Tra Vinh: Giac Linh Pagoda (Bat Pagoda) Revolutionary Historical Relic

Giac Linh Pagoda relic, also known as Bat Pagoda, is located about 30km southeast of Tra Vinh city, more than 5km northeast of Cau Ngang town, in Nhut A hamlet, My Long Bac commune, Cau Ngang district, Tra Vinh province.

The pagoda was built by Mr. Duong Quang Son, a Chinese of Chaozhou origin, in the year of Tan Mui 1871. When it was first built, it was a small shrine called Linh Son Dien. In 1937, the local people rebuilt it and named it Giac Linh Tu.

Since the early years of the 20th century, Linh Son Dien has been a meeting place and activity place for patriotic soldiers against the French in the Thien Dia Hoi organization.

In 1922, the Red Youth organization of the province was established here, including comrade Duong Quang Dong. In the spring of 1930, the My Long Party Cell, one of the first three Communist Party cells of Tra Vinh , was established at Linh Son Dien and chose this place to hold regular meetings in the early years of its establishment. In the period of 1934 - 1935, Linh Son Dien was chosen as the headquarters of the Vinh - Tra - Ben inter-provincial committee. In the days before the August Revolution of 1945, to seize the opportunity to win the uprising, a preparatory meeting was held at Giac Linh Pagoda to consolidate the Regional Committee convened by comrade Duong Quang Dong.

During the resistance war against the French, nun Phung, a monk of the pagoda, used the sound of the wooden fish as a signal to summon or disperse revolutionary cadres during meetings or to hide during disturbances.

During the anti-American war, nun Phung became the abbot of the pagoda. Under the nun's robe, nun Phung hid herself from the enemy and, through pilgrimages, transported weapons to the revolutionary organization.

In the years 1966-1967, the war was fierce, the southwest side of the temple grounds a trench system of more than 300m long was dug to resist the enemy's marches and sweeps. Also during this period, relying on the quietness of the place of practice, the dense trees, dozens of secret tunnels were dug in the temple grounds for cadres to hide. Notably, the temple's great bell was also donated to the construction site to manufacture weapons to fight the enemy.

In 1970, the enemy came to set up a camp near the temple fence, in order to control the revolution in My Long area and also to monitor the monks. However, the nun Phung still remained at the temple with all her heart and soul to work.

On January 24, 1998, the Ministry of Culture and Information (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) issued Decision No. 95/QD-BVHTT ranking Giac Linh Pagoda as a National Monument in the category of Historical Monuments.