Huong Tich Pagoda - Hoan Chau is the most famous landmark

Huong Tich Pagoda is located in Thien Loc commune, Can Loc district, Ha Tinh province. The temple is about 25 km northeast of Ha Tinh city; about 30 km southeast of Vinh city, Nghe An province.

Huong Tich Pagoda is located in Thien Loc commune, Can Loc district, Ha Tinh province. The temple is about 25 km northeast of Ha Tinh city; about 30 km southeast of Vinh city, Nghe An province.

Huong Tich Pagoda is located in the most special location, 650m above sea level and located halfway up the Hong Linh mountain range - a place called "Magnificent mountain range". The Huong Tich cave scene was chosen as a symbol of the famous Hong Linh mountain and was carved on Anh Dinh, one of nine bronze peaks cast in the 17th year of Minh Mang located in Hue Citadel.

Huong Tich Pagoda possesses a poetic beauty hidden among the hazy clouds of smoke. This is one of the oldest ancient temples in Ha Tinh and is associated with ancient anecdotes.

Tourists coming to Huong Tich Can Loc Pagoda - Ha Tinh will come to the "First Hoan Chau scenic spot", to the legendary Hong Linh Mountain with 99 high peaks associated with the legend of 100 phoenixes flying to find parking place. Coming here, visitors will be immersed in the harmony of nature, earth and sky, with the sacred realm, enjoy the wild and majestic beauty of a land of "masterpieces" and hear the legend of the Princess. Dieu Thien transforms Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara to save sentient beings.

Location of Huong Tich Pagoda tourist area

Huong Tich Pagoda is located on the majestic Hong Linh peak

Huong Tich Pagoda was recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Information (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) as a National Cultural Relic - Scenic Landscape in 1990 in Decision No. 309/QD-BVHTT. In 2009, the People's Committee of Ha Tinh province issued a decision on Huong Tich Pagoda tourist area as a provincial-level tourist area.

The annual Perfume Pagoda Festival is chosen as the opening festival of the Ha Tinh tourism year on January 6 and the Perfume Pagoda festival itself is held on the February 18 of the lunar calendar every year, which is the day Princess Dieu Thien transforms. Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara. At the beginning of the new year, especially during the festival season, tens of thousands of people come to burn incense to worship Buddha, praying for a peaceful and prosperous life. Particularly for Ha Tinh people, Huong Tich Pagoda is considered the "Ancestral Altar", no matter where they are, the hearts of Ha Tinh people always turn to this sacred pagoda as to the roots of their homeland and nation.

Means of transportation to Huong Tich Pagoda

There are many means for visitors to choose when visiting Huong Tich Pagoda such as: plane, bus, train, motorbike. After arriving at the working area of ​​the Tourism Area Management Board, visitors will have three options to get to Huong Tich Pagoda, including:

- Walk to Huong Tich Pagoda: Visitors can go to the pagoda by road. Starting the journey, tourists come to burn incense at Cua Rung temple to report and pray to the gods to bless the pilgrimage to Buddha's land safely and well. The road from Cua Rung temple to Buddha Ba rest stop is relatively flat, with pine forests whispering in the wind on both sides. When arriving at Soi cave (also known as Goat camp), visitors will encounter a small fork, the path to the west is the way to Bat Canh temple built in Truc cave. Am Bat Canh was built during the Tran dynasty, the reign of King Tran Nhan Tong, and today seems to still be preserved intact. This is a cultural relic of Taoism that helps visitors reminisce about a bygone golden age.

From Soi cave, go straight up to the Phat Ba rest stop (commonly known as Mieu Co), located next to the Huong Tuyen stream, below is Quy Khoc stream, above is a small hermitage, which is said to be the resting place of Cong. Lord Dieu Thien before being taken to Huong Tich by Bach Ho. The road from Buddha Ba rest stop to Huong Tich Pagoda is about 1 km long. On this road, visitors can linger and burn incense at Cau Temple.

If walking, visitors can stop to burn incense at Cua Rung Temple to report and pray to the gods to bless their journey to the Buddha realm.

- Take the tram to the cable car: Visitors can ride the tram on the nearly 5 km road, on both sides of the road are rows of green pine trees, considered "miniature Da Lat".

Visitors can admire the natural beauty on the winding road like a silk ribbon of Hong Linh mountain

Tram route seen from above

- Take a boat or walk to the cable car: Going down Nha Duong Lake, visitors will freely immerse themselves in the green color of the vast, deep blue river. Then, stroll about 1 km to the cable car station at Mieu Co. From here, visitors can choose to take the cable car or walk to the temple.

Immerse yourself in the deep blue beauty of Tang Lake

Taking a boat will help visitors admire the natural scenery before arriving at Huong Tich Pagoda

- Take the cable car: At the cable car station at Mieu Co, visitors will go through a road about 1 km long to reach Huong Tich Pagoda. This is a cable car system using advanced technology from Austria and Switzerland that has been in operation since 2012, with a total investment cost of 140 billion VND, maximum capacity of 25 cabins, currently only operating 20 cabins, Maximum speed 4.6 minutes/turn.

Tourists sit on the cable car and go through a road about 1 km long to reach Huong Tich Pagoda

The story of Huong Tich Pagoda

Coming to Huong Tich Pagoda, visitors will be immersed in the harmony of nature, earth and sky, with the sacred Buddha realm, hear the legend of Princess Dieu Thien transforming into Guan Yin Buddha to save sentient beings while enjoying the wild beauty. , the magnificence of a land of "masterpieces and spiritual people".

Legend has it that, King So Trang Vuong had three daughters, Dieu Duyen, Dieu An and Dieu Thien. When they reached adulthood, the king wanted the three of them to marry court officials in order to gain solid support in the future. However, unlike her two sisters, Princess Dieu Thien did not accept to marry the famous evil general. Therefore, she firmly objected, and this made King So Trang Vuong very angry. Too heartbroken, Ms. Dieu Thien left, then went to build a hermitage, practice, and take refuge in the Buddha's door right at the top of the Hong Linh mountain range.

However, the general did not give up and went to the place to set fire to force Dieu Thien to appear. Fortunately, Princess Dieu Thien and the monks and nuns were protected by the Buddha and sent Bach Ho to take her to Viet Thuong Thi to establish a hermitage to practice. The place she went to was Thieu Linh cave, located halfway up the Hong Linh mountain range.

Later, when King So Trang Vuong fell seriously ill, Dieu Thien offered both her eyes and her hand to save her father. The Buddha was moved by her filial heart and performed a spell to help Princess Dieu Thien's eyes shine again and her hands become full again. After that, she continued to practice and attained enlightenment, becoming the thousand-eyed, thousand-armed Avalokiteshvara Buddha today. At the place where Dieu Thien practiced, people built a pagoda, today's Huong Tich Pagoda.

Perhaps for a long time, tourists from all over have often wondered why Vietnam has two Perfume Pagodas, the Perfume Pagoda in Hanoi and the Perfume Pagoda in Ha Tinh. However, in reality, Huong Pagoda in Hanoi is not the original temple but a version of Huong Tich Pagoda in Ha Tinh. History records that the reason why Huong Pagoda was built in Hanoi was because the road from the capital to Huong Pagoda was very far, making Lord Trinh feel uneasy every time his concubine went to visit the Huong Pagoda festival. Therefore, Lord Trinh built another Perfume Pagoda in the mountains of Ha Son Binh, contributing to creating a more magical and poetic Perfume Pagoda.

Mieu Co

History of Huong Tich Pagoda construction

Through legends, history books and archaeological artifacts, it is proven that the pagoda was built during the Tran Dynasty, then restored and repaired during the Le Trung Hung Dynasty. In the year of At Dau (1885), the pagoda caught fire; In the year of Tan Suu (1901), the Governor of An Tinh, Dao Tan, called on the people to rebuild the pagoda. During the restoration process, the old works of Huong Tich Pagoda were almost completely restored. In 1990, Huong Tich Pagoda was officially recognized as a National Cultural and Scenic Relic of Hoan Chau, becoming a famous spiritual attraction throughout Nghe An.

The three-entrance gate of Huong Tich Pagoda in the mist

Architecture and scenery of Huong Tich Pagoda

Huong Tich Pagoda is a large-scale cultural relic complex with a Buddhist temple, a God temple and temples associated with agricultural beliefs and mother worship beliefs of the Vietnamese people.

The entire campus of Huong Tich Pagoda is divided into three areas, including the Upper Palace, Thien Vuong Temple and Thanh Mau Temple - where Princess Dieu Thien attained Buddhahood. Right behind the grounds of Huong Tich Pagoda is a row of hundreds of years old trees with giant roots deep into the ground and lush foliage that radiates shade. Besides, visitors will see large rocks of various shapes scattered everywhere, making the space here more impressive and attractive. Around the pagoda are countless famous landscapes of Hoan Chau land such as: Co temple, Phun May hermitage, Tien Nu cave, Tien Tam stream and Quy Cry valley with anecdotes tinged with mysterious spirituality.

In the grounds of Huong Tich Pagoda, it can be said that Tam Bao Palace is the most unique place, attracting a large number of tourists to admire and burn incense. This place worships many ancient Buddha statues dating back hundreds, even thousands of years.

In particular, at Huong Pagoda, there are still 2 Buddha statues, a rare Kowloon temple made of black bronze and an ancient bronze bell that is being developed by the District People's Committee to request recognition as a national treasure.

Ancient bronze Buddha statue

Ancient bronze Buddha statue

Ancient Cuu Long Palace

Ancient bronze bell

On the top of Huong Linh mountain, there is a small hermitage, where the statue of Guan Yin and other statues carved from boulders are placed.

Phat Ba Am - where Princess Dieu Thien transformed into Buddha Avalokiteshvara

Huong Tich Pagoda is a stopping point for Buddhist believers every time they come to Hoan Chau

Most especially, because it is located at an altitude of 650m above sea level and halfway up the vast Hong Linh range, Huong Tich Pagoda possesses a breathtaking natural landscape that any tourist who sets foot on it will surely Everyone felt impressed and overwhelmed. Appearing before our eyes are magnificent mountains, vast green forests, fresh air, and the bustling sound of birds singing. All have created a picture of Huong Tich Pagoda that is both majestic and magnificent in front of nature, tinged with sacred colors, and mixed with mystery.

Huong Tich Pagoda is also home to many wild animals

From the 11th lunar month is the blooming flower season in the Hong Linh mountain range

The entire campus of Huong Tich Pagoda is about 350m walk from the main pagoda

Huong Tich Pagoda is one of the most famous spiritual relics in the region, while still retaining its ancient architecture with ancient beauty, tinged with time.

Road to Huong Tich Pagoda (where Trang Vuong Palace was located in the past)

On the way, visitors will see the image of the Magic Turtle

Going higher, visitors will see the Stupa with their own eyes

Huong Tich Pagoda Festival

Huong Tich Pagoda Festival is always one of the occasions that attracts a large number of tourists and Buddhists to visit and worship. Every year after the Lunar New Year, the Huong Tich Pagoda Festival is solemnly held and lasts until the end of the third lunar month. Normally, the main festival is held on the 18th day of the second lunar month, which is the day Princess Dieu Thien transformed into Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara.

The opening ceremony of Huong Tich Pagoda - opening the Ha Tinh tourism year, is usually held on the 6th day of the first lunar month.

On the days of the Huong Tich Pagoda Festival, Buddhists will come to offer incense and pray

During the Festival, a series of activities imbued with folk culture will take place at Huong Tich Pagoda, helping people have a more realistic view of this sacred land.

Duck catching game blindfolded

Game tug

Traditional objects

Not only does it attract tourists with its ancient beauty amid vast mountains, Huong Tich Pagoda is also a magical sacred place, a place of faith, helping each person find peace and serenity in their soul. If tourists want to learn more about the history and folk culture of this land of Hoan Chau, Huong Tich Pagoda will be an ideal and attractive destination not to be missed on their spiritual journey.

Ha Tinh 1128 view

Update day : 05/11/2023