Tay An Pagoda

Location: Lying on one side of the Sam Mountain, Chau Doc City, An Giang Province.
Characteristics: Tay An is an ancient pagoda with a mixture of Vietnamese and Asian architectural styles.

In the book "Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi" (Dai Nam's history), there is a remark about the Tay An Co Tu Pagoda (Tay An): located on one side of a mountain and headed towards the town with quiet and peaceful atmosphere, Tay An is really a beautiful sight.

 

Tay An was constructed in 1847 and has been rehabilitated and repaired many times. In 1958, it was thoroughly upgraded to encompass a total area of 1,250sq.m with nearly 200 statues. Water and electricity was also available and could be supplied to over 1,000 people.


Tay An is an ancient pagoda with a mixture of Vietnamese and Asian architectural styles. Lying on one side of the Sam Mountain, under the lights, the pagoda itself looks like a monk dressed in yellow, heading to Chau Doc Town, An Giang Province.

Legend says that one night, after a hard day of work; Provincial Chief Doan Uan could not get sleep. He walked to a guard tower in An Giang Castle (near Chau Doc Market) and looked up into the sky. Suddenly, he saw a cloud in five colours taking off from the base of the Sam Mountain, and inside the cloud he saw a Bodhisattva with a holy appearance, bold head, beard and the face of a farmer looking down with beautiful eyes. Behind the Bodhisattva were male and female believers singing wonderful tunes to welcome a good rice crop. Several days later, a pagoda with brick walls, green stone floors and red tiles was constructed, facing east in honour of the vision and with the hopes of making it come true. A good rice crop would help stabilise people's living conditions and develop the country. The front of the pagoda was designed in a similar style to Indian ones. It has an oval dome and the roof is in the shape of a sailboat. However, designs inside the pagoda basically follow the style of traditional Vietnamese Buddhist pagodas. The Dai Hong Bell is of particular interest as it was made of gold and copper under the Tu Duc's Reign and is now over 111 years old. Somehow it has even managed to keep the sound of its voice ringing clear after all these years.

Passing the nice-step stairs, visitors will enter the gate of the pagoda and standing at the temple gate, they will see the Mother Holding Child Statue. There are two large statues of elephants in the ground of the pagoda. One is a black elephant with two ivories, representing power over malice and another is a white one with six ivories, representing restful mind.

 

 

Tay An, the Western Corridor is very large and able to provide space for over 100 pilgrims at the same time. In front of this corridor, there are two statues of the Goddess of Mercy in white and inside the corridor are two large statues of A Di Da God. Rooms for monks are located at the back of the pagoda. Pilgrims visiting the Tay An Pagoda to pray and smoke from their incense creates a solemn atmosphere. The main temple has more than 100 statues each representing the power of Buddhism; the most prominent statue is a Buddha sitting on the Lotus Tower.

Leader monks have made great contribution to the construction of the pagoda. They include Phat Thay Tay An (in the 19th century), Thich Bao Tho (in the 20th century) and today superior monk Thich Hue Kinh, who has been voted to be a member of the An Giang Buddhism Association.

The solemnity and holiness of Tay An has become an invisible power, attracting a great number of monks and pilgrims. But the solemn and ancient style of architecture and peaceful space are what visitors will never forget. On December 6th, 1989, the Ministry of Culture and Information officially classified Tay An Pagoda as a national historical site.

 

ALBUM
WHERE TO STAY
Ben Da Nui Sam Hotel

Add: Tan Lo Kieu Luong St., Nui Sam Ward, Chau Doc City

Tel: (84-296) 3861 745/ 3861 705

Hue Binh Hotel

Add: Tan Lo Kieu Luong St., Nui Sam Ward, Chau Doc

Tel: (84-296) 3568 468

Trung Nguyen Hotel

Add: 86 Bach Dang St., Chau Doc City

Tel: (84-296) 3866 158

Thuan Loi Hotel

Add: 275 Tran Hung Dao St., Chau Doc

Tel: (84-296) 3866 134

Hotel-Restaurant Hai Chau

Add: 63 Suong Nguyet Anh St., Chau Doc City

Tel: (84-296) 6260 066

An Thanh Hung Hotel

Add: 162 Mai Van Tao St., Chau Doc City

Tel: (84-296) 3862 999

Lam Hung Ky Hotel

Add: 138 Trung Nu Vuong St.,Chau Doc City

Tel: (84-296) 3561 564/ 3561 981

Ngoc Phu Hotel

Add: 25 Dong Da St., Chau Doc

Tel: (84-296) 3868 484

Nui Sam Guest House - Restaurant

Add: 1 Tan Lo Kieu Luong St., Chau Doc City

Tel: (84-296) 3861 999

Satisfy Hotel

Add: 1, 30/4 St., Chau Doc City

Tel: (84-296) 6260 260/ 6261 261

Song Sao Hotel

Add: 71 Nguyen Huu Canh St., Chau Doc City

Tel: (84-296) 3561 777

Tai Ngan Hotel

Add: 73 Nguyen Huu Canh St., Chau Doc City

Tel: (84-296) 3866 435

Thanh Ha Hotel

Add: Trung Nu Vuong St., Ward B, Chau Doc City

Tel: (84-296) 3560 956

Victoria Chau Doc Hotel

Add: 1 Le Loi St., Chau Doc City

Tel: (84-296) 3865 010

Ha Long An Giang Hotel

Add: No 1 Road, Nui Sam Ward, Chau Doc City

Tel: (84-296) 3571 661

Victoria Nui Sam Hotel

Add: Vinh Dong 1 Zone, Nui Sam Ward, Chau Doc City

Tel: (84-296) 3575 888

Chau Pho Hotel 

Add:  88 Truong Nu Vuong St., Chau Doc City

Tel: (84-296) 3564 139

WHERE TO EAT
Hong Phat Restaurant

Add: 77 Chi Lang St., Chau Doc City

Tel: (84-296) 3866 950

Quan Bay Bong

Add: 20 Suong Nguyet Anh St., Chau Doc City

Tel: (84-296) 3867 271

Chau Doc Tourist Pier Restaurant

Add: 3 Le Loi St., Chau Doc City

Tel: (84-296) 3550 949