Ba Danh Pagoda is located on a piece of land in Danh village, Kim Bang Ward, Ninh Binh Province. The pagoda covers an area of about 10 hectares and is considered one of the most beautiful and ancient pagodas in old Ha Nam, in particular, and in the North in general.
Traditional architectural style of Ba Danh pagoda
The pagoda faces south to the Day River. The outermost part, adjacent to the road and near the riverbank, is the three-door gate of the pagoda. This structure has a raised foundation, built five steps higher, and the two ends are covered with gables.
The three-door gate has three compartments and is made of two parts. The upper floor has two layers of roof covered with tiles, with a wooden floor below; the railings consist of two rows of bars. This floor is used as a bell tower; the three lower rooms have a system of ironwood doors.
At Ba Danh Pagoda, there are many other interconnected architectural elements, including the main hall, the left and right wings, the ancestor’s house, and auxiliary works.
At first, Ba Danh Pagoda was just a small temple for worshipping Saint Tu Phap. Then, during the reign of Emperor Ly Hy Tong (1675-1705), the pagoda was renovated and embellished.
Later, locals tore down the temple, brought a statue of Buddha to the site, and built the Ba Danh Pagoda. Currently, this place still preserves many rare antiques and ancient books.
Origin of the name Ba Danh Pagoda
Regarding the name Ba Danh Pagoda, according to local legend, the pagoda worships a sacred goddess who oversees the control of rain and wind, helping local people to eliminate floods, bringing favorable weather and wind, and bountiful crops, so it is respectfully called The Lady Pagoda in Danh village, abbreviated as Ba Danh Pagoda as its name today.
There are many explanations for the origin of the saying “vang nhu chua Ba Danh means as deserted as Ba Danh Pagoda”, but according to many people, it is because Ba Danh Pagoda is located in a secluded location, far from residential areas, surrounded by rivers on three sides, dense forests, a single path, and many wild animals, so no one dares to enter. The only safe way is to row a boat across the Day River, but because of the inconvenience, pilgrims are few.
Currently, Ba Danh Pagoda with Truc Temple, Ngu Dong Thi Son (Cam Mountain), Tam Chuc Eco-tourism Area (Ba Sao), Bat Canh Tien, along with a system of water wharves along the Day River from Hong Phu intersection, Phu Ly city, will form a “beautiful landscape” tour between waterways and roads, quite attractive to domestic and foreign tourists.
Source: collected by An
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