupa of To Hue Dang and the tomb of Mr. and Mrs. Bui Cong Dat to honor the contributions of the predecessors. Additionally, he purchased 12 plots of land to provide assets for the temple, ensuring future generations would have the means for sustenance and study.

In 1930, Venerable Minh Dan took the initiative to renovate Vinh Trang Pagoda, blending the architectural styles harmoniously between the local pagoda culture and Western architectural influences, as seen today. Particularly, he reconstructed the Tam Quan gate, the temple facade, the Main Hall, the Ancestor Hall, and the Memorial Stupa of the founding master.

Through many generations of transmission, Vinh Trang Pagoda has continuously expanded and become more majestic, serving as a place for Buddhists and people from near and far to come for pilgrimage.

2. Experience visiting Vinh Trang Pagoda

2.1. Finding Your Way to Vinh Trang Pagoda

Vinh Trang Pagoda is located on Nguyen Trung Truc Street, My An Hamlet, My Phong Commune, My Tho City. It’s relatively easy to find, located close to the Holy See of Cao Dai Chon Ly and Vinh Trang Park. To reach the pagoda, you can start from Ho Chi Minh City or Can Tho by a bus to My Tho. From there, you can take a taxi or motorbike taxi to the pagoda. Alternatively, you can also opt for a motorcycle ride.

Additionally, you can choose to book a tour to visit Vinh Trang Pagoda. This way, you won’t have to worry about transportation as everything will be planned for you, ensuring a convenient trip with support from travel agencies and tour guides.

2.2. Visiting Hours at Vinh Trang Pagoda

Vinh Trang Pagoda, one of the appealing destinations in Tien Giang, opens from 06:30 a.m. to 07:30 p.m. You can visit freely during this time frame. Especially, there is no entrance fee for visiting the pagoda. However, it’s advisable to have cash ready for parking fees.

Additionally, Vinh Trang Pagoda also holds the meditation retreat period in the mornings and evenings, where you can pray for blessings and good fortune for yourself and your family.

2.3. The best time to explore Vinh Trang Pagoda

You can visit the pagoda and enjoy the scenery while participating in the temple’s lucky-seeking ceremony from January to March in the lunar calendar, during the warm spring weather. However, this is also the peak tourist season, often leading to overcrowding. Therefore, for those who particularly cherish the tranquility and solemnity of the temple, you may choose another time of the year to visit Vinh Trang Pagoda in Tien Giang.

3. Inside architectural highlights Vinh Trang Pagoda

The first impression of the pagoda is its grand scale, impressive architecture, and intricate decorations. The pagoda covers an area of about 2 hectares, including various sections such as the Amitabha Buddha Tower, the main hall, the Avalokiteshvara Tower, and the scripture distribution room.

Vinh Trang Pagoda is constructed in a fusion architectural style, blending elements of both Eastern and Western architecture, including French, Roman, Thai, Burmese, and Cham architectural styles. The rows of pillars along the corridors on the left side of the pagoda give you the feeling and scenery as if you were in a corridor in Europe.

In particular, in the area in front of the main hall, you will notice decorations reminiscent of the Renaissance era or Roman-style door arches. These include wrought iron from France and glazed tiles from Japan. You will also see familiar features such as Han characters written in an ancient script style and Vietnamese in Gothic script.

All these architectural decorations harmonize with each other, creating a magnificent masterpiece. Due to the seamless integration of Western and Eastern elements, the pagoda, despite its age, still exudes a modern yet ancient charm. This unique blend of modernity and tradition sets it apart, making it unique among Mekong Delta pagodas.

However, the core architectural style still retains the traditional essence of the Vietnamese people. Built-in the shape of the national letter “Quốc” (國) in Chinese characters, it consists of four connected sections: the forecourt, the main hall, the ancestral house, and the rear house.

1. Tam Quan Gate

In front of Vinh Trang Pagoda are two majestic and grand Tam Quan gates, built in the ancient multi-story architectural style. The magnificent Tam Quan gates were crafted by artisans from Hue in 1933. The central gate, made of wrought iron, has remained closed for a long time. The two side gates, built with raised bricks, stand tall like two ancient castles.

The upper floors of these two Tam Quan gates feature wide door arches. On the right gate stands a statue of Venerable Chanh Hau, while the other stands a statue of Venerable Minh Dan. Both statues are sculpted from cement resembling real people, crafted by sculptor Nguyen Phi Hoanh.

However, in October 2005, the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Tien Giang province decided to replace the two statues at these gates. The statue of Amitabha Buddha replaced the statue of Venerable Chanh Hau, and the statue of Shakyamuni Buddha replaced Venerable Minh Dan. The statues of the two venerable were then placed in the ancestral house, where they remain honored to this day.

The distinctive feature of these Tam Quan gates lies in the incredibly unique art of porcelain mosaic to illustrate the history of Buddhism, depicting various mythical creatures such as dragons, lions, turtles, phoenixes, fish, mandarin ducks, elephants, and peacocks.

2. The Main Hall

With its main hall resembling a stupa and two towers with spires, when viewed from above, the pagoda appears like five towers, reminiscent of the architecture of Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

The main hall is solemnly decorated; in front of the main hall, there are two large wooden columns intricately carved with raised dragons.

Upon entering the main hall, the architectural style of the Southern Vietnamese ancestral houses is preserved, especially in the ancestral altar of Vinh Trang Pagoda. The main hall is totally built with a traditional wooden frame structure, tiled roof, and intricately carved architectural style deeply rooted in Vietnamese tradition.

Inside the main hall, there is a large rockery in the center. The architecture of the main hall is quite unique as it is built in a Romanesque architectural style, combined with colorful French-style flower stone rows on the roof. Additionally, the pagoda also preserves nearly 20 different paintings dating back to ancient times.

3. The Ancestral House

The ancestral house was built in 1895, serving as a place of worship and remembrance for Venerable Thich Hue Dang, the first patriarch of Vinh ng Pagoda. The ancestral house is designed in the style of three compartments and two lean-tos houses with tiled roofs.

The facade of the ancestral house is adorned with exquisite floral patterns, bearing the distinct mark of Buddhist culture. Inside, it carries the quintessential Vietnamese architectural style, with ornate horizontal lacquered boards and intricately carved wooden statues depicting lively and vibrant scenes. Additionally, the ancestral house stands out with rows of precious wood columns, each meticulously adorned with elaborate carvings and beautifully written couplets in Han characters.

The ancestral temple, besides being a place for venerating Venerable Thich Hue Dang, also serves as a place for worshiping the ancestral masters who have served as abbots, as well as female and male virtuous spirits.

4. Stupa of That Phat (Stupa of Seven Buddha)

In 2015, noticing that there was still an abandoned vacant land behind the pagoda, the venerable requested the design and continued construction of the Stupa of That Phat and the Hue Dang II Lecture Hall area to serve as a study and activity space for the Buddhist College.

The stupa of That Phat is built at a height of 35 meters, consisting of a ground floor and seven upper floors. The ground floor is dedicated to venerating Lord Buddha Shakyamuni and the Bodhisattvas. Each upper floor venerates a different Buddha and three Arhats. The seventh floor is specifically dedicated to honoring the 15 series of Dieu Phap Lien Hoa Buddhism.

4. The impressive Buddhist statues

When you go on a pilgrimage to Vinh Trang Pagoda, you have the opportunity to admire over 60 precious Buddha statues made from wood, bronze, or terracotta, all adorned with shimmering gold. Especially noteworthy are the three large Buddha statues of Amitabha, Maitreya, and Mahasthamaprapta.

In 2007, the venerable initiated the construction of Di Da Park on the vacant land in front of the pagoda, which had been abandoned for many years. The construction of the Amitabha Buddha statue in this park was completed in 2008, enhancing the beauty and serenity of the ancient pagoda’s facade. This standing Buddha statue was crafted by the skilled artisans of the Thuy Lam sculpture workshop. It is made of reinforced concrete and painted in a dignified white color.

The statue stands 18 meters tall, and including the pedestal, the height of the statue reaches 24 meters, with the pedestal being 6 meters tall. The statue of Amitabha Buddha is enshrined in the flower garden located in front of the pagoda, bringing reverence to pilgrims and those who come to admire Vinh Trang Pagoda.

On January 17th, 2009, after clearing the overgrown land in front of the pagoda on the right-hand side, the constructors of Di Lac Park proceeded to seek construction permission, which would also be the location for the statue of the Maitreya Buddha.

The area beneath the statue is designed like a house, with one ground floor and one upper floor. The ground floor is used as a meeting room and reception area for the Executive Board of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, as well as five guest rooms for visiting monks. The upper floor serves as a meditation hall, where the monks of the pagoda gather for meditation sessions on full moon days. The construction was completed on March 7th, 2010.

On February 15th, 2012, to enhance the solemn atmosphere behind the pagoda, Venerable Thich Hue Minh initiated the construction of the reclining Mahasthamaprapta Buddha statue, which was completed on March 26th, 2013.

The statue is designed in a reclining posture, in which the base is 35 meters long, 7 meters high, and 18 meters wide, while the Buddha statue itself is 32 meters long and 10 meters high. It is made of reinforced concrete. Similar to the Maitreya statue, the base of the reclining Buddha statue also includes a ground floor and an upper floor, providing resting space for over 100 monks during retreat season.

5. Must-know tips for visiting Vinh Trang Pagoda

Coming to visit Vinh Trang Pagoda, there are some notes that should notice.

• Maintain a solemn and peaceful atmosphere within the pagoda, refraining from causing noise or disorder while visiting.
• Refrain from vandalizing or damaging the property and landscape of the temple.
• Dress modestly and respectfully when entering the temple, avoiding wearing shorts, tank tops, or revealing attire that may cause sensitivity.
• Remove shoes, and hats before entering the main hall, ancestral shrine, etc.
• Do not take photos inside the main hall, ancestral shrine, etc. without permission.
• Avoid bargaining over items sold within the pagoda grounds.
• Refrain from entering the areas designated for the private activities and the rest of the monks, as well as the kitchen area, without permission.

6. Discovery of other local attractions

When you come to the land of rivers and water in Tien Giang, you cannot miss the following places closely associated with rivers and water:

• Cai Be Floating Market is a vibrant and unique destination in the Mekong Delta region. With over a century of formation and development, it’s not just a place for trading goods but also a cultural symbol and daily life hub for the people of Tien Giang province. Cai Be Floating Market charms you with colorful vendor boats, floating stalls along the cool river, and the lively atmosphere of local daily life. Here, you have the opportunity to experience the rustic river life, savor fresh agricultural products, and delve into the rich cultural heritage of the Mekong Delta.
• Thoi Son Islet, also known as Unicorn Islet, is a beautiful small islet nestled in the Tien River. It’s also a wonderful destination for those seeking to explore the traditional countryside life of the southwestern region of Vietnam. Known for its charming landscape and tranquil atmosphere, Thoi Son Islet offers unique experiences such as strolling along narrow paths, visiting lush fruit orchards, and indulging in local cuisine at riverside restaurants. You can also engage in activities like fishing, sampan rowing on the river, or simply relaxing under the shade of trees along the riverbank.
• Cai Be Church is one of the significant historical religious landmarks in Tien Giang. With its unique architecture combining European style with distinctive features of Vietnamese folk culture, this church not only attracts Christian believers but also serves as a fascinating destination. Surrounded by lush coconut trees and adorned with delicate architectural details, Cai Be Church exudes a sacred ambiance, inviting you to delve into the local history, culture, and religious practices.

With its solemn architecture, long history, and exquisite beauty, Vinh Trang Pagoda is not only a spiritually significant tourist destination but also a cultural and religious symbol of My Tho, Tien Giang. To immerse yourself in the tranquil space of the pagoda and let your soul wander in the marvel of its architecture and art, let’s plan your trip now with my shared experience.