Bac Ninh Holiday Weather today
Date/time of update: December 22, 2024, 5:00 am, Timezone: GMT+7
Overcast Clouds
Temperature: 20.05°C
Temperature feels like: 18.89°C
Minimum Temperature: 20.05°C
Maximum Temperature: 20.05°C
Atmospheric pressure: 1019hPa
Humidity:30%
Visibility: 10000m
Wind speed: 0.93m/sec
Wind Direction: 134 degrees
Cloudiness: 94%
Sunrise: 2024-12-21 11:29:07
Sunset: 2024-12-22 10:19:36
Phat Tich Pagoda is in Phat Tich Village, Tien Du District, Bac Ninh Province, 30km from Hanoi. The pagoda is perched on the slope of the Phat Tich Mountain with different buildings along the path from the foot of the mountain leading to the top. The whole complex of Phat Tich Pagoda faces southward overlooking the Red River.
Travel Guide to the Phat Tich Pagoda, Bac Ninh
History
Phat Tich in Vietnamese means the legend of the Buddha. It is said that in the 11th century, the huge Buddhist Tower at the pagoda collapsed which revealed the gold-gilded Buddha statue of A-Di-Da (the Future Buddha). From then on, the village and the pagoda got the name Phat Tich.
View of the Phat Tich Mountain from the paddy field
Phat Tich Pagoda was expanded into a big complex in the 11th century under the Ly Dynasty, but archaeological artifacts found at the pagoda suggest that there had been a pagoda on the site from around the VII - X centuries. In fact, the region is believed to have been the area where Buddhism from India first arrived into Vietnam. The Dau Pagoda built in the 2nd century A.D, which is just across the Red River and 5km from Phat Tich Pagoda, is the oldest Buddhist Pagoda in Vietnam by far. And the tomb of the much-believed ancestor of Vietnam- King Duong Vuong is just across the Red River from Phat Tich.
The Buddha Statue on top of the mountain with commanding view of the surrounding countryside
Phat Tich Pagoda's architecture came to its climax in the 17th century (1686) when it was expanded with funding from the first wife of Lord Trinh when she came to the pagoda and lived a monk-hood life. The pagoda was totally destroyed by the French 1947 when they came back to northern Vietnam. There have been massive efforts by local individuals, by Vietnamese Buddhist followers and by Buddhist monks to restore the Phat Tich Pagoda to its original grandeur from after the war, and the most recent re-construction work was just finished in 2011.
Nowadays, visiting the Phat Tich Pagoda you can easily find back peace and tranquility amid the leafy yards and gardens that is shrouded in full zen atmosphere. Paradissa offers day trips and bicycle tours from Hanoi to the Phat Tich Pagoda along with other attractions of Bac Ninh Province.
After passing the Triple-World Gate (Cua Tam Quan), you come to a leafy yard
Then, you'll arrive at the Bell Tower housing a huge bronze bell
From the Bell Tower, you'll pass through a huge green yard with full tranquility to the Main Pagoda area.
The altar dedicated to the Budda and Buddism with the statue of A-Di-Da Budda carved in the 11th century from one single slab of black limestone
The statue is 1.8m in height and is considered the "treasure" of Buddhism in Vietnam
The back yard of the Phat Tich Pagoda is peaceful with great architecture and curved roofs
From the main pagoda, you'll follow the path leading through the stupa area (with tombs of the late monks) to the top.
Once at the top, you'll have great view of the countryside around the pagoda.
