Bac Ninh Holiday Weather today
Date/time of update: November 21, 2024, 12:58 am, Timezone: GMT+7
Clear Sky
Temperature: 21.05°C
Temperature feels like: 20.65°C
Minimum Temperature: 21.05°C
Maximum Temperature: 21.05°C
Atmospheric pressure: 1020hPa
Humidity:55%
Visibility: 10000m
Wind speed: 4.8m/sec
Wind Direction: 18 degrees
Cloudiness: 0%
Sunrise: 2024-11-20 11:10:21
Sunset: 2024-11-21 10:13:20
The But Thap Pagoda is in But Thap Village, Dinh To Commune, Thuan Thanh District, Bac Ninh Province. The pagoda is among the oldest and most beautiful Buddhist Pagodas in Vietnam.
Overview
The But Thap Pagoda was built in the 13nd century C.E and. The current architecture was from the 17th century restoration.
There was a tower of 9 tiers at But Thap when the pagoda was first built. This tower is not here anymore. In the 17th century another tower of stone was added to the left flank of the pagoda called Bao Ngiem Tower. This tower houses the skeleton of Chuyet Chuyet, the 17th chief monk of But Thap.
Tu Duc King once visited the But Thap Pagoda in 1876. The king found the tower like a pen and called it the Pen Tower, hence the name But Thap.
The But Thap Pagoda is not only beautiful in architecture and rich in history but it houses Four National Treasures of Vietnam:
1/ Statue of the Goddess of Mercy (Quan Am Bo Tat) with 11 heads, 46 big hands, 900 small hands
In Vietnamese culture, the Goddess of Mercy Statue with thousands hands and eyes are to see and help people everywhere in the Universe. The statue is 3.7m high and 2.1m wide.
2/ Three Statues of the Buddhas of the Past (Dipankara , A Di Da), the Present (Sakyamuni, Thich Ca Mau Ni) and the Future (Maitreya, Di Lac).
3/ Cuu Pham Lien Hoa Tower made of wood: Tower of 9-rank Flower
The wooden tower of 7.8m high has an octagonal shape, 9 tiers. The tower looks like a huge lotus flower placed inside the Tich Thien Am (Temple to Accumulate Virtues, Merits).
The number Nine symbolizes the 9 monk lives of the Buddha Sakyanmuni before getting enlightened. Each level of the tower or prayer wheel represents a level or a world of enlightenment.
This is a prayer wheel influenced by Tibetan Buddhism. The wheel rotates multiplying the power of prayers. Also, spinning the wheel has much meritorious effect as reciting the prayers orally.
4/ Worshiping Altar carved of wood
Besides, the But Thap Pagoda possesses 100 Buddhist statues representing Buddhist philosophy sculpted from wood, 50 stone scultures
The pagoda has the annual festival on the 23th and 24th of the Third Lunar Month.
How to get there
The But Thap Pagoda, 28km north east of Hanoi, can be reached by a bicycle trip or by car from the capital city. The trip takes half a day or full day.
