Song Tu Tay Pagoda – the largest of the 9 pagodas in Truong Sa. Photo: BN
From Cam Ranh peninsula (Khanh Hoa), following 38 hours of sailing, the ship HQ 571 took us to Song Tu Tay island – the northernmost point of the Spratly archipelago, when the followingnoon just receded. Looming in a corner of the island, the familiar roof line of the pagoda is imprinted on the golden sky.
In the midst of the roaring wind in the sea, the bells from Song Tu Tay Pagoda slowly and softly tinkled. On the deck, forty monks in saffron robes sat cross-legged, chanting with a steady sound of mules. The peaceful sounds like in a Vietnamese village on the mainland. At night, many people do not sleep, watching Gemini Tay twinkling lights, looking forward to the dawn to set foot on the island.
Song Tu Tay Pagoda appears majestically and majestically among the coral sands. The salt wind covered the roof of the temple, the white and silver wooden pillars were silent. Song Tu Tay Pagoda is the largest of the 9 temples in Truong Sa, located on an oval island that is also farthest from the mainland. The main hall has three compartments and two wings, two rows of dance halls. The three-door gate of the pagoda is the most beautiful and majestic, completely made of wood, designed in the way of two floors and eight roofs that open right to the edge of the wave.
The pagoda on Da Tay A island is located near the ship lock, the fishing village. Photo: BN
Visiting Truong Sa for the first time, Venerable Thich Nguyen Dat – Vice President of the Vietnam Buddhist Academy in Hue shared that this was a trip he had longed for, but now he has a chance. Born in the village, raised in monastic life, the roof of the temple, the early followingnoon bell sounds natural with the monk like a breath, becoming “home”. In temples, the bell is used as a means of indicating the early followingnoon, a measure of the time of day practice. For Buddhism, the bell is also a dharma sound, bringing awakening.
“Feeling the familiar sound but hearing it strangely, in words that can’t describe the depth of emotions. The bell rings here, in the midst of stormy seas and islands, listen a little longer, the sound The bell seems to ring louder and louder, making the people and soldiers on the island feel peaceful. When people’s minds are at peace, wisdom will arise to deal with the uncertain places of nature and people.” Nguyen Dat shared.
We reached all 9 temples on islands in the Spratly archipelago. Walking under the canopy of square trees, three maple trees, watching the temples in the middle of the East Sea, you will feel many special things. The pagodas are completely Vietnamese, from architecture, design, details, markings of the National Emblem on worshiping objects, on each brick, each common rose, to the hammock door, the parallel diaphragm, etc. The stone statues Quartz, white jade are crafted in pure Vietnamese from the face to the body proportions. Especially, all 9 pagodas are facing the “heart of the country” which is Hanoi capital.
Truong Sa Lon Pagoda was restored first, so it has many strange features. The main hall is a small wooden wing with two wings, as old as the old house of a Vietnamese village, except that the roof is curved and has a wavy blade shaped like a sea wave. Tam Quan built bricks with the appearance of an old village gate, the upper part has a small wooden gazebo with tiled roofs.
The main hall of Sinh Ton Pagoda also has a small compartment with two small wings, with a simple yellow painted brick gate. Nam Yet island pagoda has a large wooden gate like in Song Tu Tay pagoda, but the main wall is built with wooden columns and has a roof. Son Ca Pagoda main hall has two floors, three compartments and two wings, wooden gate with guardrail touching coral white sand.
Sinh Ton Dong Pagoda has a four-pillar brick-built three-way gate, but it is unique in that it has two roofs with an attic above. The three gates of Truong Sa Dong Pagoda were built in a four-pillar style, but with a roof above the two middle pillars, creating a difference, simple but solid, soaring and majestic. And on Phan Vinh island – the smallest of the 9 floating islands, the small Vinh Phuc pagoda appears like a pagoda behind the village’s bamboo ramparts.
Tam Quan Truong Sa Lon Pagoda. Photo: Binh Nguyen.
Tay A Stone Pagoda has just inaugurated the renovation, the second largest of the 9 pagodas, with the items of the three jewels, the three mandarins, the monk’s house, the dance house, the bell tower, and the opening guard. On the inauguration day, the sea was rough due to the influence of storm No. 1, dozens of squid fishing boats of fishermen in Binh Dinh and Phu Yen anchored to avoid. The temple is located right next to the ship lock on the island, the sound of the monks’ prayers echoes far away. Fishermen on squid fishing boats moored nearby all gathered on the side of the boat, clasping their hands towards the temple.
Looking at the dark and windy fisherman’s faces paying respects, Venerable Thich Minh Quang – Head of the Executive Board of the Ninh Binh Buddhist Church, moved with emotion: “The place where the fatherland’s money is, the real roof of the temple. has become a spiritual fulcrum for fishermen before the stormy sea”.
Box: Since ancient times, at least since the 17th century, Vietnam has established and exercised its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos. For many centuries, during their fishing journeys, fishermen from the central provinces have come to islands in the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes, setting up temples to worship gods and Buddhist temples to pray for rain. favorable wind, calm waves. Experiencing the devastating years of storms and storms, the temples and pagodas on the islands have been severely damaged.
Nearly 20 years ago, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha and Xuan Truong Construction Enterprise invested in repairing and restoring 6 temples: Song Tu Tay, Truong Sa Lon, Sinh Ton, Nam Yet, Son Ca, Phan Vinh in Truong Sa island district (Khanh Hoa province). In 2020, Xuan Truong Construction Enterprise continues to restore 3 pagodas on Truong Sa Dong, Sinh Ton Dong and Da Tay A islands.
