Dong Duong Pagoda
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Founding period: The pagoda was initiated and founded in the first year of Hong Duc (1470), during the reign of King Le Thanh Tong. This historical evidence is corroborated by the ancient stone stele "Thien Phuc Tu bi ky" preserved at the relic site.
History of repairs: The pagoda has a history of continuous restoration through dynasties. Ancient inscriptions record a major reconstruction in the first year of Canh Hung (1740), initiated by Royal Concubine Tran Thi Ngoc. In the Nguyen period, the structure continued to undergo major renovations in the first year of Thanh Thai (1889), the reign of King Khai Dinh (1918), and the reign of King Bao Dai to preserve its spacious and imposing appearance.
Worship significance: The pagoda worships Buddha according to Mahayana Buddhism, guiding people toward compassion, encouraging good and deterring evil, educating benevolence and righteousness, and closely linking with the spiritual life of village residents.
Revolutionary imprint: During the period of secret pre-uprising activities and the resistance war against the French colonialists, Dong Duong Pagoda was a base for sheltering and safely protecting many high-ranking revolutionary cadres of the Party and State, such as comrades Do Muoi, Hoang Quoc Viet, Van Tien Dung, Nguyen Van Loc....
2. Current architectural scale
Based on the current-status survey drawing, the pagoda complex is distributed scientifically and enclosed within scenic grounds:
Main pagoda (Tam Bao): The floor plan structure is of the type the character Dinh ($\mathbf{J}$) consisting of the Front Hall and the Upper Hall in a continuous arrangement.
Front Hall: It is a horizontal building consisting of 5 evenly divided bays, 10.50m long and 1.30m wide. The load-bearing system is based on 4 main truss sets corresponding to 4 rows of smooth round lim wood columns (column diameter from 38–42cm) placed on square and octagonal carved stone bases. The truss structure is of the type "Upper stacked beams and struts, lower brackets" and "Upper brackets, lower stacked beams and brackets" sturdy.
Upper Hall (Rear Sanctuary): Built longitudinally in the shape of a hammer handle extending deep into the central bay of the Front Hall, 6.0m long and 5.0m wide, divided into 3 bays. The space is designed solemnly and quietly, with a stepped platform sloping toward the rear to place the Buddha altar.
Auxiliary items: Including the Ancestor house (also worshipping the Mother), the guest hall, and the residence of the abbess, connected harmoniously.
3. System of antiquities, ritual objects, and statuary
The pagoda preserves a rich system of ancient artifacts in terms of types and with high sculptural aesthetic value:
Rare ancient bronze statues: A bronze statue of Shakyamuni Buddha, the Founder, carved in the early 16th century (local people commonly call it the Tam The statue). The statue is carved in a serene meditation posture, with a rounded ushnisha, fine hair curls, long earlobes, and a three-lined neck; it is an extremely rare ancient bronze statue of the locality.
Wooden statue system (16 statues from the Le - Nguyen dynasties):
At the Upper Hall: The highest tier holds the set Buddhas of the Three Times sitting in meditation. The second layer houses a set Amitabha Trinity Le dynasty, 17th century (the Amitabha statue has the character Van in relief on its chest, hands in a mudra with palms upturned holding a lapis lazuli jewel, next to standing statues of Avalokitesvara and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva wearing lotus-flower crowns). The third layer houses a statue Amitabha Lotus next to the statues of Manjushri and Samantabhadra. The lower level houses a newborn Shakyamuni standing in Cuu Long Hall finely carved raised-relief wood simulating a dragon spraying water.
At the Front Hall: On both sides are arranged altars to Duc Ong and an altar to Duc Thanh Hien, outside are placed a pair of statues of Dharma Protectors (Khuyen Thien and Trung Ac), large, sculpted from clay mixed with dó paper in the early 20th century.
01 ancient bronze bell cast in the 3rd year of Thieu Tri (1843): The cylindrical bell body is covered with brocade seal patterns and bears a Chinese-character inscription praising the Buddha Dharma teaching sentient beings.
01 ancient stone stele "Thien Phuc Tu bi ky" erected in the Le dynasty.
01 wooden incense table from the Nguyen dynasty, with raised carvings of the four sacred creatures, four phoenixes with spread wings carved at the four corners, and in the center a dragon dancing around a jewel.
01 green-glazed ceramic incense bowl from the Le dynasty (30 cm high, 35 cm in diameter) painted with the theme Two dragons adoring the moon in an antique style.
4. Legal boundaries and zoning for monument protection
Based on the cadastral map extract of Tao Duong Van commune drawn in 1988 (Sheet No. 07, scale 1/1000) and the inter-sectoral agreement minutes dated 28/11/1993, the cadastral boundary of the monument is zoned for management as follows:
Scope: Includes the main temple (Front Hall, Upper Hall), the adjacent shrine, the Ancestor House, the brick yard, flower beds, and the temple's well.
Area: 3,185 m^2 located entirely on land plot No. 378.
Adjacent boundaries:
East: Adjacent to the Đường đồng axis road and land plots Nos. 377, 389, and 388.
West: Adjacent to land plot No. 505 (the shrine plot adjacent to the water canal).
South: Borders land plots Nos. 374, 381, 385 and the village road corridor.
North: Adjacent to land plot No. 505, extending out toward the fields.
Strictly prohibited regulations: Absolutely prohibit all construction, extension, or excavation activities that alter the original state of the building's load-bearing ironwood components; strictly prohibit arbitrarily moving the 16th-century ancient bronze Shakyamuni statue and other antiquities or ceramic bells outside the zoning boundary of the monument plot.
