Hoang Phuc Pagoda has welcomed many kings to visit and preach Buddhist scriptures such as Buddha Emperor Tran Nhan Tong, Lord Nguyen Phuc Chu, and King Minh Mang.

Hoang Phuc Pagoda is located in a peaceful countryside in My Thuy commune, Le Thuy district. This is one of the oldest great landscapes in Quang Binh with a history of over 700 years. The pagoda has an area of ​​10,000 m2, located on the right of Kien Giang river, about 6 km from the center of Le Thuy District.

The temple was originally named am Tri Kien. In 1301, during his trip to the south, Buddha Emperor Tran Nhan Tong visited Tri Kien amphitheater to preach and teach the Dharma. He changed the name of Tri Kien am to Kinh Thien am.

In 1609, on the way to Thuan Hoa, Lord Nguyen Hoang also came to stay at Kinh Thien Am and shortly after, Lord Nguyen Hoang built a big pagoda right on the old temple.

On this gate is emblazoned with 4 words “Ta Quang Do Mon”. The researchers said that this was a large-scale gate, not many temples in the Central region at that time had such a gate.

Inside the pagoda, there is still a dome-shaped door, now surrounded by a banyan tree. In 1716, Lord Nguyen Phuc Chu visited Kinh Thien pagoda, provided money for repair, and gave a signboard with the name of the pagoda “King Thien Tu” and a signboard with the words: “Unparalleled blessed land” (the land of incomparable happiness) and Overpower 5 couplets hanging in the temple. In 1821, during his visit to Bac Tuan, King Minh Mang visited the temple and renamed it “Hoang Phuc Tu” to this day.

In front of the Three Jewels are two 9-storey Buddha towers. In 1918, a Nguyen Dynasty mandarin set out to restore and build a screen, a three-way gate and two translation gates on the left and right.

During the resistance wars against the French and Americans, the pagoda was also a meeting place, hiding cadres, and hiding weapons. Experiencing many ups and downs of history, wars, natural disasters, the pagoda was severely damaged.

In 2014, the pagoda was restored and embellished in the direction of traditional Vietnamese pagodas, including: Tam Quan Ngoai, Tam Quan Noi, Buddha Tower, Tam Bao Pagoda, left and right corridor, ancestral church, golden temple and officially inaugurated. down in 2016.

The space inside the Three Jewels building with the Buddha worship space in the center. Coming to burn incense to worship at the pagoda on the full moon day of the first lunar month, Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyen, 68 years old, residing in Xuan Thuy commune (Le Thuy) said that the temple landscape is full of tranquility, a spiritual place where people often visit. Every year, she and her family often visit the temple a few times, if Tet can’t visit, the full moon of January must come.

A set of 19th century Jade Emperor statues was unearthed at Hoang Phuc Pagoda. In addition, there are a number of other ancient statues such as the statue of the Buddha, Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. These antiques are preserved in a separate room by the temple, and are only open on special occasions.

The statue of a messenger boy (left), a guardian statue (middle) made of vermilion wood and gilded in the 19th century. On the right is a big rose of 1.15 m high, 0.57 m in diameter, and 1 in circumference 1. .45 m, weighing 80 kg, cast in the reign of King Minh Mang.

In 2016, on the occasion of its inauguration, Hoang Phuc Pagoda was presented by the Myanmar Buddhist Church with a bone relic of Buddha Shakyamuni, which was carried in procession from Shwedagon Pagoda – the most sacred temple in Myanmar.

This year, many people and tourists come to the temple to pray for peace and happiness. Every January, the temple holds a festival, but it has been stopped for the past two years due to the Covid-19 epidemic.

With cultural and historical values, in December 2015, Hoang Phuc Pagoda was recognized as a National Historic Site. The temple is a space for people and visitors to find spiritual-cultural elements, valuable traditional values ​​​​of the locality and nation.

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