Red Pagoda (Linh Do Tu) is located deep in a small alley, quite hidden in the middle of a busy residential area on Le Lai Street (Ngo Quyen, Hai Phong).
The Red Pagoda is 26m high with a unique and rare architecture – ancient architecture with 3 floors and 20 roofs. Today, the temple has been beautifully restored, both ancient and solemn.
According to legend, long ago, this was a small mudflat where many people died floating, so the villagers built a small temple to worship Buddha and pray for the souls of the unfortunate people. In 1288, when Hung Dao Vuong came to An Duong area to study the terrain to destroy the O Ma Nhi fleet that fled through Bach Dang gate, he had people take care of the food and drink in the temple, making the kitchen always red. Since then, people have called this the Red Pagoda to remember the anniversary of the day Saint Tran stayed here.
That’s why after Tran Hung Dao passed away, the people here built two more temples on both sides of the pagoda to worship him and his trusted generals, typically the famous general Pham Ngu Lao.
The pagoda is divided into three main palaces: the outside is the front street, the middle is the middle street, and the rear is the back palace.
The front hall is designed with a 7-storey tower 5m high, the base of the tower is 1.2m high, above the tower there is a lotus, inside the lotus tower there is a 5m high flagpole to hang the flag during each festival season. In the middle of the street, there is a row of “lemon flowers” stylized as double leaves made of ancient blue enamel running along the roof of the temple.
The harem has two roof floors, in the middle of the roof there is a Bodhi leaf (1.20m high) like a flickering flame, representing the purity and clarity of Buddhism, monks and nuns, and Buddhists who seek good salvation. suffering, rescue.
Outside the main hall on the first floor, there are 4 stone pillars (diameter 50cm, height 4.2m) carved with Dragon – Phoenix, symmetrical on both sides, between the pillars are carved stone railings “Tung – Truc – “Chrysanthemum – Apricot” is manifested in Dragon form.
The main altar is located on the second floor.
At the Red Pagoda, there is a 5.5m high jackfruit wood Buddha statue of Shakyamuni Buddha, sitting on a 2.9m high lotus throne, with 500 gilded lotus petals and exquisitely carved with contemporary patterns. Ceiling, placed in the center of the main hall.
When completed, this will be the largest wooden Buddha statue in Vietnam. The statue was created by 10 skilled woodworkers from more than 20m3 of jackfruit wood, 400 pieces of wood…
The second floor of the pagoda also worships majestic Arhats.
The main face of the pagoda is made of green stone, the columns are decorated with dragons and phoenixes, clearly depicting the artistic nuances of the Ly Tran Dynasty. The ceiling of the pagoda is painted with gilded vermilion, increasing its noble appearance.
This pagoda is famous for its sacredness, “praying for wishes”, attracting many people and tourists from all over to pray for peace and worship at the beginning of the new year. Major holidays such as Vu Lan and Buddha’s Birthday are professionally organized by the pagoda, attracting a large number of Buddhists and tourists nationwide.
The pagoda is also a place where many couples come to celebrate the wedding ceremony, with the hope of being faithful, living together, having a harmonious family, and having many children and grandchildren
( According to Dan Tri)