Côn Sơn Pagoda

Côn Sơn Pagoda (its formal name is Thiên Tư Phúc Tự or Côn Sơn Tự), also known as Hun Pagoda, is a pagoda located beside Côn Sơn Mountain (also called Hun Mountain) in Trần Hưng Đạo Ward, Hải Phòng City, Vietnam. The pagoda was classified as a national relic by the Minister of Culture of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in the first round of 1962. This is an important relic belonging to the Côn Sơn - Kiếp Bạc relic complex, which was recognised as a special national relic in 2012.

The formal name of the pagoda is Thiên Tư Phúc Tự or Tư Phúc Tự, but among the people it is commonly called after the mountain as Côn Sơn Pagoda or also Hun Pagoda. The pagoda lies at the foot of Côn Sơn Mountain, in Chúc Đình Hamlet, Chi Ngại Commune, Phượng Nhãn District (later Chúc Thôn Commune, Chi Ngại Canton, Chí Linh District). According to legend, this was the site of a fire attack, where smoke was used to trap Phạm Bạch Hổ during the chaos of the 12 warlords under Đinh Bộ Lĩnh in the 10th century. Therefore, besides the name Côn Sơn, the mountain is also called Kỳ Lân or Hun Mountain.

The book Đại Nam Nhất Thống Chí records about Côn Sơn Pagoda in the section "Côn Sơn Mountain", associated with a series of prominent historical figures:

In the 12th year of Hưng Long (1304), the monk Pháp Loa built a small pagoda called Kỳ Lân. By the first year of Khai Hựu (1329), the pagoda was expanded into Côn Sơn Thiên Tư Phúc Tự and entrusted to Huyền Quang as abbot. From the Trần dynasty, Côn Sơn Pagoda was one of the three centres of the Trúc Lâm Zen sect, along with Yên Tử and Quỳnh Lâm in Quảng Ninh. A folk verse says:

The pagoda was the place of practice for National Master Huyền Quang—the third patriarch of the Trúc Lâm Zen sect. After Huyền Quang passed away, King Trần Minh Tông had the Đăng Minh Stupa built to house his relics, and since then, the anniversary of Huyền Quang's death gradually became the Côn Sơn Spring Festival.

In the Early Lê period, the pagoda was where Nguyễn Trãi retired in seclusion, following in the footsteps of his maternal grandfather Trần Nguyên Đán, who also came to Côn Sơn to withdraw from the world at the end of the Trần dynasty. In 1439, King Lê Thái Tông restored Nguyễn Trãi's titles, including the position of Superintendent of Côn Sơn Tư Phúc Tự, i.e., "Manager of Tư Phúc Pagoda" (Côn Sơn Pagoda).

During the Later Lê period, when Zen master Mai Trí Bản, with the dharma name Pháp Nhẫn, was abbot, the pagoda was renovated and expanded to a grand scale. According to a stele carved in the 15th year of Hoằng Định (1614), at that time the pagoda had up to 83 compartments, including structures such as: the triple gate, the Nine-tiered Lotus Tower with 385 Buddha statues, the incense burning house, the front hall, the upper hall, left and right corridors, a newly carved statue of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva with a thousand eyes and a thousand hands, 18 lacquered Buddha statues in the upper hall, regilded three statues of the Three Times Buddhas... After many years of war and destruction, Côn Sơn Pagoda is now of moderate scale, but its architecture remains harmonious with the landscape.

After the restoration during the Later Lê period, Côn Sơn Pagoda was a completed architectural work. In the Nguyễn dynasty, the pagoda was still in good condition, the scenery remained beautiful, although its scale was much reduced. Today, Côn Sơn Pagoda still preserves layers of architecture in the style of a royal pagoda, including: a semicircular lake, triple gate, front yard, bell tower, front hall (5 compartments, 2 wings), incense burning house (3 compartments), upper hall (3 compartments), patriarchs' hall, Mother Goddess hall, stele house. The two left and right rear corridors are 75.13m long, 3.86m wide, each side with 29 compartments.

In front of the front hall yard of Côn Sơn Pagoda are ancient frangipani trees, enhancing the beauty and solemnity of the pagoda. Within the pagoda complex are many old pine trees, especially two rows of ancient pines in the courtyard forming a pine avenue. Behind Côn Sơn Pagoda is the stupa area, the largest being the Đăng Minh Stupa, built of blue stone, three storeys high, containing the relics and statue of Zen master Huyền Quang. Located on the slope of Kỳ Lân Mountain, to the right is the path up to Bàn Cờ Tiên (the Fairy Chessboard), at the foot of Đăng Minh Stupa is the Ngọc Well. The ancients believed that Ngọc Well was the eye of the Kỳ Lân (Unicorn). Ngọc Well was at times overgrown and covered. In 1995, the Côn Sơn - Kiếp Bạc Relic Management Board cleared it, reinforced it with stone, built embankments, and paved the area around the well. The summit of Côn Sơn is a fairly flat area. According to legend, from the Trần dynasty, Venerable Pháp Loa set up a chessboard at this location, commonly called Bàn Cờ Tiên. Currently, in this area, a new stele house has been built, in the style of a pavilion, with two storeys and eight roofs.

The system of sculptural statues at Côn Sơn Pagoda is quite distinctive, with many statues rarely found in other pagodas. Inside the main hall, the altars are fully arranged according to tradition, including: the Tam Bảo (Three Jewels) altar in the centre, the two Dharma Protectors on either side, the altar of Đức Ông (the Venerable), the altar of Đức Thánh Hiền (the Sages), and the altar of the Mother Goddess. The two Dharma Protector statues in the main hall, along with the statue of Đức Ông, were originally worshipped at Chùa Cả (Tân An Commune, Thanh Hà), later brought by locals when fleeing war, and are still at the pagoda, in very good condition, little damaged.

According to legend, on the altar at the eastern end of the patriarchs' hall, there were two small earth statues, seated cross-legged, one male and one female, facing the Buddha altar. The monks and nuns at Côn Sơn Pagoda did not know who these statues represented or when they appeared. During the resistance against the French, fearing the French would destroy the pagoda, monks, nuns, and Buddhists hid the worship objects and small statues in the mountains. One stormy night, the abbot could not sleep, and at dawn, after the rain stopped, he went to check on the statues. He found that the two earth statues had been broken by the rain, revealing two strips of paper inside inscribed with names, thus discovering they were statues of Nguyễn Trãi and Nguyễn Thị Lộ.

Valuable remaining artefacts at the pagoda include: 16 steles describing the scale and restoration phases of the pagoda; three statues of the Three Times Buddhas in a mid-17th century style rarely seen elsewhere; a statue of Amitābha Buddha over 3 metres tall. The Avalokiteśvara with a thousand eyes and a thousand hands at Côn Sơn Pagoda is a wooden statue covered in lacquer, 97 cm high, with a base of 70 cm, estimated to date from the late 16th to early 17th century. The statue's arms have all been removed, the thighs are wide (like the statue of Mạc Đăng Dung at Trà Phương Pagoda), the body structure is in the Mạc dynasty style, but the surface details are very stylised. The hair is tied in two buns, the headdress bands stand out on the back, the robe folds over the arm, separated from the body in long, even lines. The raised folds of the garment are characteristic only of the 16th century and not common later. There is also a six-sided wooden pedestal. The front and back faces are large, the four corner faces are small, forming decorative combinations of leaf motifs in rectangular or square frames, with combinations of dragons, fern patterns, and symmetrically stylised swirling clouds. The carving of this pedestal is also characteristic of the Mạc dynasty style.

In 1334, Huyền Quang entered nirvana at Côn Sơn Pagoda. King Trần Minh Tông made an offering of 10 taels of gold to build a stupa to enshrine the relics of the Zen master, naming it Đăng Minh Stupa. Over time, the stupa was destroyed. In 1719, the monk Hải Ấn rebuilt the stupa.

Đăng Minh Stupa is located at the foot of Kỳ Lân Mountain behind Côn Sơn Pagoda. The stupa courtyard is paved with Bát Tràng bricks, 8.75m long and 7.8m wide, surrounded by solid bricks from the Lê period. The stupa is built from Kính Chủ blue stone, each slab averaging 1 x 0.7m and 10–15 cm thick. The stupa has three tiers; the lower part is a lotus-shaped base. The stupa has a single door facing south on the first tier, 48 cm wide and 81 cm high. The second tier above has a stone plaque inscribed with the four characters 燈明寶塔 (Đăng Minh bảo tháp). At the very top is a nectar vase-shaped finial. Notably, behind and to the left side of the first tier, there is a stele carved with the biography and achievements of Trúc Lâm’s Third Patriarch, Huyền Quang. The stele is carved directly onto the assembled stone blocks of the stupa, measuring 0.70 x 0.50m, without decorative patterns. This is a precious stele that clarifies many aspects of the Trúc Lâm Zen sect. The date of the stele’s inscription is also the date of the stupa’s construction: the 15th year of Vĩnh Thịnh (1719).

In terms of form and date, the Đăng Minh Stupa is similar to the Viên Thông Stupa (the relic stupa of Pháp Loa at Thanh Mai Pagoda) and the Huệ Quang Golden Stupa (the relic stupa of Trần Nhân Tông at Hoa Yên Pagoda), all classified as lotus stupa types. These stupas were all rebuilt during the reign of Lê Dụ Tông. Đăng Minh Stupa was built in the 15th year of Vĩnh Thịnh (1719). Viên Thông Stupa was built in the 11th year of Vĩnh Thịnh (1715). Huệ Quang Stupa was built in the 10th year of Bảo Thái (1729). All the stupas are three-tiered, constructed from assembled stone slabs. Đăng Minh and Huệ Quang stupas are built from Kính Chủ blue stone, while Viên Thông Stupa is built from locally quarried stone. All three stupas have a single door on the first tier facing south. Inside are statues of the patriarchs made from blue stone, with a stone incense table in front of the statue, on which sits an incense bowl.

The inscription on Đăng Minh Stupa is similar to other stupa epitaphs from the Lê Trung Hưng period, carved directly onto the assembled stone slabs of the stupa, without dragons, suns, or decorative motifs. The content of the inscription provides valuable information. The text states that the Venerable Huyền Quang, the third patriarch of the Trúc Lâm Zen sect, was surnamed Lý, from Vạn Tư (Vạn Tải), Gia Định, now Gia Bình district, Bắc Ninh. Before ordaining, Lý Đạo Tái passed the Trạng nguyên Tam giáo examination, served as an envoy to China, and was highly esteemed. Afterwards, he became a Buddhist monk. He lived to the age of 80 and was greatly respected and honoured by King Trần Minh Tông, who ordered the stupa to be built immediately after Huyền Quang’s passing. This is recorded on the stele:

"On a mission to the Northern Kingdom, his talent was renowned in the north. Enchanted by the fairyland, he sought the path of compassion in the Western Paradise, regarding wealth and honour as fleeting clouds, wholeheartedly enjoying the forest and stream... Over 80 years old, he returned to the immortal realm, ten vows to build a glorious precious stupa, great gratitude never forgotten. Trần Minh Tông respectfully and clearly bestowed honours..."

During the same reign, King Lê Dụ Tông had all three stupas of the Trúc Lâm Three Patriarchs restored and embellished. This demonstrates that the kings of the Lê Trung Hưng period in general, and Lê Dụ Tông in particular, greatly valued Buddhism, especially the Vietnamese Trúc Lâm Zen sect founded by Trần Nhân Tông.

The area of Côn Sơn Pagoda has been excavated by scientists several times:

In 1979: Excavation near Đăng Minh Stupa uncovered bricks and terracotta stupa fragments from the Trần dynasty. In 1998, Hải Dương Museum restored these finds. Many stone embankments and architectural foundations from the Trần period were discovered at the Thanh Hư Động building site and near the Upper Hall.

From 1992 to 1994: Excavations at the tam quan (three-entrance gate) and the summit of Kỳ Lân Mountain uncovered many fragments of bricks, tiles, and ceramics from the Trần dynasty.

In 2000: Excavations in the stupa garden and Thanh Hư Động yielded 2,000 artefacts, including shoe-shaped tiles, stone dragons, and terracotta animal figurines from the Trần period.

In 2005: Excavations behind the patriarch’s hall uncovered two layers of architectural foundations from the 14th and 16th–17th centuries. Many bricks, tiles, bowls, plates, cups, vases, incense bowls, and especially many artefacts dating to the Lê period, were also found.

In 2014: Archaeological excavation of the Nhà Phẩm relic was carried out to collect materials for reconstructing the Cửu phẩm liên hoa tower, and the foundations of Nhà Phẩm were discovered.

Since 2010, Hải Dương province has developed a detailed plan for the Côn Sơn – Kiếp Bạc historical and cultural site, for approval by the Prime Minister as a master plan for the conservation of the site in conjunction with tourism development. Many major components of the complex have been restored, embellished, and reconstructed.

In 2015, Côn Sơn Pagoda began construction to restore the Cửu phẩm liên hoa tower. In 2017, a complex of works was inaugurated, including the nine-tiered Phẩm pillar and Nhà Phẩm. Nhà Phẩm is a three-storey, twelve-roofed structure, built from 250 m³ of ironwood, 15 m³ of golden-heart wood, hundreds of cubic metres of Thanh Hóa blue stone, and thousands of Bát Tràng bricks. The Cửu phẩm Liên hoa tower is octagonal, over 10 metres tall with nine tiers, each tier carved with three layers of lotus petals. The first tier has eight dragon heads cast in bronze at the eight corners, while the ninth tier has eight dragon heads curving outward in four directions. At the top of the Phẩm pillar is Amitābha Buddha meditating on a lotus pedestal. The entire Phẩm pillar, the Buddha statue system, and the carvings are lacquered and gilded.

Côn Sơn Pagoda still preserves two ancient bells, both dating to the Tự Đức era. One bell, hanging inside the pagoda, is estimated to weigh 500 kg; the other, hanging in the patriarch’s hall, is estimated at 100 kg. Both bells bear the names of donors and have inscriptions praising the scenery of Côn Sơn. In 2019, the pagoda cast a new bell to hang in the newly restored bell tower. The bell is cast in bronze, weighs 1.2 tonnes, is 1.8 metres high, and has a mouth diameter of 1.2 metres, modelled after the Vân Bản Pagoda bell from the Trần dynasty (national treasure no. 13, second batch).

Côn Sơn Pagoda appears in many Sino-Vietnamese literary works from the Trần dynasty, especially poetry. Works by historical figures include:

"Inscription at the Ancestral Hall of Minister Trần Nguyên Đán" - 題司徒陳元旦祠堂 (Trần Nghệ Tông)

"To the Venerable Huyền Quang" - 贈玄光尊者 (Trần Minh Tông)

"Record of Thanh Hư Cave" - 清虛洞記 (Nguyễn Phi Khanh)

"Seeing off the Monk Đạo Khiêm Returning to the Mountain" - 送僧道謙歸山 (Nguyễn Trãi)

"Côn Sơn Song" - 崑山歌 (Nguyễn Trãi)

"With Poet Friend Phan Long Trân Touring Côn Sơn, Thus Composing Côn Sơn Travel Verse" - 與詩友潘龍珍遊崑山因作崑山行云 (Cao Bá Quát)

This is the place that witnessed a period in the life and the tragedy of the national hero and cultural figure Nguyễn Trãi. He was born here, and after years of serving at court, Nguyễn Trãi returned to Côn Sơn to live a reclusive life. The scenery of Côn Sơn inspired Nguyễn Trãi to compose several poems in Nôm script in the "Quốc Âm thi tập", such as "Returning to Côn Sơn on the Double Ninth, Composed by Chance", as well as poems in Chinese: "Dreaming in the Mountains", "Composed upon Arriving at Côn Sơn after the Turmoil", "Composed on the Boat Returning to Côn Sơn", "A Beggar Paints Côn Sơn", the most famous of which is the "Côn Sơn Song":

The Thanh Hư Động Stele is a unique artefact, preserving the imperial calligraphy of King Trần Duệ Tông, of great historical and calligraphic value, deeply reflecting the cultural imprint of the Trần era. The stele was recognised as a National Treasure in 2015. It is currently housed in the stele house in the courtyard of Côn Sơn Pagoda, to the right of the pagoda gate.

The creation of the stele was mentioned by Nguyễn Phi Khanh in his inscription in the "Nhị Khê thi văn tập":

The stele is large (165 cm x 98 cm x 17 cm), with a curved top. The entire body of the stele rests on the back of a stone turtle. The front of the stele’s top is inscribed with four Chinese characters in seal script: "Long Khánh Imperial Calligraphy" within a rectangular frame (22 cm x 25 cm) (Long Khánh is the era name of Trần Duệ Tông, 1372–1377). In the centre of the stele are three large characters "Thanh Hư Động" written in standard clerical script, each measuring 35 cm x 35 cm. The border of the stele is decorated with stylised dragon motifs. The reverse of the stele bears the inscription "Côn Sơn Tư Phúc tự bi". The top of the reverse side has a sun motif, and the border is decorated with single-line floral patterns.

Researchers have previously had differing opinions regarding the date of this stele. There are two schools of thought:

The first viewpoint: the four characters Long Khánh Ngự Thư mean that the king (with the era name) Long Khánh personally wrote the inscription, and together with the decorative style of the stele's face, this affirms that it is an imperial inscription by King Trần Duệ Tông. The reverse side originally bore the inscription Côn Sơn Thanh Hư Động stele inscription by King Trần Nghệ Tông, but in 1602 this inscription was abraded and overwritten with the inscription Côn Sơn Tư Phúc tự bi.

The second viewpoint: the three characters "Thanh Hư Động" on the front were re-carved in 1603, and the reverse side was carved in 1602.

However, textual analysis and comparison of the stone turtle motif have shown that the stele and the three characters Thanh Hư Động indeed date to the Trần dynasty. Firstly, in the character Thanh (清) on the stele, the "Nguyệt" (月) component has had its upper horizontal stroke replaced by a circle. All tabooed characters during the Trần dynasty (such as "Thừa", "Tộ") had one stroke replaced by a circle. The character "Nguyệt" was also a tabooed character, as stipulated from the reign of Trần Anh Tông:

Notably, in the inscription "Côn Sơn Tư Phúc tự bi" on the reverse, all instances of the character "Nguyệt" are written in full, without taboo. Furthermore, another stele placed nearby, the Phụng lệnh dụ cung cấp tam bảo tạo lệ bi kí/ Khôi tạo trùng tu Phật tổ Côn Sơn Tư Phúc tự erected in the first year of Thịnh Đức (1653), mentions the place name "Thanh Hư Động" twice, but the character "Nguyệt" is not tabooed.

Secondly, the form of the turtle supporting the Thanh Hư Động stele: smooth shell, head carved with clear eyes and nose ridge, neck raised high, tail curled onto the shell, four feet with five claws curled inwards. This turtle form is very similar to the turtle on the Thanh Mai Viên Thông tháp bi stele, which is dated to 1362. The Thanh Mai Viên Thông tháp bi also strictly taboos the character Nguyệt, confirming its Trần dynasty date. Another stele at Côn Sơn Pagoda also supported by a turtle is the Trùng tu Tư Phúc tự bi dated to the fourth year of Hoằng Định (1603). The turtle on this stele is very different: its head is not raised, it has no tail, its shell is rough and pressed close to the ground.

Thirdly, the base border of the front of the stele is carved with a broken-line dragon motif that has faded, with many characters carved over it. Clearly, the dragon motif and the overlying characters could not have been carved at the same time. The decorative border must have come first (Trần dynasty), and later, when the dragon motif had faded, the names of donors who contributed to the pagoda's construction in 1603 were carved over it.

From this, it can be seen that the Thanh Hư Động stele cannot date to the Later Lê Restoration period (Hoằng Định era) but must date from the Trần dynasty (Long Khánh era).

The inscription "Côn Sơn Tư Phúc tự bi" on the reverse of the stele is dated "Hoằng Định third year" (1602), written in 29 columns, each column containing from 2 to 45 characters. The content is summarised as follows:

Tư Phúc Pagoda was where Trần Minh Tông cultivated himself and studied the Way. The third patriarch of the Trúc Lâm Zen sect, Huyền Quang, once served as abbot here. Now the pagoda has fallen into disrepair, and the abbot, the monk Mai Trí Bản, has taken the lead, together with everyone, to rebuild the triple gate and the offering room. Now a stele is carved to record the names of those who have made donations.

In the Việt âm thi tập there is also a stele inscription entitled Côn Sơn Thanh Hư Động bi minh (Stele inscription carved on the Thanh Hư Động stele) by Trần Nghệ Tông. Therefore, this inscription is believed to have been carved on the reverse of the Thanh Hư Động stele at the same time as the three characters "Thanh Hư Động" on the front, but was later overwritten during the pagoda's restoration in 1602. The content of the inscription is as follows:

The "Côn Sơn Tư Phúc tự bi" stele is a very rare hexagonal stele type in Vietnam, created during the major restoration of Côn Sơn Pagoda in the 17th century. This is a precious stele, containing distinctive cultural, historical, and artistic values. The stele was recognised as a National Treasure in 2017.

The "Côn Sơn Tư Phúc tự bi" stele was erected in the 8th year of Hoằng Định (1608) during the reign of King Lê Kính Tông, composed by Nguyễn Đức Minh, inscribed by Tạ Tuấn, and carved by Lê Liễu from Kính Chủ village. The stele was erected during the major restoration of Côn Sơn Pagoda led by the monk Mai Trí Bản (abbot of Côn Sơn Pagoda).

On 15 February 1965 (i.e. the 14th day of the first lunar month, year Ất Tỵ), President Hồ Chí Minh visited Côn Sơn and read the "Côn Sơn Tư Phúc tự bi" stele. He translated and explained the content of the stele to those accompanying him and to the local people. The photograph of President Hồ Chí Minh reading the Côn Sơn Pagoda stele has been published in many books and newspapers.

Currently, the stele is placed in a two-storey, eight-roofed stele house with overlapping eaves, on the left side of the pagoda courtyard (from the entrance).

The stele is made of blue stone, hexagonal in shape, with six roofs and a pointed top. The decorative motifs on the stele are exquisitely carved. Five out of six faces are carved with cloud-dragons. The images of the dragons bear the distinctive style of the Mạc period, with long, slender bodies, arched backs, demon-like faces, and buffalo horns. The script on the stele is in regular script; the six title characters are carved large on the pediment, one character per face in a circular frame. Each face of the stele has 68 lines, each line containing 15 to 30 characters; the pediment of the stele. The border of the stele is carved with stylised vine patterns, and at the base is a stylised lotus petal motif.

The specific decorative design on each face of the stele is as follows:

First face, inscribed with the character "Côn" (崑): the pediment is decorated with two dragons flanking the sun. On both sides are rosette patterns. The outermost part is carved with a lotus flower and two soft leaves rising forward.

Second face, inscribed with the character "Sơn" (山): the pediment is decorated with a dragon in a horizontal movement posture. On both sides are half-bloomed chrysanthemum flowers, surrounded by spiral patterns.

Third face, inscribed with the character "Tư" (資): carved similarly to the second face, but the dragon is sculpted in a rectangular frame, with its head facing its upright tail. The central panel of the border on both sides features half-bloomed chrysanthemum flowers. Both sides are decorated with soft, symmetrical leaves.

Fourth face, inscribed with the character "Phúc" (福): the pediment is carved with a pair of phoenixes flanking the sun, above and below the sun are dense cloud patterns. On both sides are chrysanthemum flowers surrounded by four soft leaves.

Fifth face, inscribed with the character "Tự" (寺): the pediment is decorated with a dragon in a winding posture, its head turned backwards. Around the dragon are clusters of cloud motifs and triple cloud bands. In the centre of the face, on both sides are a pair of birds in a kneeling posture, and at the outermost are half-bloomed chrysanthemum flowers.

Sixth face, inscribed with the character "Bi" (碑): the pediment is carved with a dragon motif. Unlike the dragons on the previous faces, this dragon is carved frontally, its body winding around its face. On both sides are half lotus flowers, surrounded by question-mark-shaped cloud motifs.

According to a 1986 survey by the Institute of Hán-Nôm Studies, the stele rubbings archived at the Institute are somewhat faded and missing strokes, but all the characters on the stele at the pagoda remain clear. To date, although some characters on the stele have faded or been lost, the recorded content can still be determined. The content of the Côn Sơn Tư Phúc tự bi stele records the restoration of Côn Sơn Pagoda in 1607, initiated by the abbot of Côn Sơn Pagoda, Zen master Mai Trí Bản, together with nobles, officials, laymen, and female devotees from various places who contributed to the construction of the pagoda. These details are specifically carved on the six faces of the stele.

The specific content on each face of the stele is as follows:

First face, character "Côn": states that Tư Phúc Pagoda at Côn Sơn had a large scale since the Trần dynasty. It was the residence of Huyền Quang – Ma Hán Tôn Giả, the third patriarch of the Trúc Lâm Zen sect of the Trần dynasty. The abbot at the time was Mai Trí Bản, dharma name Huệ Pháp, dharma title Pháp Nhẫn, who took charge of the restoration; his disciples went to encourage officials, dignitaries, palace ladies, and laymen and female devotees from various places to contribute enough money to buy land for the construction of the incense-burning hall, front hall, rear hall, side corridors, triple gate... to repair the main hall, repaint the Buddha statues, and engrave sutra books.

Second face, character "Sơn": records the names of the association leaders and donors from districts in Khoái Châu prefecture.

Third face, character "Tư": records separately the donors from Chi Ngại village (now Trần Hưng Đạo ward, Hải Phòng).

Fourth face, character "Phúc": records the names of four other renowned monks who assisted in the Côn Sơn restoration: Zen master Đạo Phái; Venerable Trần Đạo An, dharma name Định Hương, from Từ Quán village, Gia Thủy district, Thiên Trường prefecture, abbot of Tịnh Quang Pagoda, Từ Sơn; Venerable Nguyễn Quỳnh Cư, dharma name Huệ Quang, abbot of Hoa Yên Pagoda on Yên Tử mountain; Venerable Vũ Văn Thông, dharma name Huệ Hải, dharma title Linh Không, abbot of Vĩnh Nghiêm Pagoda, who once held the position of Chief Monk in the Sangha; and the names of some other monks and donors... At the end of the stele, the location of 80 mẫu (approx. 28.8 hectares) of the pagoda's land is recorded.

Fifth face, character "Tự": records separately the names of monk Mai Trí Bản from Mai Đồ village, Quế Dương district (now Quế Võ, Bắc Ninh), together with disciples such as Bhikkhu Mai Ngọc Liên... more than 30 people in total who participated in the restoration of Côn Sơn Pagoda.

Sixth face, character "Bi": inscribed with a poem of 32 lines, each line containing 4 characters.

Côn Sơn Pagoda has two festival occasions. The spring festival takes place from the 16th to the 22nd day of the first lunar month to commemorate the Third Patriarch of Trúc Lâm, the Venerable Huyền Quang. The autumn festival is held from the 15th to the 20th day of the eighth lunar month in memory of Nguyễn Trãi.

Previously, the main ritual of the Côn Sơn spring festival was the ceremonial procession and offering rituals performed by the villagers of the two hamlets, Chi Ngại and Chúc Thôn (Chúc Thôn held their ceremony on the 16th, Chi Ngại on the 18th day of the first lunar month).

Currently, the Côn Sơn Pagoda festival is combined with the Kiếp Bạc Temple festival to form the Côn Sơn - Kiếp Bạc festival in both spring and autumn, usually held from the 10th to the 23rd day of the first lunar month and from the 10th to the 20th day of the eighth lunar month.

The spring festival includes: the water procession ceremony; the Liên Hoa Hội Thượng ceremony to make the great vow of the Buddha; the lighting and passing of lanterns by Buddhist followers; the procession of bánh chưng and bánh dày (traditional cakes) at Côn Sơn Pagoda, Nguyễn Trãi Temple, and Trần Nguyên Đán Temple; the memorial ceremony for the Third Patriarch of Trúc Lâm, the Venerable Huyền Quang; the Mông Sơn thí thực ritual (offering food to wandering souls); the Nhiễu Phật (circumambulation of the Buddha) ceremony at the Cửu phẩm liên hoa (Nine-tiered Lotus Throne) hall. The festive part includes: the bánh chưng wrapping and bánh dày pounding contest; the Hải Dương Provincial Pháo đất (mud firecracker) Festival; traditional wrestling and Chinese chess competitions. The autumn festival usually includes: the offering ceremony to the Buddha, Saints, and the Trần Dynasty Council; the memorial ceremony for the Holy Trần; the seal opening and distribution ceremony at Kiếp Bạc Temple; the walking procession; memorial and offering ceremonies at Nguyễn Trãi Temple and Trần Nguyên Đán Temple; and the peace-praying ceremony. The festive part includes: the spirit mediumship performance festival, traditional boat racing, water puppet performances, military gathering on the Lục Đầu River, lantern festival, and other cultural and sporting activities. The Côn Sơn - Kiếp Bạc festivals often attract up to hundreds of thousands of tourists each year.