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Despite being situated in a crowded residential
area, Giac Lam Pagoda is an oasis of
tranquility.
It also retains the majesty of an
ancient pagoda thanks to its large,
tree-filled precinct and monks’ efforts
to preserve its traditional look.
Formerly called the Son Can or Cam Dem,
this national historical and cultural
relic – as recognised by the Government
in 1988 – was built in the mid-18th
century.
It is situated in Tan Binh District’s
Lac Long Quan Street in the Phu Tho Hoa
area, which used to be Cam Dem or Son
Can Hill. It was built by Ly Thuy Long,
a lay-Buddhist of Chinese origin who
collected gifts from various donors to
construct a thatched-roof wooden pagoda
in the Giap Ty Year (1744) when the area
was ruled by Lord Nguyen Phuc Khoat.
In the Gia Dinh Province Records
maintained by Governor Trinh Hoai Duc of
the Gia Dinh Citadel, the area is
described as "a 3ha lot covered with
tall trees and wild flowers".
Many trees remain, some of them very old
and tall. The pagoda is rather
modest-sized and with the typical
architectural features of ancient
southern pagodas.
Many historians say the pagoda has
important historical, cultural,
architectural, and religious sculptural
values.
Take a
tour
The large compound is enclosed by walls
that separate it from the crowded
streets outside. A two-tier gate, a
prominent feature of the garden-pagoda
architectural style, leads into the lane
leading to the yard. Inside are western
decorations like square pillars and
lions, lotuses and Nagar snakes inspired
by Indian and Khmer cultures.
The strongest symbol of Vietnamese
culture is a terracotta vase made in
Song Be and placed at the topmost point
in the compound.
The pagoda is also surrounded by five
ancient towers with ingenious sculptural
lines. Its yard is paved with red square
tiles. Both sides of the path are
covered in precious ornamental flowers
and plants.
In front of the pagoda is a giant bodhi
tree, a gift from the Venerable Elder
Narada, who came from Sri Lanka in 1953.
Under it is the statue of Guan Yin
Bodhisattva. On one side of the pagoda
is a 100-year-old white-flower ochna
tree.
The main pagoda’s structure is in the
traditional rectangular pattern. It is
65m long and 22m wide, and consists of
three main buildings – the central hall,
the preaching hall, and the refectory.
There are 98 wooden columns in all, many
of which are so thick that adults cannot
get their hands fully around them. On
the columns are 86 "parallel sentences"
inscribed in gilded Chinese calligraphy
and bordered with elaborately wrought
frames. All the rafter ends are shaped
like the heads of dragons.
The main hall is adorned with solid
altars made of valuable wood and three
netlike panels. Among the 118 statues in
the pagoda, 113 are made of bronze and
gilded jackfruit wood. The Buddha
Sakyamuni’s idol on the lotus throne is
0.65m high. Enshrined in the preaching
hall is the oldest Sakyamuni statue
dating back to the 18th century. The
nine-dragon statue cast in bronze, which
illustrates the story of the Buddha’s
birth, is also enshrined in the main
hall.
On the two sides of the walls are two
sets of idols of Thap Bat La Han (The 18
Arhats) and a set of Thap Dien Diem
Vuong (King of Hell).
A minor set of 18 statuettes of Arhats,
each 0.57m high, was carved in the early
19th century. The major set of 18
statutes, each 0.95m high, was created
in the early 20th century.
All the statues, netlike panels,
furniture, stupas, and tombs in the
pagoda are exquisitely created.
The pagoda also has a seven-storey stupa
which was completed in 1993. The
32-hexagon tower, with eaves and
openings each enshrining the Buddha’s
Telic from the Long Van Pagoda in Binh
Thanh District. It is one of the most
spectacular towers in the city.
Giac Lam has had nine chief monks in its
230-year history – Vien Quang, Hai Tinh,
Minh Vi, Minh Khiem, Nhu Loi, Nhu Phong,
Hong Hung, Nhut Dan and Le Sanh, who is
now in power.
In 1772, the Most Venerable Vien Quang,
who belonged to the Linh Chi Sect, was
appointed abbot and he renamed the
pagoda Giac Lam. The pagoda has been
restored three times. The Most Venerable
Vien Quang had it rebuilt for the first
time in 1799-1804. A century later, in
1906 to 1910, the Most Venerable Hong
Hung played the lead role in restoring
it with the help of the Most Venerable
Nhu Phong. In 1999 Giac Lam was restored
for the third time with the municipal
People’s Committee providing VND293mil.
The city has put pagodas built before
1900 in a list of ancient pagodas. Those
built subsequently, even if they are in
the traditional wood pattern, do not
make that list.
Giac Lam not only tops that list but
also retains the oldest architectural
and decorative motifs seen in any pagoda
in the city.
Source : Viet Nam News |
