Ha Tien Thap Canh: Ancient citadel relics at Tam Bao Pagoda

As one of the oldest pagodas in Phuong Thanh land, Sac Tu Tam Bao today belongs to Ha Tien Ward, An Giang. It has been restored many times but the pagoda still retains the ruined wall from the time of General Mac Cuu.

Ancient citadel ruins

The Tam Bao Pagoda in Ha Tien is quite a beautiful temple. The facade has a round arched door, with square windows on both sides and shuttered doors. On the roof is a bell tower with lotus buds on both sides. Below is a sign in Chinese characters: Tam Bao Pagoda.

Venerable Thich Nhu Hai and the great bell of Sac Tu Tam Bao Pagoda, 2013

PHOTO: HOANG PHUONG

The path leading to the main hall is built with steps, and on both sides there are railings with French-style pillars. The old architecture is still preserved, only repainted, with a Buddha statue added in the central bell tower and a wheel of reincarnation on the roof. At that time, Venerable Phuoc An planted a number of star apple and oil trees, which have now become ancient trees.

During the time of Venerable Thich Nhu Hai, the Tam Bao Pagoda was renovated and some additional structures were built, such as adding two more rows of the east and west wings. A 5-meter-high statue of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara was installed in front of the pagoda yard, the main hall and the Patriarch's house were renovated, a statue of Buddha Shakyamuni meditating under the Bodhi tree and a statue of Thousand Hands and Thousand Eyes was installed behind the Buddha hall... In addition, the temple gate was rebuilt by the Venerable according to a new motif, with a two-story boat-shaped gate roof, covered with tubular tiles, decorated with dragons and phoenixes. On both sides are parallel sentences meaning "all good things return to the door of Prajna".

The tower in front of the yard of the Tam Bao Pagoda

PHOTO: HOANG PHUONG

Since 2014, the Sac Tu Tam Bao Pagoda, headed by the Buddhist nun Thich Nhu Kim, has continued to build additional structures such as a wooden cool house, a tower, a Quan Am pagoda in the middle of a lotus pond, and opened a path around the Quan Am pagoda for visitors to come and worship. The interior has been repainted brilliantly.

Statue of Buddha Shakyamuni and Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara in front of the temple yard

PHOTO: HOANG PHUONG

The precious thing is that although the pagoda has been renovated many times, it still retains some of its ancestors' relics. Currently, behind the water pavilion and lotus pond is an ancient wall, surrounded by a few ancient towers. On the left side of the pagoda, a thick, mossy wall is still preserved. The limestone wall is located in front of the Executive Committee Office, hidden behind the Arhat statue. It is the ruins of the citadel during the time of General Mac Cuu, still standing strong after more than 300 years.

Tam Bao Pagoda was destroyed many times.

In 1708, after offering land to the Nguyen Dynasty, Mac Cuu was appointed by Lord Nguyen Phuc Chu as the General of Ha Tien town, and he established a residence and military garrison in Phuong Thanh area, and the number of people following him increased day by day. During this time, Mac Cuu's mother came from Guangdong, and he built a small pagoda behind the town for her to practice, which was the first Tam Bao pagoda.

The tower of Thai Phu Nhon was restored by descendants of the Mac family in 1995.

PHOTO: HOANG PHUONG

The book Gia Dinh Thanh Thong Chi (translated by Pham Hoang Quan) wrote: "Tam Bao Pagoda is located behind the town palace. The pagoda's landscape is spacious, with a large Buddha statue. It was built by General Mac Cuu from the beginning. Mac Cuu's mother was Thai Phu Nhon, over 80 years old. Because she missed her son, she sailed across the sea from Loi Chau. Mac Cuu kept her mother to take care of her. She was a devout Buddhist and was very respectful. On the day of the Buddha's bathing ceremony, she went to the pagoda to make offerings and worship. Suddenly, she passed away in front of the Buddha's shrine. Mac Cuu buried her mother in Binh San mountain according to the ceremony and then cast a bronze statue of his mother to worship at this pagoda. The statue still remains today."

Water pavilion and lotus pond behind the Tam Bao Pagoda

PHOTO: NGOC PHAN

Regarding the above event, in 2013, according to Venerable Nun Nhu Hai, Thai Phu Nhon passed away right at the time of her ordination ceremony in the main hall and there was no statue of her in the temple. There was only a memorial tablet that researchers said was written by Mac Thien Tich and her tomb was behind the temple. In 1995, Mac family descendants in Ca Mau came to the temple to organize renovations and build a tower, but before that it was just a normal tomb.

The main hall of the Tam Bao Pagoda

PHOTO: HOANG PHUONG

In 1718, the Siamese army invaded Ha Tien, Mac Cuu and his family had to flee to Lung Ky to seek refuge. Lung Ky was the first land Mac Cuu arrived in, reclaiming wasteland, holding the position of Oc Nha. Ha Tien was burned down by the enemy, the town hall and the pagoda were destroyed after 10 years of existence. That year, Mac Thien Tich was born in Lung Ky, the following year his family returned to Ha Tien, at that time he was only 1 year old and Tam Bao pagoda no longer existed.

Gate of the Three Jewels Pagoda

PHOTO: HOANG PHUONG

Based on the above data, researcher Truong Minh Dat (Ha Tien) believes that Tam Bao Pagoda could only be rebuilt after 1811, at the same time King Gia Long ordered the restoration of Ha Tien town palace and also on this occasion the King granted the Imperial Citadel to the pagoda. Therefore, according to Mr. Dat, when Tam Bao Pagoda was rebuilt, Mac Thien Tich had passed away (in 1780). Therefore, the theory that the sound of the bell from Tam Bao Pagoda was the inspiration for Mac Thien Tich to compose the poem Tieu Tu Than Chung in the collection Ha Tien Thap Canh Vinh is not correct.

But this time, the Tam Bao Pagoda only existed for 23 years because in 1834 it was destroyed by the Siamese army again. Later, on the ruins of General Mac Cuu's town house, the local people rebuilt the Tam Bao Pagoda with trees and leaves. According to the French Ha Tien Province Local History of 1901, it described: "Inside the surrounding wall, behind the town house, there was a private pagoda in the past that was destroyed and replaced by another modern pagoda."

Facade of the Tam Bao Pagoda

PHOTO: HOANG PHUONG

As for the current pagoda, according to Mr. Truong Minh Dat, it was only recently renovated and completed in 1930, at the same time as the great bell was offered by Mr. and Mrs. District Chief Cao Van Vien and Tran Thi Tuy in Vinh Thanh Van village, Rach Gia. At the same time, the word Tieu Tu found above the ancestral altar was only carved after 1920. Therefore, saying that the Sac Tu Tam Bao is Tieu Pagoda seems unreasonable. According to Mr. Dat, the name Tieu Pagoda mentioned in the poem Tieu Tu Than Chung by Mac Thien Tich could be the ancient Phu Dung Pagoda that was destroyed when the Siamese army attacked Ha Tien in 1834. ( continued )

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ha-tien-thap-canh-di-tich-thanh-xua-o-chua-tam-bao-185250925224230429.htm