Xiem Can Pagoda Bac Lieu - The temple contains priceless treasures more than 100 years old 2024

Xiem Can Pagoda Bac Lieu – The temple contains priceless treasures more than 100 years old

Bac Lieu – the land of rivers is not only the cradle of Southern Don Ca Tai Tu art. It also has a unique system of monuments, culture, religious architecture and traditional festivals of the three ethnic groups Kinh – Hoa – Khmer. Xiem Can Pagoda is one of the pagodas with the typical religious beauty of this land of Don Ca Tai Tu!

Origin and history of formation Xiam Can temple

Xiem Can is a Khmer temple located in Vinh Trach Dong commune, Bac Lieu city (Bac Lieu), built in 1887, with an area of about 5 hectares located along the coast. In the early days, the temple was named in Khmer Komphisako, expressing the wisdom and depth of the Buddha’s wisdom. Later, the pagoda was called with the name “Xiam Can”, the reason for such a name is because a part of the Chinese people who came here to settle down translated the name of the temple into Xiem Can.

In the Tieu Siamese language, it means “bordering the water” because the terrain of this land was formerly next to the coastal alluvium. So the name Xiem Can is so far the only name used to talk about the most magnificent temple in this land of Don Ca Tai Tu, which is both simple to remember and has something very impressive.

Unique architectural features of Khmer pagodas and temples over 100 years old

Existing at the same time with more than 134 years full of ups and downs, this beautiful temple in the West has undergone 9 generations of abbots and a few times of restoration and repair. Xiem Can Pagoda is not the oldest, nor is it the largest Khmer temple in the West, but each generation of abbots, when inheriting, has devoted their efforts to embellish, preserve and expand the temple, so that it is now The temple has a magnificent beauty that no other temple can match.

Like other Khmer temples, the architecture of Xiem Can pagoda was built in the architectural style of Angkor – Cambodia, an architectural style in the style of temples. However, the difference of Xiem Can Pagoda is the sophistication and meticulousness in each wall, roof and pillar. And going deep inside the temple grounds, you will see the full beauty of this temple.

Surrounded by the city walls, the three-way gate, the main hall, the Sala, the bell tower, the pillars, the tomb tower, the resting place of the monks, the lecture hall, etc. All the works are elaborately decorated and colorful. clearly show the traditional Angkor Khmer style and all go through one direction, that is the East. Because according to the Khmer concept, the path of cultivation to achieve the Buddha’s righteous fruition goes from the West to the East.

When visiting Xiem Can Pagoda, the most prominent place of the temple is the main hall of the temple. The Venerable Duong Quan once shared that: “Khmer pagodas often have the same main hall architecture, facing the East. The architecture is different in large and small. The area of Siem Can pagoda is large, so it must be a large main hall and a large hall. higher to match the area of the temple.The architecture is according to Khmer Theravada Buddhism, associated with some AngKor Wat paintings, bearing the unique features of the Khmer people.”

The main hall is built in a rectangular shape, 18m wide and twice the length. Located on a 1.5m high brick foundation, the beauty inside the main hall has a vibrant, prominent and dignified color with nearly 100 round concrete columns adjoining the tops of the columns and the roofs are the heads of snakes. Nagar in a silly pose. The body of the snake is the edge of the roof as if it were growing from the roof of the porch. In the corners of the roof, there is an image like a dragon’s tail. The combination of the dragon’s head, body and tail creates the image of racing boats.

Besides, the pagoda has up to 115 statues, a stone stele and a bell dating from 1887. These works are separated by hundreds of meters, interspersed with courtyards and rows of green trees, the space exudes. calm and dignified look.

Khmer pagoda preserves leaf sutras over 100 years old

Xiem Can Pagoda is the place to keep and form many cultural beauties in the spiritual life of the Khmer. For the Khmer, the temple is a place for community cultural activities, preserving the ethnic minority, worshiping the remains of their deceased grandparents… Therefore, they value the temple more than their own home.

Not only that, this is also the place to keep the ancient Khmer books written on leaves up to 70 pages thick with an age of over 100 years. Although the Leaf Sutra is a manuscript written on leaves, it contains scientific content about religious teachings, philosophy, architecture, astronomy, etc. The Leaf Sutra has a special role in the spiritual culture of the people. Southern Khmer.

There are very few Buddhist scriptures written on leaves today, only large and old pagodas can be preserved. Therefore, preserving the Leaf Sutra is also preserving a traditional education on the basis of Buddhist moral education.

Xiem Can Pagoda is not only one of the famous spiritual tourist attractions of Bac Lieu. The temple also brings the beauty symbolizing the spiritual culture of the Khmer ethnic community. Coming here, visitors not only enjoy the quiet and peaceful atmosphere but also understand more about the culture, beliefs and life of the Khmer people in the Southern Delta.

Hope the article will help you have a complete and fun trip!

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If you want to travel to Bac Lieu on your own, please refer to Bac Lieu travel experience here: Very detailed Bac Lieu travel experience

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