A HUNDRED-YEAR-OLD PAGODA ON HOI AN BEACH

Hai Tang Pagoda is one of the sights visitors like go to in Cu Lao Cham Island, Hoi An, Quang Nam.

Hai Tang is an ancient temple on Cu Lao Cham island, first built in 1758 and after many times of restoration and relocation due to the impact of the storm. The front gate consists of 3 entrances, 5 m high, 1.5 m wide, and 6 m long, arched. The temple, with the yin-yang tile roof, has the back facing the mountain and the front facing the small valley, which is the only rice field on Cu Lao Cham Island.

Over a hundred years, the temple still exists with many vestiges, and the most notable is the wall surrounding the temple. According to the people of the island, this area was formerly a jungle with many pythons and poisonous snakes. Therefore, the stone wall surrounding the pagoda was to ensure safety.

People on the island said, “Hai” is the sea, “Tang” is Tripitaka, meaning that the pagoda is the convergence of the Tripitaka as vast as the sea. People worship Buddha, combined with the gods, to meet the religious needs of fishermen on the island. Prominent in the middle is the Buddhas of Three Times, followed by a statue of Sakyamuni Buddha sitting on the lotus.

The temple also stores a Great Bell with a dragon shape, which is a popular pattern in the Early Le dynasty. This means the bell had presented before people built the temple. The temple grounds are not too large, but full of luxuriant trees. Currently, there is no monk looking after the temple, but an elderly couple. This is a must-visit destination in the journey to explore Cu Lao Cham Island.