In the minds of Vietnamese people, pagodas are sacred, sacred places, but also very close. The pagoda is a place where Buddhist teachings guide people to moral values of goodness, understanding, love… Therefore, the pagoda’s doors are always open to everyone. Especially at the beginning of the lunar new year, more and more people come to pagodas to worship, travel and worship Buddha.
Thien An Pagoda was built in 1694, now in Tinh An Dong commune, Quang Ngai city, and is one of the oldest pagodas in Quang Ngai. The pagoda is located at an altitude of regarding 100m, surrounded by immense forest with an area of regarding 1 hectare.
A corner of Thien An Pagoda. (Photo: Le Xuan Tho)
Built in the 17th century, the architecture in the pagoda from the majestic gate, the massive main hall,… to the stupas,… are all tinged with the color of time, bringing an ancient, quiet look. .
This large pagoda in Quang Ngai is associated with the legend of “magic bell, Buddha well”. The well is regarding 21m deep, more than 2m in diameter, built of laterite. Thien An Pagoda attracts tourists with its Ruong house architecture made entirely from wood. In particular, in the temple there is a bell that resonates throughout the entire region. Near the pagoda, visitors can visit the grave of Mr. Huynh Thuc Khang, a patriot.
Thien An Pagoda in Quang Ngai is a place that is widely visited by locals and tourists from all over during the Lunar New Year.
Address: Thien An mountain, Tinh An commune, Son Tinh district, Quang Ngai province, regarding 3km from Quang Ngai city center.
Go to the pagoda at the beginning of the year in Quang Ngai: Ly Son Hang Pagoda
Hang Pagoda’s inner hall. (Photo by Le Hong Khanh)
Hang Pagoda has the literal name “Thien Khong Thach Tu” (Heavenly Born Stone Pagoda) and was established during the reign of King Le Kinh Tong (1599-1618). Hang Pagoda is 24m deep, 20m wide, and 3.2m high. Here, we worship both Buddha and the sages who contributed to reclaiming and building villages on Ly Son island. The large pagoda in Quang Ngai – Hang Pagoda was recognized as a national historical and cultural relic in 1994.
In front of the Hang Pagoda, there is a well called a sky well. Around the temple yard are hundreds of years old sea almond trees. In particular, inside the pagoda there are two long, narrow paths with two opposite directions, considered by local people to be “the road to heaven and the road to hell”.
The main shrine is located in the middle of the main cave. On both sides of the main hall are altars of Amitabha, Tathagata, and Maitreya Buddhas and stone pedestals worshiping the ancestors and sages who contributed to building the pagoda. Today, Hang Pagoda is one of the tourist attractions.
Address: Thoi Loi mountain, Dong Ho village, An Hai village, in An Hai commune, Ly Son island district, Quang Ngai
Go to the pagoda at the beginning of the year in Quang Ngai: Ong Thu Xa Pagoda
Ong pagoda. (Photo: Nguyen Dang Vu)
Ong Pagoda is one of the major pagodas in Quang Ngai, built in the second year of Minh Mang (1821). For nearly 200 years of existence, this pagoda has been a common spiritual place for both Chinese and Vietnamese people in Thu Xa.
Ong Pagoda has Vietnamese-Chinese architectural features. Ong Pagoda has a “tam” shaped architecture with 3 adjacent blocks: front hall, main hall and back palace. The decorative art at Ong Thu Xa Pagoda has also reached a sophisticated level, especially the techniques of embossment, perforation, etc. on screens, columns, altars, statues, stele borders, etc.
Address: Thu Xa, Nghia Hoa commune, City. Quang Ngai, regarding 10 km east of the city center.
Go to the pagoda at the beginning of the year in Quang Ngai: Dieu Giac Pagoda
Dieu Giac Pagoda is one of the earliest ancient pagodas built and plays an important role in the history of propagating Buddhism in Quang Ngai province. This is a large pagoda in Quang Ngai that was recognized as a national cultural and historical relic in 2000.
Three-entrance gate of the pagoda: “The Four Noble Senses”. (Photo: Vinh Bon)
There are many opinions that: The pagoda was built in the year of the Horse (1966), associated with the event of Princess Huyen Tran coming to Binh Dinh to become the daughter-in-law of Champa. In Dieu Giac Pagoda, there are still some valuable Chinese documents recording many events related to the pagoda. Accordingly, from 1841 – 1848, the pagoda went through three restorations, then up to now, the pagoda has undergone many other renovations. However, Dieu Giac Pagoda still retains the ancient and solemn features of a pagoda with a history of nearly 400 years.
Currently, the pagoda has square architecture. In the temple grounds, in addition to Huyen Tran’s shrine, there are also three ancient towers, which are the tombs of the first, second and fifth generation abbots.
Address: Phu Loc village, Binh Trung commune, Binh Son district, far from the city center. Quang Ngai is regarding 20 km to the North.
Go to the pagoda at the beginning of the year in Quang Ngai: Thinh Linh Pagoda
Thinh Linh Pagoda. (Photo: DH)
Located on a mountain top 168m above sea level, within an area of 500m2, Thinh Thinh Pagoda (literally named Vien Giac Thanh Son) is completely separate from the outside world.
To get to Thinh Thinh mountain, there are two main roads, either go from the center of Quang Ngai city, follow the north bank of Tra river, reach Sa market, turn left towards Chau Sa ancient citadel, along the rice fields and rolling hills. hill in Binh Tan commune (Binh Son district) and Tinh Chau and Tinh Long communes (Quang Ngai city); Or follow Highway 1A to the north, at the end of Tinh Phong commune (Son Tinh district), turn right regarding 10km to start the road up the mountain to Thinh Thinh pagoda.
Visitors from all over come to visit and visit Thinh Thinh Pagoda, not only to see firsthand the scenery and architecture of an ancient religious building that still stands before the destruction of time and war, but also to learn regarding regarding the heroic history through two long resistance wars of the Vietnamese people.
Traveling to Quang Ngai is indispensable without a visit to the famous beautiful and pure pagodas here.