Duong Huc village pagoda (Phap Quang pagoda)

The entrance to Duong Huc village pagoda.

Like all other pagodas, Duong Huc village pagoda is a place to worship Buddha, Mother and Ancestor. It is the Buddhist religious activities center of local people. Currently, the pagoda still preserves many precious antiques dating back to the Le - Nguyen dynasties.

“Tam bảo” (Three Treasures) building.

Stone incense burner of Le Dynasty (1702).

The pagoda is located at the beginning of the village, 300m from the village communal house, facing Southwest. The front of the pagoda borders the inter-village road, its left borders the Bach cau – King Cao Minh temple. In the pagoda garden and yard, many old trees are planted to provide the umbrage all year round.

The main worship altar in the pagoda.

Wooden Buddha statues of the Nguyen Dynasty.

According to the elders, the old pagoda was splendid and ancient, including the works of the Three Gate Bell Steeple, “Tam bảo” building, Ancestral worshipping house, Mother worshipping house, and Bell Tower…

The “Tam bảo” building has an architectural structure of Chinese “Dinh” letter including “Tiền đường” (Front Ceremonial Hall) and “Thượng điện” (Upper Palace). The “Tiền đường” consists of 5 compartments. The roof is embossed with three Chinese letters “Pháp Quang Tự” (Phap Quang Pagoda). The whole architecture of the pagoda is made of strong, sturdy ironwood frames. The structures are carved with stylized dragons and flowers, bearing the artistic mark of the Nguyen Dynasty.

The carvings of stylized dragons and flowers all bear the artistic mark of the Nguyen Dynasty.

The “Thượng điện” consists of 3 compartments.

The Mother worshipping house.

Wooden “Hoành phi” (Horizontal lacquered boards) of the Nguyen Dynasty.

The roof of “Tam bảo” building begins to leak. The wall is cracked in many places. The truss column system is still relatively strong.

Stele “Hậu Phật bi ký” (Buddha post-epigram), dated the Nguyen Dynasty (1846).

Bell “Pháp Quang tự chung” made of bronze in the Nguyen Dynasty (1822).

The space is spacious and airy at the pagoda.

The pagoda has no festival, there are only special days such as Anniversary of the Pagoda’s Ancestor (January 8^th in Lunar calendar), the weekly syzygy days of every month; Full Moon Day of the 1^st lunar month, Cold Food Festival, Doan Ngo Festival, Full Moon Day of the 7^th and 8^th lunar months. On these days, the pagoda organizes incense offering to worship Buddha. The offering is widely welcomed by a large number of residents, especially the elderly women and Buddhists coming to participate.

Duong Huc village pagoda was ranked as a Provincial Relic in 2011 at Decision No. 42/QD-UBND, dated January 18, 2011.