Buzz
Referred to as the Clay Temple due to its multitude of clay sculptures. What makes it even more unique is the presence of 8 candles, weighing a total of 1.4 tons of wax.
Known as Buu Son Pagoda, but ask anyone on Ton Duc Thang Street (Soc Trang) about the Clay Temple, and you'll be directed to its gate with the message: “Definitely worth a visit!”. Situated amidst regular residential homes, it's easy to miss if not observant. Constructed 200 years ago by a member of the Ngo family for personal meditation, the temple is managed by family members as it lacks a resident monk.
Initially built using local timber, the temple underwent numerous repairs due to decay over the years. In 1928, Ngo Kim Tong, the fourth abbot, decided to renovate the temple by sculpting clay statues instead of casting them in bronze or carving them from wood. He meticulously crafted 1,991 statues over 42 years.
To this day, these statues remain intact at the Clay Temple. Statues of Amitabha Buddha, Shakyamuni Buddha, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, Confucius, and the Jade Emperor are arranged according to the Triple Gem concept (Buddha – Dharma – Sangha). There are elaborate statues such as the Thousand Lotus Pagoda, featuring 1,000 small Buddha figures seated in meditation. The Three Jewels Pagoda stands at 3.5 meters with 13 tiers, 208 doors, and 126 dragons supporting its base. The Clay Temple is renowned not only for its clay statues but also for its six large candles, each weighing 200 kg, and two small candles, each weighing 100 kg. These candles are molded from pure wax over several months. The two small candles have been burning continuously for 43 years since Tong's passing, never extinguished due to any reason. After the small candles go out, the next pair of large candles will be lit in succession. It's estimated that each candle will burn for about 70 years before extinguishing. Therefore, if lit one by one, it would take approximately 400 years for all candles to burn out.
Alongside numerous other temples, the Clay Temple today is a must-visit attraction in Soc Trang and stands as Vietnam's unparalleled temple.
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Source: Travel Guide by Mytour – As reported by Vnexpress
MytourOctober 14, 2013
