Built during the Ly Dynasty, Co Le Pagoda is a unique Buddhist architectural complex. This is also a place where visitors can learn about the profound, sophisticated and long-standing cultural beauty of Vietnam.
History of Co Le Pagoda
According to the introduction board in the pagoda, Co Le Pagoda was originally built during the reign of Ly Than Tong (1116 – 1138), founded by monk Nguyen Minh Khong to worship Buddha. The first pagoda was made of wood in an ancient architectural style. However, this original pagoda was ruined.
In 1902, monk Pham Quang Tuyen came to preside over the pagoda, designed and rebuilt the pagoda in a new architecture with gothic architectural elements similar to the Catholic churches that were quite common in the neighboring areas. After that, the pagoda was restored many times. The construction materials were bricks, lime mortar, molasses, and special paper, creating a solid and durable structure for the entire pagoda.
Outstanding architectural works at the pagoda
Co Le Pagoda is a fusion of traditional Vietnamese with European Gothic architectural elements. This is a Buddhist pagoda but has the appearance of a Catholic cathedral.
In front of the pagoda is the 32 m high Cuu Pham Lien Hoa tower, with 8 sides, built in 1927. The pedestal is placed on the back of a large turtle, its head facing the pagoda.
The turtle is located in the middle of a square lake, with four large artificial mountains at the four corners, with four elephants in the size of real elephants. Inside the tower is a staircase of 98 spiral steps to the top. This place attracts many pilgrims who try reach and touch the statue on top of the tower which believe good luck will come in life.
The head of the turtle in Co Le tower. (source: laodong)
Next to the tower is a three-span curved bridge across Chu Tich Lake (also known as Nui Lake), called Cuon bridge. The bridge surface is paved with brick. Cuon bridge leads to Trinh Pagoda, also known as the Buddhist Assembly Hall.
Trinh Pagoda was built in 1936 and restored in 2001. In the pagoda, there is a statue of the Thousand-Armed Bodhisattva. In front of Trinh Pagoda, there are two giant bronze incense burners.
Behind Trinh Pagoda is a large lake. In the middle of the lake, there is a 9,000 kg bell called Dai Hong Chung. The bell is 4.2 m high, 2.2 m in diameter, and 8 cm thick. The mouth of the bell has lotus petal motifs, the body has motifs of flowers, leaves, rivers, and some Chinese characters.
The giant bell (Dai Hong Chung) in the pagoda
This is one of the largest bells in Vietnam, cast with a lot of dedication, material, and effort from local people. When the bell was just cast, the resistance war broke out, the local people were wary of the enemy’s sabotage so they immersed the bell in the lake. It was not until 1954 that the bell was salvaged and placed on a stone pedestal for tourists to visit since then.
There are two bridges that look like mountain caves, called Mountain Bridges, across the lake leading to the main architecture of Co Le Pagoda, which is Than Quang Pagoda. The main hall is designed in a harmonious architectural style between traditional and modern styles.
Than Quang Pagoda was built in 1914 on the foundation of an ancient pagoda from the 12th century. In 1995, the pagoda was extensively renovated. In the pagoda, there is a 4-meter-high gilded Buddha statue made of wood placed on the upper floor, which requires climbing many steps on both sides to reach the place where the Buddha statues are placed. Behind the Buddha statue is an altar with a statue of Nguyen Minh Khong.
Behind the ancestral shrine is a large bell tower with traditional architecture consisting of 3 floors and 4 sides, called Kim Chung Bao Cac. This bell tower is 13m40 high, built in 1997. Inside, it hangs a bronze bell cast during the XVIII century, weighing 300 kg.
Behind the bell tower is the temple’s ancestral tomb area.
Thanks to the combination of traditional Vietnamese with elements of Western architectural style, Co Le Pagoda has become a famous place in the Red River Delta.
Festival in Co Le Pagoda
The pagoda festival is held from the 13th to the 16th of the 9th lunar month every year, with many traditional cultural rituals such as the Buddha procession, wrestling, human chess…, especially watching the competition of rowing boat on the winding river around the pagoda.
Source: collected by An
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