Ngoa Van is a complex of relic sites located on high mountains of the Dong Trieu bow-shaped range. To get there, visitors have two options: one from Vanh Mam Lake, Tay Son (Binh Khe) through Dau Voi and Da Chong areas or from Vang and Bac streams through Da Chong to Ngoa Van; and the other from An Sinh Temple going through tombs and Trai Loc Lake and then along Phu Am Tra stream on a pilgrimage path or by a cable car to Ngoa Van.
Ngoa Van is the pilgrimage site of the Buddha Land containing the most traces of ancient people in the complex of the Tran Dynasty special national relic sites in Dong Trieu. From the foot of the mountain to the Ngoa Van summit, researchers found countless traces of ancient architectures throughout different times, from Tran, Le and Nguyen dynasties. The largest are probably the architectures in Da Chong area, where archaeologists recently unearthed and discovered multiple layers of relics of the Le Trung Hung period from the foot to the half-way of the hill. Exploring the place, visitors will not only be immersed in the green nature and the mystery of the mountain and forest but also experience the calm space of the Buddhist realm.
Especially, anyone who has been to Ngoa Van had to climb to the top of Bao Dai Mountain to offer incense at the tower of Buddhist King-Monk Tran Nhan Tong - where his sarira is kept in a small temple on a large stone. King Tran Nhan Tong was the heroic king of a heroic dynasty. After glorious victories to protect the national sovereignty and build the most prosperous dynasty in the feudal history of Vietnam, he spent the rest of his life practicing Buddhism and saving human beings and finally, he chose Ngoa Van Temple to turn himself into a Buddha. Thus, Ngoa Van is considered "the holy land of the Tran Dynasty" and "the holy land of Truc Lam Zen Buddhism".
It is also the holiest destination of pilgrims when visiting the Tran Dynasty heritages in Dong Trieu. The landscape here is also extremely airy. Those who have ever stayed at the temple said in autumn, during the moonlit nights, the scenery here is like that of the fairyland. Seeing its geographic position, all who have little knowledge about feng shui complimented that it holds an extremely good location as there are a blue dragon on the left, a white tiger on the right, mountains in front and behind, and water far away.
Article by Phan Hang
