Bà Già Pagoda

Bà Già Pagoda is a pagoda located in Phú Gia village, Phú Thượng ward, Hà Nội.

Bà Già Pagoda has a rather ancient origin. Originally, Phú Gia (its vernacular name is Gạ village) was a place where the kings of the Trần dynasty settled. A group of Chăm people brought from the south built a pagoda, which the Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư (Complete Annals of Đại Việt) transcribed as Đa-da-li. Grand Commandant Trần Nhật Duật (1254–1330) often came here to discuss Buddhism with the resident Chăm monk. It is possible that the name Bà Già derives from Đa-da-li. Today, the pagoda still preserves an ancient horizontal lacquered board inscribed with the three characters "Bà Già tự" (Bà Già Pagoda).

Bà Già Pagoda lies right on the bank of the Red River, now in Phú Thượng ward, Hà Nội, and is an early Buddhist architectural work. The pagoda is situated on a not very large plot, but the trees are luxuriant, and the air is fresh and tranquil. Every morning, the sound of birds singing in the sapodilla tree in front of the courtyard makes the pagoda feel even more intimate.

The pagoda is named "Bà Già" (Old Lady) because, long ago, on this land stood An Dưỡng Pagoda. After it suffered severe damage, two sisters who traded in salt developed the bodhi mind and spent their own money to rebuild and repair the pagoda, carve Buddha statues, and erect a bronze bell tower. When the two ladies passed away, to express their gratitude, the local people cast statues of the two and brought them into the pagoda for worship, calling them hậu Phật statues (statues placed behind the Buddha), and from then on, the pagoda was called Bà Già Pagoda. Seeing the two Bà Già statues in person, one can appreciate their beauty and naturalness, with a simple style, in the everyday sitting posture of Hà Nội women of old. The elder sister's statue is cast larger, in a pose with one leg bent, one leg propped up, her right hand resting on her knee, and her left hand in her lap. Sitting beside her is the younger sister, sitting cross-legged, both hands resting in her lap, in the posture of a mother always praying for everyone's peace and prosperity, her heart open with compassion. Especially, the faces of the two ladies are round, gentle, and kind, yet do not conceal their contemplation.

Since the Lê dynasty, Bà Già Pagoda has had a grand scale and was famous in the former Thăng Long capital. There was a saying: "First is Bà Đá Pagoda" (Hoàn Kiếm district), "Second is Bà Đinh Pagoda" (Châu Lâm Pagoda, Tây Hồ ward), "Third is Bà Già Pagoda". The pagoda was built on a spacious, airy plot called "Quy độ đầu" (Turtle's Head), the land shaped like a turtle resting at the northern end of the village. This is a rather attractive relic site within the complex of Kim Liên Pagoda – Tây Hồ Shrine – Vẽ Communal House – Chèm Communal House.

Indeed, Bà Già Pagoda is a precious ancient heritage that needs to be respected and preserved. In order to honour the cultural and spiritual values that Bà Già Pagoda has left to this day, cultural authorities recognised and classified the pagoda as a Historical and Cultural Relic in 1996. With its doctrine of encouraging good and eliminating evil, the pagoda is a centre of spiritual and cultural activities for the local community, a rather attractive cultural address with historical content and the solemn, ancient beauty of its unique name – Bà Già Pagoda – contributing to the thousand-year culture of Thăng Long–Hà Nội.