Vietnam Pagodas

Linh Phước Temple

TP. Hồ Chí Minh(Chùa Linh Phước)

Linh Phước Temple

Overview & history

Linh Phước Temple (Vietnamese: Chùa Linh Phước, Chữ Hán: 靈福寺, IPA: [t͡ɕûə̯ līŋ fwə̂kˀ]), also known as Ve Chai Temple, is located at No. 120 Tu Phuoc, Trai Mat District, Vietnam, 8 km from Da Lat city center, on Highway 20. The 49-meter-long dragon temple is made of 12,000 bottles; the dragon's head is 7 metres high. Linh Phuoc Pagoda is considered a special architectural mosaic of Da Lat city.

History

Construction on the temple was started in 1949, and completed in 1952. In 1990, Ven. Thich Tam Vi restored the temple and built more new buildings.

Linh Phuoc Pagoda has had five abbots over the course of its history:

The Most Venerable Thich Minh The (1951–1954)

The Most Venerable Thich An Hoa (1954–1956)

Most Venerable Thich Quang Phat (1956–1959)

Most Venerable Thich Minh Duc (1959–1985)

Venerable Thich Tam Vi (from 1985 to present)

Architecture

The 33 m long and 12-metre wide main hall features 2 rows of cobblestone mosaics. On top of it are many mosaic bas-reliefs featuring the history of Shakyamuni and the histories of the Lotus Sutras. The temple grounds (Hoa Long Vien) have a dragon of length 49 m, the dragon enclosure is made of 12,000 beer bottles, and the dragon mouth covers the Maitreya Buddha. In front of the temple grounds is a 37 m high seven-storeyed tower, which is considered the highest temple bell tower in Vietnam. In the heart of the Dai Hong Chung tower is a 4.3 m high bell that is considered the heaviest bell in Vietnam; it is 2.33 m wide, weighs 8,500 kg, and was cast in 1999. In front of the temple is Quan The Am. There is also a gem display, antique chinaware and fine art furniture.

Visiting tips

  • Dress modestly; remove hats and keep quiet inside the main hall.
  • Incense, flowers and offerings are usually sold right outside the gate; light an odd number of sticks (1 or 3).
  • Most pagodas open from early morning to evening and are free to enter (some major sites charge a small scenic fee).
  • Full-moon days, the 1st of the lunar month and Tet are very crowded; visit on weekday mornings for a quiet experience.
  • Ask permission before photographing inside shrines; do not touch statues or altar objects.

Location

Coordinates: 10.88229, 106.76694

🧭 Directions on Google Maps

Other pagodas in TP. Hồ Chí Minh

🏯
Chùa Đại Tòng Lâm
Đại Tòng Lâm Pagoda, with its full name being Vạn Phật Quang Đại Tòng Lâm Tự, is a grand pagoda featuring many large-scale and modern structures. The pagoda is located on National Highway 51, Quảng Phú quarter, Phú Mỹ ward, Hồ Chí Minh City, Vietnam.
🏯
Chùa Hộ Pháp (Thích Ca Phật Đài)
Hộ Pháp Pagoda is a pagoda built in the Southern (Theravāda) Buddhist architectural style, located at 610/2A Trần Phú, Vũng Tàu Ward, Hồ Chí Minh City, within the Thích Ca Phật Đài architectural complex. The pagoda features four steles inscribed with the Dharmacakrapravartana Sūtra (Discourse on Turning the Wheel of Dharma) in four different languages. The Vietnam Record Organisation has recognised these as holding the record for 'The largest mother-of-pearl inlaid Dharmacakrapravartana Sūtra steles in four languages.'
🏯
Chùa Khỉ
Chùa Khỉ (the official name is Thiền viện Trúc Lâm Chân Nguyên) is located at the foot of Minh Đạm Mountain, in Phước Hải Commune, Hồ Chí Minh City. The pagoda was built in 1990.
🏯
Linh Sơn Cổ Tự
Linh Sơn Cổ Tự Pagoda is a Buddhist temple located at 104 Hoàng Hoa Thám, Vũng Tàu Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The pagoda was recognised by the Ministry of Culture and Information of Vietnam as a national historical and cultural site on 3 August 1991. The pagoda was originally built in 1919 on Núi Nhỏ (Small Mountain), but as the French occupied the site to build a pilot station, another pagoda was constructed at the current location and has existed until today. This is the oldest pagoda in Vũng Tàu. Although Linh Sơn Cổ Tự Pagoda is not grand or spacious, it is the oldest pagoda in Vũng Tàu, situated on Hoàng Hoa Thám Street, Vũng Tàu Ward. In its early days, the pagoda was built on the slope of Small Mountain, but in 1919 this area was occupied by the French to build villas for their pilots. Immediately afterwards, another pagoda was built and has remained until today. In the main hall, there is a 1.2-metre-high Buddha statue made of stone and gilded with gold leaf, skilfully carved to create a gentle and lively expression on the Buddha’s face, in the style of Chăm Buddha statues. Archaeologists estimate that it dates back about 1,600 years. Regarding the origin of the Buddha statue, legend has it that over a year ago, a group of fishing boats from Central Vietnam came to fish at Bãi Trước. While searching for firewood on Núi Lớn (Big Mountain), they accidentally discovered two stone Buddha statues buried in the ground on the mountainside near Bãi Dâu. They dug them up together and waited until the next day to perform a ritual to take them away. When the local people heard the news, they rushed to see and insisted that these were local historical relics and demanded to keep them. The group of fishermen from Central Vietnam pleaded for a long time before being allowed to take the smaller statue. The larger statue was brought back by the villagers for worship and is the very statue currently enshrined at Linh Sơn Cổ Tự Pagoda.
🏯
Niết Bàn Tịnh Xá
Niết Bàn Tịnh Xá is a Buddhist tịnh xá (monastery/temple) situated on the slope of Núi Nhỏ (Small Mountain), in Vũng Tàu ward, Hồ Chí Minh City, Vietnam. The tịnh xá was organised and constructed by Most Venerable Thích Thiện Huệ from 1969 to 1974 on the slope of Núi Nhỏ, which was formerly known as Tao Phùng Mountain, facing the sea. This is a grand complex consisting of many buildings, covering an area of nearly 10,000 m², and is a famous spiritual tourism and pilgrimage site in Vũng Tàu. On 14 December 1989, the temple was recognised and ranked as a national historical site by the Ministry of Culture and Information of Vietnam.
Thích Ca Phật Đài
Thích Ca Phật Đài
Thích Ca Phật Đài (lit. 'Platform of Shakyamuni Buddha') is a notable Theravada Buddhist temple in the coastal city of Vung Tau in southern Vietnam. It lies to the northwest of the Lớn mountain and was built between 1961 and 1963 when it was opened.