(Thanh Nien News) Historic pagoda on verge of collapse

A 700-year-old pagoda on the outskirts of Hanoi is so dilapidated the whole place could tumble down at any moment.

Bao Thap Pagoda stands beside the Nhue River in Ta Thanh Oai Commune, Thanh Tri District, and will only stay that way if the massive repair job starts soon.

Every month when the moon is full, Buddhists flock to worship under a roof that leaks copiously whenever it rains.

In the Room of Three Refuges, pillars are crumbling, rafters are rotten and broken, and the roof above the main altar is propped up with thick bamboo canes.

Out front, the triple entrance is so rickety that nobody dares open the door lest the structure collapse.

Bao Thap Pagoda was founded in 1225 by Ly Tham, son of King Ly Cao Tong and uncle of King Ly Chieu Hoang. Also known as the Temple of Bo Tat (Bodhisattva), the 5,788- square-meter pagoda was formally recognized for its historical importance in 1990 and its architectural merit in 1992.

Exquisitely painted statues in mint condition fill the front hall of worship, in stark contrast to the building that houses them, and throughout the temple there are delicate religious figurines made of silver and ivory, decorated with gemstones.

Other priceless objects kept inside the museum-like pagoda include a stone stele carved in 1388 during the reign of Tran Thuan Tong, a woodblock carved in 1725, when the pagoda was restored, a copper gong cast in 1813, and a huge copper instrument cast in 1843. And in the library are ancient parchments detailing the rituals for conferring 11 titles.

Nguyen Xuan Thuy, who heads Thanh Tri District’s Culture Division, says the district People’s Committee promised VND300 million (US$16,806) last year to repair and restore the pagoda. However, the money has only just been disbursed to Ta Thanh Oai Commune as the district had to wait for Hanoi’s permission to fix and embellish the pagoda.

With the money in hand, Ta Thanh Oai Commune can now hire a specialized firm to save Bao Thap Pagoda.

* Picture: Bao Thap Pagoda propped up with bamboo canes, repairs are desperately needed.

Reported by Viet Chien - Si Ta.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009