Coming to Sam Mountain area, after visiting Ba Chua Xu Temple, Thoai Ngoc Hau Tomb and Hang Pagoda, you should not miss visiting Tay An Pagoda. The pagoda is located at the junction, at the foot of Sam Mountain in Nui Sam Ward, Chau Doc City, An Giang Province. Tay An Pagoda in An Giang has been ranked as a “national art architecture” by the Ministry of Culture and recognized as a “pagoda with an architectural style combining Indian art and Vietnamese ancient art” by the Vietnam Record Book Center. This article helps you learn about the pagoda before you go there.
The Tay An has the campus with the area of 15,000 m2. Behind the pagoda is Sam Mountain the same as a screen standing out with dark blue. From outside looking into, Tay An Pagoda has 3 gates: 1 main one and 2 extra ones. Especially, In the main one, there is a Quan Am Thi Kinh statue holding a baby. According to Buddhist legend, Quan Am Thi Kinh is a bodhisattva having patient behavior.
Inside the gate of the pagoda is a small yard, outstandingly, there is a 16 m high flag pillar with lotus statue at the foot. The building is built in the “tam” (Chinese: 三) word style and according to the Indian architectural style combining Vietnamese traditional one. It is built with durable materials such as bricks, tiles, and cement.
In front of the main hall, there are 2 statues of elephants: a white one and a black one. Especially, the front of the main hall is a two-story-high tower. The top of the tower has onion shape the same as the pagodas in India. The second floor, there is a Buddha statue.
The 2 sides of the main hall are 2 bell and drum towers with the square shape and at the top having the statues of 4 sacred animals (dragon, unicorn, tortoise, phoenix). The great bell was created in the 32nd year of King Tu Duc year (1879).
In the main hall, there are about 150 small and large statues. Most of them are made of precious wood and carved skillfully, typical of Vietnamese sculpture art in the 19th century. In addition, the pagoda also has many bright colored horizontal boards and parallel sentence panels.
Behind the building is Phat Thay Tay An Tomb. Especially, the tomb of him does not have the upper knob but is equal to the ground. This shows he does not focus on the form. Among the works of the pagoda has green trees and bonsais making it fresh cool.
The Tay An Pagoda was built by Governor An Giang-Ha Tien named Doan Uan in 1947. Because he achieved a great feat of chasing Thai Lan army out of the country, he established the pagoda to memory. In 1850, Mr.Doan Minh Huyen (1807 – 1856) who founded Buu Son Ky Huong religion came to practice, so the pagoda became famous. Doan Minh Huyen is also called Phat Thay Tay An (Tay An Buddha Teacher). He had great credit in curing diseases of people and taught them to do good things.
Generally, Tay An Pagoda has the unique architectural style in which there used to be a noble teacher living. Coming to the pagoda, visitors have a peaceful feeling in the soul. That is a place worth to visitors visiting.
Tay An Pagoda in An Giang, Vietnam
