There are Khmer pagodas anywhere there are Khmer people. Chén Kiểu (Style Bowl) Pagoda also known as Sa Lon Pagoda is one of the nicest oldest pagodas in the Province of Soc Trang. Especially, Chén Kiểu Pagoda has a unique architectural style, unlike any other temple in the world.
1. Better to know as a tourist
How much: Free
How long to spend there: Half an hour (approx)
When to visit: All day
Where to go: Dai Tam Commune, My Xuyen District, Soc Trang Province. About 10km from SocTrang city center, the pagoda is on the way from SocTrang to Bac Lieu province, about 230 km from Ho Chi Minh City.
Recognition(s): recognized as a province-level historical and cultural relic in 2012.
Site beauties: There are many charming Khmer people selling their own farm products in this area. Real local life of the Khmer!
Style Bowl Pagoda in Soc Trang
2. Travel guide to Chén Kiểu (Style Bowl) Pagoda
A member of the pagoda’s management board claims that the structure was built around 1815 in a roomy region with lots of trees. Due to a scarcity of building supplies during the reconstruction, the monks had the idea to ask the community for donations of bowls and plates to be used in adorning the main structure. When the pagoda was being rebuilt in 1969, monks tiled ancient porcelain bowls and plates to the walls, steps, and many other spots to create really magnificent designs. This is how the name Chén Kiểu Pagoda came to be.
The Chén Kiểu Pagoda is tightly entwined with the cultural and spiritual life of the neighborhood, just like other Khmer temples in Soc Trang.
Three towers that were built using the southern Cambodian traditional style draw attention to the gate. Two lines of fairies in the main entryway represent power and beauty. The three-layer roof of the pagoda’s sanctuary is smaller from bottom to top and has a triangular shape with a sharp, high peak on the top tier. About 20 sculptures of Shakyamuni Buddha in various meditation postures can be seen inside the sanctuary, which is also home to murals depicting Shakyamuni Buddha’s biography from his birth to his enlightenment.
The family of Tran Trinh Huy, also known as Cong Tu Bac Lieu, a member of one of the wealthiest families in Bac Lieu Province in the early 20th century, contributed a set of chairs and a bed made of ebony for the pagoda’s dwelling.
Under the sun, the pagoda appeared to be a vibrant piece of needlework. The Salon Pagoda and other revered sites in the city are examples of the Khmer people’s great ingenuity, sophisticated aesthetic sensibility, and depth of understanding of Buddhist tradition.
16 pillars in the pagoda’s inner sanctuary are decorated with carvings of stories from Khmer culture. The Sala serves as a lecture hall, a gathering space for visitors during customary national holidays, and lodging for monks. Japanese tiles, bowls, and dishes give the pagoda its vibrant hues.
Pagodas resemble communal homes in northern Vietnam or long houses in the Central Highlands to the Khmer, but their ties to the local populace are much stronger. They serve as institutions that instruct locals in the Khmer language and Buddhist doctrine. Male Khmer youth frequently spend a few years in the pagodas before becoming accepted by society. The pagoda is their first school. These pagodas have endured over the ages, displaying their beauty and assisting the neighborhood communities.
Visiting the Khmer temples in Soc Trang is not only enjoying a peaceful getaway but also meeting one of the unique communities in the heart of the Mekong Delta.
Style Bowl Pagoda in Soc Trang
Style Bowl Pagoda in Soc Trang
Style Bowl Pagoda in Soc Trang
Style Bowl Pagoda in Soc Trang
Style Bowl Pagoda in Soc Trang
Style Bowl Pagoda in Soc Trang
Style Bowl Pagoda in Soc Trang
