On the top of Yen Tu mountain
Yen Tu Mountain's history dates back to the 13th century, when a Zen master is believed to have built a temple on the mountain. During the Tran Dynasty, King Tran Nhan Tong established the Truc Lam Zen sect and built the first temple on the mountain of Yen Tu. Over time, the mountain became a pilgrimage site for Buddhists seeking enlightenment.
The road to conquer Yen Tu mountain is about 6km long, reinforced by thousands of solid stone steps, with a travel time of about 6 - 8 hours and longer in the peak tourism season. This trip is quite difficult, but also a form of exercise, a way of showing respect and determination, giving you the opportunity to admire the unspoiled beauty of the mountains. The roadsides are covered with dense green trees and fresh air, dotted by murmuring streams and chirping birds. Along the way, you will pass many interesting stops such as the bamboo forests, ancient pagodas and temples,etc.
About 300m from the parking lot, you will see Yen Tu mountain's famous clear Giai Oan stream and pagoda, associated with the story of hundreds of palace maidens who drowned themselves to prevent King Tran Nhan Tong from becoming a monk. The road then leads you to the Ancestral tower area under the shadow of an old pine tree nearly a thousand years old, in the middle of which is the 10m high tomb of King Tran Nhan Tong with 6 square green stone floors, surrounded by walls on four sides. From here, passing 136 stone steps, you will reach Hoa Yen Pagoda located at an altitude of 535m above sea level, covered with luxuriant golden marigolds.
Originally named Van Yen which means smoke and cloud, the pagoda about 700 years ago was just a workshop for King Tran Nhan Tong, and later renamed Hoa Yen by King Le Thanh Tong. Along with the surrounding works, this pagoda forms a main architectural complex with the largest and most beautiful scale of the Yen Tu area, so it is also known as Ca pagoda (Biggest). Only about 200m to the east of it is the small Mot Mai pagoda (One Roof) precarious on the cliff, with a unique architecture as the name suggests: half hidden in a cave, half exposed with moss-covered tiled roofs.
Continuing on the road to the top of Yen Tu mountain, you will encounter Van Tieu pagoda in the west of the mountain range, covered by green trees all year round. From an altitude of about 724m above sea level, you can get a wide view covering the whole Uong Bi area, with the winding Bach Dang river in the distance. The main hall of Van Tieu pagoda has an area of 121m2, including the front and rear palaces, worshiping many different Buddha and gods. In front of this work is an ancient tower garden called Vong Tien Cung, consisting of 6 tops made of stone and brick, with the most prominent being the 9-storey octagonal prism stone tower located in the center.
Located at an altitude of 1000m in Yen Tu mountain, Trinh Pagoda, also known as Bi Thuong, is nearly 400 years old with unique architecture, peaceful landscape of green trees and flowing streams. In addition, you can also visit the 7m-high Hue Quang Tower, consisting of 5 floors assembled from green stone blocks, surrounded and shielded from wind and rain by hundreds of years old trees. The tower is decorated in the typical architectural style of the Tran Dynasty with 102 lotus petals and soft string flowers, elaborately carved with a flexible, soft and extremely ecstatic pattern.
On the top of Yen Tu mountain, there is also the wonder called An Ky Sinh, which is a natural rock shaped like a monk with folded hands respectfully. Nearby, there is a statue of King Tran Nhan Tong cast in monolithic bronze with a calm and relaxed posture, weighing up to 138 tons, 12.6m high. Situated in the midst of a magnificent mountain and forest landscape, this is a monument built by the locals to commemorate the king’s merits for the nation and religion. Currently, it has become a place to sightsee and worship Buddha worth visiting when traveling to Yen Tu Vietnam.
The journey to conquer the peak is very interesting but also quite exhausting, unsuitable for families with elders and children. Therefore, you can consider another option that is cable car, a modern system consisting of 2 stages with a total length of 2.1km traveling at an altitude of 450m. The first part is from Giai Oan Valley to Hoa Yen Pagoda, and the second part is from Mot Mai Pagoda to An Ky Sinh Statue. Taking the Yen Tu cable car, you can both save time and feel the misty air when passing through the green primeval forests, admiring the dreamy romantic scenery of Yen Tu mountain covered by countless hundred-year-old golden apricot blossoms.
