The thousand-year-old ancient temple located on Phuong Hoang mountain is the place to mark the traces of Buddha and is also a place to store national treasures, which are unique and unique.
Phat Tich Pagoda (Tien Du, Bac Ninh) also known as Van Phuc Pagoda currently keeps 2 national treasures: Amitabha Buddha Statue; a set of 10 stone beasts.
The statue of Amitabha Buddha is worshiped in the main hall of Phat Tich pagoda dating from the 11th century, belonging to the medieval historical period. Size: 1.86 m high; including the pedestal, it reaches 2.69 m; pedestal circumference: 5.92 m.
The statue is carved with monolithic green stone, including 2 parts: Statue and pedestal. The statue has a slender figure, sitting cross-legged, with two hands facing each other, resting lightly on the abdomen in front of the thighs, tight coat folds with graceful curves covering both legs.
A kind face, delicate curled eyelashes are described by a soft smooth line, phoenix eyes, three-row high neck.
The pedestal decorated with lotus petals, water wave patterns, dragons, fire clouds… is shown as a blooming flower with two layers of petals. The details are carefully carved, soft and meticulous.
The base of the pedestal is a pyramidal block, cut into four steps, with an octagonal plan. The decoration of the pedestal is dragon, wave, cloud, flickering fire, rhyme.
Amitabha Buddha statue is the largest and most beautiful Ly Dynasty stone Buddha statue known in Vietnam. Decorative patterns on the statue’s pedestal reflect indigenous art and prove the beginning of Buddhist art in particular and Dai Viet’s independent art in general.
The ancient Van Phuc pagoda is located in a beautiful location on Phuong Hoang mountain (Phat Tich mountain), according to the stele of ten thousand happy great meditations of compassion, it describes: “Fat Tich Mountain is in the South, surrounded by Phuong Linh mountain. The red Nguu Giang River stops and is round and round, the water is clear and mysterious, the mountains are high and bright. On the left side of the blue dragon water flow around, on the right side, the white tiger mountain comes in.
The current stupa of Phat Tich Pagoda is a newly built construction reminiscent of the ancient tower of the temple in its golden age.
When surveying for restoration, it was discovered that the foundation of the Ly dynasty tower was still intact under the temple, along with many relics representing the art of building Phat Tich pagoda, which is also the unique construction art of the Ly dynasty, now preserved intact.
Venerable Thich Duc Thien, the abbot of Phat Tich Pagoda, introduced to the Regent Gyalwa Dokhampa and the Drukpa lineage the precious relics kept at the temple in 2013.
Another unique national treasure at Phat Tich Pagoda is a set of 10 stone spirit animals placed on the second step of the three levels of the temple foundation, including lions, elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, and horses. Two of each type, lying on a lotus pedestal carved with large stone blocks, dating back thousands of years.
In the photo is Venerable Thich Giac Tinh next to the rhino. This is the symbolic animal for those who persevere until the day of liberation.
The image of a lion, a symbol of the power to protect the Buddhadharma, is often placed on either side of the entrance to the temple.
The Elephant statue to the right of the Three Jewels has lost its tusks and trunk. Elephants are considered symbols of physical and mental strength, as well as responsibility and honesty.
The stone horse is on the right side of the Three Jewels. The horse is said to be a symbol of energy and effort in the practice of Buddhism, as a means of moving the mind.
10 stone beasts are divided into 2 rows, placed symmetrically in front of the Three Jewels. According to the epitaph “Van Phuc Dai Thien Tu Bi” built-in 1686 talking about the construction of the Phat Tich pagoda, these statues were carved at the same time as the pagoda was built.
The new Amitabha Buddha statue was built of greenstone, over 27 m high, weighing 3,000 tons, placed on the top of Phat Tich mountain, 108 m high above sea level of Phat Tich pagoda. Follow Dân trí