Văn Quán Pagoda

Văn Quán Pagoda (Long Khánh Tự) is located in Văn Trình Residential Group, Thanh Oai Commune, Hanoi City. The pagoda was built on a plot of land in front of the village facing west, next to a sacred mound planted with a valuable cluster of areca palms that stays green in all four seasons.
The pagoda includes the following structures: the Square House, the Three Jewels Hall (Tam Bảo), the Ancestor House, the Mother House, and some other supporting works.
The Square House has nine bays and four sloping roofs covered with old ri tiles, with curved knife-edge corners at the roof corners. The four sides of the Square House are left open; the decoration on the wooden architecture of the Square House is simple yet elegant, with motifs bearing the mark of 18th-century art.
Passing through the Square House along the central path leads to the Tam Bảo, which has a Đinh-shaped layout: the Front Hall in front and the Upper Sanctuary connected in a “chuôi” style behind. The Front Hall has 5 bays; the decoration on the Front Hall’s architecture is relatively elaborate, following traditional themes of the Nguyễn era, namely stylized clouds, lotus flowers, flipped leaves, tiger masks, and the character “Thiên.” In particular, the beam sections at the first row are carved with hexagrams like those in the village communal house.
The Upper Sanctuary is a three-bay longitudinal building; from the middle bay of the Front Hall, the trusses supporting the roof of the Upper Sanctuary are made in the giá chiêng style. The Upper Sanctuary has brick platforms rising gradually. From outside to inside are the seating places of the system of Buddha statues. At the highest position in the Upper Sanctuary is the set of Amitabha Trinity statues, with Amitabha in the middle and Avalokitesvara and Mahasthamaprapta on either side. The second level, in the center, is the Avalokitesvara statue, with attendant statues on both sides. The third level is the Two Heavenly Kings, and finally the Nine Dragons throne, with Earth Deity and Giám trai statues on both sides.
On the two sides of the Tam Bảo hall, Avalokitesvara is arranged on the right and the set of Đức Ông statues on the left.
In the center above the rear wall of the Upper Sanctuary hangs a horizontal plaque inscribed with three Chinese characters: “Lưu Ly Điện.”
“Kim Liên dũng xuất vô trần dị”
“Ngân trúc chiên hồi bất dạ thiên”
Rough translation: Golden lotus blooms in a place free of dust
Rough translation: Silver torches shimmer in the night sky
And: “Động Thủy Vân Hà lưu tịch địa”
“Văn sơn hoa thảo biệt danh lam”

Rough translation: Cloud banks in the Đỗ Động region settle at the Pagoda

Rough translation: Flowers and grass in Văn Quán land flourish, creating a famous scenic site

From the Upper Sanctuary down are the Ancestor House and the Mother House. In the Mother House, the Three Palaces Holy Mothers are worshipped. The Ancestor House worships the patriarchs and abbots.

During the two resistance wars against the French and the Americans, the pagoda was a place to hide weapons and a revolutionary base. Comrades, cadres, and staff of the Thanh Oai District Post Office came to work there; together with the pagoda’s abbot, they participated in the liaison committee transporting food and weapons to the front line. The pagoda was also a place for teaching and meetings of the village administration. Labor and production emulation campaigns as well as send-offs of local children to the army all started from the beloved pagoda, so it was recognized by the People’s Committee of Hà Tây Province as a resistance war pagoda.

Due to the effects of wars, the pagoda and some other structures seriously deteriorated. In 2008–2009, local people donated to rebuild the Ancestor House and the Mother House. In 2013, with the attention of higher authorities, partial funding investment, and the agreement of cadres and local people, the abbot joined efforts to restore the pagoda. In 2015, from socialized funds, the pagoda cast a 500 kg bronze bell. In 2018, Mr. Nguyễn Việt Thắng’s family together with the pagoda built the Lecture Hall for summer retreat courses and repaired some other auxiliary works. During restoration, the ancient architecture with historical, cultural, and artistic value was preserved, contributing positively to the new rural construction and meeting the cultural and spiritual needs of local people and pilgrims from all places.

Recognizing clearly the value of the relic through research, Văn Quán Village Pagoda was ranked as a provincial/municipal-level historical relic according to Decision No. 1091/QĐ dated July 18, 2001.