RELIC PROFILE OF CHUA BA PAGODA (BINH DUONG TU)

Chua Ba is a Mahayana Buddhist pagoda. The pagoda was initially jointly worshipped by the people of three hamlets: Nam, Cao Nhang, and Cau Ba. Although there was no resident monk, over hundreds of years, the elders and local people have remained united in worship. Today, due to population growth, the people of Cau Ba Hamlet have built an additional new Cau Ba Pagoda for separate worship, but many local people still turn to the old pagoda. Through war, harsh nature, and historical changes, the pagoda still exists, demonstrating the prosperity and influence of Buddhism on the local people. Chua Ba currently features Nguyen-era architecture with an open space at the end of the village, adjacent to the fields. Although the existing architectural style is the product of restorations during the Nguyen era and later, it still retains many features and structures of ancient architecture. The Front Hall has 7 spacious bays, and the Upper Hall has 3 longitudinal bays; the structure of the trusses follows the style of “upper stacked beams, cross braces, lower stacked beams, tie beams, and eave brackets” or upper stacked beams, lower stacked beams, tie beams, and eave brackets is a structural style commonly seen in pagodas with Nguyen-era architecture. The Buddha statues have a Nguyen-era artistic style with graceful carving lines and achieve aesthetic effect; the horizontal panels and couplets written in regular script… are relics that not only have artistic value but also carry sacred elements tied to the land and people of Tay Dang town and neighboring areas, and need to be studied more deeply and measures taken to preserve and promote their value.