Kim Chương Pagoda

Kim Chương Pagoda (Kim Chương Tự), also known as Phổ Quang Thiên Sơn Tự, Thiên Trường Tự, and Sắc Tứ Phổ Quang Thiên Sơn Tự, was a 'national pagoda' (quốc tự), located on the land of Tân Triêm village, formerly part of Gia Định. When the French army invaded this area, the monks dismantled the pagoda and moved it to Mỹ Thiện commune (now Mỹ Đức Tây commune, Đồng Tháp province), where it was rebuilt and renamed Hội Thọ Tự. According to researcher Trương Ngọc Tường, the site of the ancient pagoda is now approximately where Lâm Tế Pagoda stands, at 212A Nguyễn Trãi Street, Cầu Ông Lãnh ward, Ho Chi Minh City.

In the book Gia Định thành thông chí by Trịnh Hoài Đức, Kim Chương Pagoda is introduced as follows:

To the southwest of the citadel, more than 4 dặm away, to the north of the main road. In the centre is the Buddha hall, with east and west wings at the front and back, mountain gate, abbot's quarters, scripture rooms, incense hall, and refectory, all carved and painted, beautiful, spacious and tall. To the north of the pagoda is a sweet water spring that flows underground all year round, soaking the road. In the year Ất Hợi (1755), the 18th year of King Thế Tông (Nguyễn Phúc Khoát), a monk from Quy Nhơn named Đạt Bản established the pagoda here, and the king bestowed a plaque inscribed 'Kim Chương Tự'.

When Đạt Bản passed away, he was succeeded by his disciple Quang Triệt. In the year Ất Mùi (1775), General Lý of the Hòa nghĩa army (Lý Tài) installed Lord Mục vương (Nguyễn Phúc Dương) here, and the pagoda received another royal edict. After Quang Triệt died, Quang Trạm succeeded him; after Quang Trạm died, Quang Tuệ succeeded. In the year Đinh Dậu, the 12th year of the Gia Long era (1813), Deputy General of the Thần võ army Trần Nhân Phụng, following the will of Empress Dowager Cao, donated 10,000 quan to restore the pagoda and refurbish the scriptures, drums, and bells to enhance its solemnity. At that time, it was a great bửu sát (famous pagoda) in Gia Định.

When Lord Nguyễn Phúc Ánh restored his rule, in the third year (1804), Kim Chương Pagoda held a longevity ordination ceremony to repay the deep gratitude to the Buddha. This was the first ordination ceremony in the history of Southern Vietnamese Buddhism.

In the year Mậu Ngọ (1858), the French colonialists threatened Đà Nẵng. The following year, the French turned to attack Gia Định citadel. When the Chí Hòa stronghold fell (1861), Kim Chương Pagoda was dismantled by Venerable Minh Giác and moved to Mỹ Thiện commune (now Thiện Trí commune, Cái Bè, Tiền Giang), as this was the rear base of the uprising led by Thiên Hộ Dương (i.e. Võ Duy Dương).

To deceive the French, the pagoda claimed that many high monks had reached longevity, so it was renamed Hội Thọ Tự. After the success of the August Revolution in 1945, because Hội Thọ Pagoda was near the Indochina road, the monks feared the French would return and occupy the pagoda as a military post, so once again the pagoda was moved into the marshlands, responding to the call for scorched earth resistance.

During the war, the pagoda was completely destroyed. Some kind-hearted people temporarily built a thatched hut to preserve the worship statues and antiques.

The pagoda's name changed several times:

At first, Venerable Đạt Bổn from Quy Nhơn established the pagoda and was granted the name Kim Chương Tự by Lord Vũ vương Nguyễn Phúc Khoát.

When Nguyễn Phúc Dương fled south, Lý Tài brought him to Kim Chương Pagoda and installed him as Tân Chính vương in November of the year Bính Thân (1776), and the pagoda received a second royal edict as Phổ Quang Thiên Sơn Tự.

In the year Đinh Dậu, the 12th year of the Gia Long era (1813), Deputy General Trần Nhân Phụng, following the will of Empress Dowager Thừa Thiên Cao (Tống Thị Lan), donated 10,000 quan to restore the pagoda, cast more drums and bells, and refurbish the scriptures, after which the pagoda was renamed Thiên Trường Tự.

During the reign of Tự Đức, Thiên Trường Tự was granted the name Sắc Tứ Phổ Quang Thiên Sơn Tự by the king.

In addition, on the map of Gia Định citadel drawn by Trần Văn Học in 1815, it is still marked as Kim Chương Pagoda.

After Kim Chương Pagoda was dismantled by the monks, according to Vương Hồng Sển, the French built a horse stable on the old site of the pagoda. Vương also noted that 'this pagoda was built on the foundation of a Thổ (Khmer) pagoda that existed before the Gia Long era.' According to Trương Vĩnh Ký, Lord Nguyễn Phúc Thuần was captured in the Ba Thắc area (now Cà Mau), Lord Nguyễn Phúc Dương was captured at Ba Vát (now Bến Tre, near Mỏ Cày), and both were brought by Tây Sơn troops to be executed in Gia Định (near Kim Chương Tự), around the end of 1777.

Thanks to the monks' devoted preservation, Hội Thọ Pagoda still retains many ancestral tablets and portrait paintings of previous patriarchs. In addition, the pagoda has a set of wooden statues donated by Empress Dowager Thừa Thiên Cao in 1813, including statues of: the Jade Emperor (Ngọc Hoàng Thượng đế), Nam Tào, Bắc Đẩu, Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva (Địa Tạng Bồ Tát), Bodhidharma (Bồ Đề Đạt Ma), Già Lam, King of Hell (Minh Vương), Judge of the Underworld (Phán Quan),... This set of statues is crafted with lively features, in the likeness of Vietnamese people. Especially precious are two ancient statues: a Già Lam statue protecting the Triple Gem, made by an artisan from Huế, and an Amitābha Buddha statue (about 6 tấc high, made of coarse clay, moulded, hollow inside, gilded on the outside) made by a local artisan. The statue depicts the Buddha in meditation, sitting naturally upright, eyes half-open, mouth smiling toothlessly like an old rural woman...