Bich Dong Pagoda Ninh Binh: The old temple in the heritage
Located peacefully in the Truong Yen range, Bich Dong Pagoda is one of the most famous landscapes that Ninh Binh luckily owns. Popular for its pristine and somewhat tranquil scenery, the pagoda is the perfect destination for those who want to take a break from the bustle of everyday urban life. If you have had tiring days due to the burden of worries, leave everything behind and let’s see what we can encounter during visiting Bich Dong Pagoda.
- Location.
- Address: Dam Khe village, Ninh Hai commune, Hoa Lu district, Ninh Binh province.
An ancient pagoda built on the slopes of the Truong Yen limestone mountain range, Bich Dong Pagoda belongs to Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, and is also one of the famous attractions in Ninh Binh. With a nostalgic space and old traditional architecture, the pagoda is one of the sacred places where people come to visit and worship Buddha during their journey to explore Ninh Binh.
- How to get to Bich Dong Pagoda.
Bich Dong Pagoda is located in the Tam Coc Bich Dong relic cluster, so if you want to visit the pagoda, you can combine visiting Tam Coc as well. Currently, there is only one waterway to reach Tam Coc. If you want to come here, you will have to travel by boat along the Ngo Dong river. You can start from the communal house area of Van Lam village, which is most convenient. Then, from Tam Coc, you continue to move to the temple by bicycle, motorbike, taxi or walk to admire the scenery on both sides of the road.
Stories and Legends of Bich Dong Pagoda.
Legend has it that Bich Dong Pagoda was built during the reign of King Le Du Tong, around 1705. At that time, there were two monks whose Dharma names were Tri Kien and Tri The, one from Vong Doanh, the other from Nam Dinh. The two people were destined to meet and become brothers, traveling everywhere together to preach and build temples.
Coming to Ninh Binh, seeing Bich Dong mountain with a favorable location, they decided to stop here, and together with the donators, they repaired the old pagoda’s foundation into three new pagodas like the present, including Ha pagoda, Trung pagoda, and Thuong Pagoda.
In 1707, two monks cast a large bell, which is still hanging in Dark Cave nowadays. Two years later, they continued to make steles of Bich Dong Pagoda in Chinese language. Because it is located in the mountains, in the past, the pagoda was called “Bach Ngoc Thach Son Dong”. In 1774, Lord Trinh Sam had the opportunity to visit here and was impressed by the scenery of this place with mountains, caves, rivers, fields and green trees, so he decided to change the name of the pagoda to Bich Pagoda. Dong, meaning ‘green cave’, and kept the name until now.
The view of Bich Dong Pagoda
Looking down from above, you will admire an interesting perspective that exists at Bich Dong Pagoda. After climbing each step to Thuong Pagoda, you will be able to see the entire wonderful natural scenery in Ninh Binh. This place possesses brilliant rice fields, a soft, romantic winding river and towering limestone cliffs, creating a unique strength view of Ninh Binh.
What you can feel is not only the stunning beauty but also the feeling of purity and peace in the countryside and sacred temple land. Before the majesty of nature, you become small, immersed in the beautiful landscape and a part of it. So do not miss the opportunity to visit this place if you have the opportunity to come to Ninh Binh to experience a different feeling from the city you are used to.
Impact on the local people.
The development of tourism due to the beautiful landscapes at Bich Dong Pagoda has brought great significance to the economy of local people. When visiting this famous place, you have partly created the attraction of the destination, allowing businesses to develop here. Therefore, many local people have more jobs in the tourism service industry, organizing tours, renting bicycles or selling traditional Vietnamese crafts and souvenirs to make ends meet.
However, visiting attractions means that local people have to preserve the natural and cultural heritage of the area. Therefore, you need to respect the places you visit, keep the landscape clean, protect the environment, and contribute a small amount of money to help them preserve this spiritual place if you can.
In short, Bich Dong Pagoda is well-known as the most significant attraction for tourists in Vietnam. Because of its history, gorgeous views with amazing wide fields, high mountains, long rivers and several peaceful temple’s areas, Bich Dong Pagoda affects positively for locals and also tourists who want to discover Vietnam’s diversity and culture. Do not forget to visit Bich Dong as you have many opportunities to enjoy unforgettable experiences here.
Don’t forget to contact Trang An Ecorest Resort & Spa or visit us at www.tranganecorestresort.com if you need any support!
Trang An Ecorest Resort & Spa
Image source: Internet
