Trung Oai Pagoda

The Trung Oai Pagoda relic site “Linh Thong Tu” is located in Trung Oai village, Phuc Thinh commune, Hanoi city. This is an ancient land; in the past, ancient Vietnamese residents from the midland and upland areas came down to reclaim land and settle very early. At that time, the land here consisted of hills, swamps, rivers and creeks, and dense forests, with only about a few villages.

Trung Oai village, formerly named Oai No Thuong, is a village name associated with the legend of Thuc Phan testing the magic crossbow at Dong Ban mound (former Co Loa commune). Trung Oai Pagoda was formed to meet the religious needs of the people, to liberate people from the sea of suffering and bring spiritual optimism. During the two sacred resistance wars of the nation, Trung Oai Pagoda was also a revolutionary base and the headquarters of the Buddhist National Salvation Committee; the pagoda was a place to hide food supplies serving the revolution. In 1970, the pagoda received sick and wounded soldiers from the Southern battlefield for convalescence… Over time, the relics, antiquities, worship objects, and architectural components in the relic site are no longer intact as originally, but they still contain much scientific, historical, cultural, and social information about this land.

According to the oral tradition of local elders, Trung Oai Pagoda was founded during the Later Le dynasty in the 18th century, at a location north of the middle hamlet of Trung Oai village. In 1897, the pagoda was moved to its current location by Most Venerable Thich Chinh Binh, the 11th-generation monk of Hoe Nhai Pagoda, together with the local people. Based on the stele “Can Chieu Duong Hau Bi and the bellLinh Thong Tu Chung currently preserved at the relic site, it can be inferred that Trung Oai Pagoda (Linh Thong Tu) was founded before 1821.

Trung Oai Pagoda was built on an elevated, dry area of the village, within the community residential area. Through the ups and downs of history, the relic site has been restored by local people many times. In 2000, with the sincere contributions and resources of the people and pilgrims, especially the devoted efforts of Most Venerable Thich Gia Quang, the pagoda's abbot, the pagoda was restored in an ancient architectural style.

The pagoda is located in a grounds area of 7,134 m2, including main structures: the three-entrance gate, the Patriarch Hall, the Mother Goddess Hall, two rows of offering-preparation houses, courtyard, garden, and the main pagoda area with the Front Hall, incense hall, and Upper Hall.

Despite the ups and downs of history, Trung Oai Pagoda today still preserves a number of precious relics in the Nguyen dynasty artistic style, such as stone steles, bell inscriptions, etc., creating a sacred atmosphere for the relic site. In addition, Trung Oai Pagoda still preserves the traditional architectural style, from the outward appearance in the shape of the character Cong, the structure of the trusses connected by upper giao chien and lower ban chong ruong joints on a plan with four rows of columns is all made of tu thiet wood. The decorative carved panels are dense but elegant, reducing the heaviness of the frame and increasing aesthetic value. The richness of themes, tightness of composition, and vividness of content are expressed in each thematic detail and are very reasonable on different architectural parts. It is shown in the lines of openwork and relief carving and decorative motifs of dragon-cloud, dragon-leaf, and clouds, making the eave bracket system, which is inherently thick and rough, more solid yet lighter. The trusses and beam ends in the central bay of the Front Hall are meticulously and perfectly carved, turning the rough, rigid wood grain into something light and soaring. Interspersed on the architectural parts is a system of horizontal plaques, couplets, scrolls, and decorative curtains with content praising the pagoda and the beautiful scenery here. The ceremonial doors and decorative curtains are carved with the four sacred creatures and four noble plants motifs and a system of round statues. With relief technique combined with delicate openwork, the artisans of the past expressed the themes in a polished way, making the decorative images stand out very vividly.

At present, Trung Oai Pagoda still preserves a number of precious relics of value in the Nguyen dynasty artistic style, such as stone steles, bell inscriptions, etc. The ceremonial doors and decorative curtains are carved with the four sacred creatures and four noble plants motifs, and the system of round statues is exquisitely lacquered and gilded.

In addition to its function of worshiping Buddha, Trung Oai Pagoda was also a revolutionary base during the two sacred resistance wars of the nation. In 1921, the abbot of Linh Thong Pagoda, the Venerable Thich Thanh Liem, together with Mr. Nguyen Doan Chay, a son of Trung Oai, recruited soldiers and generals, purchased weapons, and rose up against the French colonialists; before the matter succeeded, it was exposed, and the Venerable was captured by the enemy and sent to the guillotine. In the following years, the Venerables Thich Thanh Van and Thich Thanh Cu, abbots here, also participated in the revolution; Trung Oai Pagoda was chosen as a revolutionary base and the headquarters of the Buddhist National Salvation Committee; the pagoda was a place to store food supplies serving the revolution; in 1960, the pagoda was the headquarters of the administrative committee of Toan Thang commune (now Tien Duong commune). In 1970, the pagoda received sick and wounded soldiers from the Southern battlefield for convalescence...

Today, Trung Oai Pagoda has become a cultural heritage and the pride of local people. The pagoda's remaining written materials are few, but all are valuable documents contributing to understanding the organization of cultural activities and customs of the Trung Oai countryside. The relic site's system of relics is a valuable collection of artifacts, contributing to the understanding and study of the nation's folk art through different historical periods. Trung Oai Pagoda has become one of the attractive tourist sites not only because of its artistic architecture but also because of its system of typical valuable relics and antiquities, carrying historical messages from thousands of years.

With its historical and architectural values, Trung Oai Pagoda was ranked as a city-level historical and architectural art relic in Decision No. 840/QD-UBND dated February 21, 2018. The pagoda deserves to be preserved and honored, serving as a place for traditional education and cultural and religious activities of the villagers.