One pillar pagoda wins Asian recognition

 

The One Pillar Pagoda, a historic Buddhist temple in Hanoi, has been recognised by the Asian Records Organisation as having the most unique architecture on the continent, the Vietnam Records Organisation said on October 17.

Originally dubbed Dien Huu, which means long-lasting happiness and good luck, the pagoda was built in 1049 on the orders of King Ly Thai Tong. 

During the Ly Dynasty, to mark Vesak or Buddha’s birthday, it was the site where an annual royal ceremony to celebrate the event was held. 

Legend has it that Ly Thai Tong, who had no children, used to go to pagodas to pray to Buddha for a son. One night, he dreamt that he met Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, the Goddess of Mercy, sitting on a great lotus flower in a square-shaped pond and handed him a baby boy. 

Months later, when the Queen gave birth to a boy, the King was advised by a monk to erect a pillar in the middle of a lotus pond, similar to the one he had seen in his dream, in honour of the Goddess of Mercy. 

It was built of wood on a single stone pillar 1.25m in diameter, 4m high and resembled a lotus blossom, the Buddhist symbol of purity. 

With all its architectural and historical values, the pagoda was classified as a national historic site in 1962. On May 4, 2006, it was recorded in Vietnam ’s Guinness Book of Records as the pagoda with the most unique architecture in Vietnam . 

During its long history, the complex has undergone a number of renovations and has become one of the most interesting architectural complexes in Hanoi, attracting large numbers of domestic and overseas tourists alike.

Source: VNA

 

One Pillar Pagoda recognised as unique example of Asian architecture

Asia Book of Records has recognised Hanoi’s One Pillar Pagoda as one of Asia’s most unique pieces of architecture.

One-pillar pagoda is a tourist attraction in Hanoi

According to Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu, The Complete History of Great Viet, the pagoda was built in the winter of 1049 under the reign of King Ly Thai Tong who dreamed of seeing the Goddess of Mercy sitting in a lotus throne and talking him to it. When awaking, the king told his mandarins about his dream and one of them thought that it was a bad omen. Monk Thien Tue advised him to build a pagoda and a lotus-shaped tower just as he had seen in his dream. When the pagoda was inaugurated, monks went around the pagoda and recited the Buddhist scriptures to pray for longevity of the king. For this reason, the pagoda is also called Dien Huu (long lasting happiness and good luck).

The temple is built of wood on a single concrete pillar 1.25 metres in diameter. It is designed to resemble a lotus blossom, which is a Buddhist symbol of purity, since a lotus blossoms in a muddy pond.

After being repaired many times, the pagoda was destroyed by the French colonists in 1954. In 1955, the government had the pagoda rebuilt. The present wood pagoda is in the shape of square with each side and a curved roof. It was designed to resemble a lotus stretching up out of the square pond and placed on a pillar including two blocks which are connected together. This stone pillar is approximately 4 metres high (excluding the underground section) and 1.2 metres in diameter. The pagoda structure also shows the harmonious combination of imagination and unique architecture with a system of wood beams that create the solidity and beauty for the pagoda.

With its architectural and historical values, the pagoda was classified as a historical relic on April 28, 1962. On May 4, 2006, it was recorded in the Vietnamese Guinness Book as the pagoda with the most unique architecture in Vietnam.