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The inhabitants of the ancient city of Dai Ly believe that Thương Sơn is the sacred abode of dragons, one of the four quintessences of heaven and earth: the Wind, the Flowers, the Snow, and the Moon.
Explore Dai Ly: Discovering the Thương Sơn Ancient Monastery
In Yunnan Province, China, the name Thương Sơn has been around since the Tang dynasty, stretching over 100km from north to south, comprising 19 peaks with a stream between each pair, channeling water to the Nhĩ Hải plateau, irrigating the fields of the Bai people before flowing into Nhĩ Hải Lake. Since the Ming dynasty, there's been a saying: 'Living under the shadow of Thương Sơn, a lifetime of tranquility'... And in the early days of spring, I joined the pilgrimage seeking serenity under the majestic Thương Sơn. Besides the four marvels of Wind – Flowers – Snow – Moon, the Bai people in Dai Ly believe that each mountain peak, lake surface, rock, cloud, is connected with a story, a legend, a history passed down for thousands of years, especially in the ancient monasteries.
During my time living among the people of the ancient city of Dai Ly, I heard many legends associated with the Goddess of Mercy, Quan Am, and these legends are most vividly marked at the Quan Am Ancient Monastery. I arrived in Dai Ly on Quan Am's anniversary, and the temple courtyard was filled with groups of Buddhists offering prayers to the Goddess with deep reverence.
There's a unique aspect to Quan Am's anniversary: the pilgrims visiting the temple are mostly elderly individuals in their fifties or sixties, traveling in family groups or from neighboring villages, bringing vegetarian food to enjoy at the temple after their prayers. The prayer rituals at Quan Am Ancient Monastery are exclusively conducted by women, with a few men present to write prayers for the elderly women to offer to the Goddess. The reason behind this, as believed by the people of Dai Ly, is that the elderly women have a deep connection with the image of Quan Am incarnate in the ancient city of Dai Ly since ancient times.
The ancient Quan Am Pagoda was constructed during the Ming dynasty, undergoing multiple alterations and renovations over time to attain the grandeur it boasts today. However, the legend linked with this pagoda originates from the Han dynasty.
Legend has it that during the Han dynasty's siege of Dai Ly, Quan Am transformed into an elderly woman carrying a massive stone on her back. This sight terrified the Han army, leading them to believe that the elderly in the city possessed extraordinary strength. Consequently, they refrained from attacking the city. To honor the kindness of Quan Am, the people of Dai Ly built a pagoda on that stone, which stands to this day.
Not far from the venerable Quan Am Pagoda lies another famous relic intertwined with the ancient Dai Ly dynasties – the Three Towers – a symbol of Dai Ly's culture. With its unique architecture resembling upright columns reaching towards the sky, nestled against the Thuong Son Mountain and facing the Nhị Hải Lake. This architectural style dates back to the Tang dynasty, similar to the West Tower in the spring city of Côn Minh.
However, the Tam Thap monument in Dai Ly surpasses in height, constructed in 823 AD. The main tower, named Thien Thuan, consists of 16 floors, towering 69 meters high, while the two auxiliary towers comprise 10 floors each, standing at 43 meters. The history records that this symbol of Dai Ly has endured over 30 major and minor earthquakes throughout 13 centuries, yet it still stands firm. Inscribed beneath the main tower is the grand motto: Vinh Tran Son Xuyen, believed to be written by Chu Vu Anh, the adopted son of Minh Thai To Chu Nguyen Chuong. Legend has it that this Buddhist tower will eternally guard the Thuong Son Mountain, preventing aquatic creatures in Nhị Hải Lake from harming humans.
The Tam Thap monument is within the precincts of Sung Thanh Pagoda, the largest Han Buddhist temple in China, renowned in the Kingdom of Dai Ly for hosting up to nine kings who renounced their thrones to become monks. Tradition holds that the pagoda was built in 834 AD, although the original structure suffered significant damage during the wars of the Qing dynasty. Nevertheless, the magnificence of the pagoda endures, surpassing even the ancient walls of Dai Ly – a testament to the boundless faith and reverence for Buddhism among Dai Ly's kings and people.
Within the Sung Thanh Pagoda lies a resplendent golden statue of Quan Am, enshrined within a five-story tower for the people of Dai Ly to worship and pay homage to. Pilgrims visiting the Sung Thanh Pagoda often proceed to the Dai Hung Palace to admire the colossal golden statues, including those of Buddha Shakyamuni and his two disciples, Ananda and Mahakasyapa. Beyond its spiritual significance, the Dai Hung Palace also serves as a space for religious sculpture art, featuring intricate reliefs, statues of earth deities, thunder gods, and Arhats, along with stories depicting the life of the Blessed Buddha, vividly and delicately portrayed. Exploring the ancient temples of Dai Ly – Quan Am, Tam Thap, Sung Thanh Pagoda – offers an opportunity to discover the intriguing tales of these ancient monasteries beneath the Thuong Son peaks.
By Nguyen Dinh/Saigon Entrepreneur
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Reference: Mytour Travel Handbook
MytourFebruary 17, 2017
