Som Rong Pagoda

Khmer pagodas in the South are something very unique to the Mekong Delta. Every time a pagoda is built, it is the effort of many generations and people living on the land, because the pagoda is a solid fulcrum for the people of this place, a place to practice the most sacred beliefs they have. never forget. Currently, Soc Trang is a land densely populated by Khmer people with massive, elaborate Khmer pagodas and century-old Buddhist works. Among hundreds of Khmer pagodas in the city, Som Rong Pagoda is the most impressive name, most known to many tourists because this is the greatest pride of the people here. Som Rong Pagoda's full name in Khmer is Wat Pătum Wongsa Som Rong. I heard people say that the pagoda has been around for a long time. It used to be a small pagoda with a simple thatched roof that was passed down through many different generations. During the reign of Venerable Ly Duc, he rebuilt a new, more spacious pagoda on a large plot of land. In 2000, the pagoda began to rebuild the new main hall, and in 2013, the Sala assembly house was built, along with the stupa and the largest statue of Buddha entering Nirvana in Vietnam. With more than 20 years of construction, Som Rong pagoda Now the pagoda has become the most proud spiritual fulcrum of the people here. For Soc Trang tourism, this pagoda is a proud point to promote the image of Southern Khmer pagodas and the beauty of Vietnamese pagodas to the world with top-notch works. The building is located right at the entrance. The four-sided stupa, four paths up, is impressive with its gray-white color. The tower has seven floors gradually decreasing in height from large to small and the base of the tower has three floors. The center of the tower is the image of Shakyamuni Buddha sitting on a lotus. The stupa impresses visitors with its unique sculpting and shaping, each detail is very vivid with stylized lotus flowers, vines running along each edge, fire and angel patterns. In addition to being prominent in the stupa sculpture, it is also decorated with five-colored flags on major holidays. The impression outside the main hall is the brilliant decoration, curved walkways, pillars covered with classical patterns, and murals about Buddha and life. On the top of the front of the main hall is the image of Buddha's birthday walking on a lotus throne. On both sides of the main hall are two hallways, the right hallway is to look out to the stupa, look at the Sala house and the Buddha's nirvana statue. table; This is an extremely beautiful photo angle that many of you may miss. In the near future, the main hall and the temple library will also be restored. The impressive Sala Assembly Hall took more than four years to build (2013-2017) and is extremely spacious and is used to practice the traditional rituals of the temple, as a lecture hall and a monastery. The architecture of Sala Assembly Hall is also extremely impressive in the eyes of visitors because of its grandeur, scale and color. But few people know that this project is completely based on traditional architecture, combined with creating an interior space with a modern structure with many uses. The Sala Assembly House has two floors, many layers of roof, and combines many outstanding colors to create distinction. Take full advantage of all the traditional decorative arts of Khmer pagodas to adorn the Sala assembly house. Entering from the stairs is decorated with the dragon god, the first floor attic is decorated with the snake god Naga. The second floor's attic is embossed with a dancer, on each part of the attic is the god Krud, running along the edge of the tiled roof are the dragon god and bird god. Each roof fringe is pointed in the shape of Xome mountain. The statue of Shakyamuni Buddha entering nirvana at Som Rong Pagoda is the most special work of the pagoda. The statue is 63m long and 18m high and is considered the largest reclining statue in Vietnam. Thanks to this project, the pagoda is known to many tourists from near and far, attracting tourists as well as followers of professional photography who come here to hunt for moments. Som Rong Pagoda is an interesting stop on the journey to explore Soc Trang tourism with ancient, sacred pagodas and unique architecture.

Soc Trang

From November to April

192 view

KhLeang Pagoda

Soc Trang, with its unique characteristics of having many ethnic groups living together, has created a diverse culture. Traveling to Soc Trang, you will encounter many ancient and magnificent pagodas and temples, all with their own unique characteristics, including KhLeang Pagoda. KhLeang Pagoda is one of the ancient Khmer pagodas in the Mekong Delta region with a history of nearly 500 years. KhLeang Pagoda bears the mark of very sophisticated and sharp Khmer architecture, but still blends Vietnamese and Chinese styles in its decoration. KhLeang Pagoda is located on Ton Duc Thang Street, Group 5, Ward 6, Soc Trang City in a large campus, shaded by ancient trees, most of which are palm trees, a tree species associated with life and culture. culture of the Khmer ethnic people. Coming here, visitors can enjoy fresh air, learn about ancient Khmer documents, legends about the origin of Soc Trang and admire the unique architecture of the pagoda. The name of KhLeang Pagoda is associated with the legend of the place Soc Trang. If translated from Khmer, it means "land with warehouses", evoking a rich ancient land. According to bibliographies, the pagoda was built in 1533, at first it was just a thatched pagoda, but after many restorations, it was built with bricks and tiles. The current temple architecture such as the main hall and Sala were newly built in 1918. The temple has an architecture similar to Theravada Buddhist temples in Thailand and Cambodia. Khleang Pagoda's architectural complex includes: main hall, sala, monk's house, hall,... arranged harmoniously on high ground. An equally unique point is that most of these works in Khleang Pagoda are built in the traditional stilt house style of the ancient Khmer people of the South, each work is sculpted, carved with patterns and motifs. Sophisticated with bold features of ancient Khmer architecture. The main hall is located in the center and is divided into three steps, each about 1 meter high and surrounded by a brightly colored fence. The outer fence is large and then gradually smaller inside, the distance between the fences is very wide, the temple floor occupies a very large area. The edge of the roof has a winding dragon statue with a fan-shaped head and curved tail. Inside the main hall, there are wooden pillars, very large, smooth black, covered in gold with images about the Buddha's life and Buddhist activities. The ceiling and surroundings are decorated with many drawings of Buddha images, demonstrating the harmony between architecture and painting. The main hall has a 6.8 m high Buddha statue, the 2.7 m high body of the statue was cast in 1916. The statue is placed on a splendid lotus throne with an electric halo that sometimes hides and appears, creating a magical atmosphere. majestic, elegant and magical. Compared to many other Khmer pagodas in the province, Khleang Pagoda still retains the unique features of ancient Khmer architecture, which are very valuable in terms of art and aesthetics. Not only that, in addition to the main features of Khmer architectural patterns, the main hall also intertwines a number of images and decorative patterns of the Kinh people on the hammock door and of the Chinese on the pillars. Carp, dragon and Chinese characters are painted on the pillars. This reflects the cultural interference in the fields of decoration and art between three ethnic groups that have long lived in Soc Trang. What is interesting is the bookcase displayed in the main hall. If we look closely, we will see leaves with ancient Khmer characters on them. These are the contents of Buddhist scriptures written on leaves, carefully preserved by the temple. With symmetrical and harmonious architectural lines, associated with unique and diverse works of art, the main hall of KhLeang Pagoda is truly a work of special artistic value. With great historical and architectural values, on April 27, 1990, Khleang Pagoda was ranked by the Ministry of Culture, Information and Sports (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) as a national historical and cultural relic. , belongs to the type of architectural and artistic monument. This is an interesting Soc Trang tourist destination that you should not miss if you have the opportunity to visit this land. In addition to the function of serving religious needs, Khleang Pagoda is also a place to meet the traditional living needs of the Khmer ethnic people through annual festivals and other cultural activities. Many traditional rituals are solemnly held at the pagoda, including Chol Chnam Thmay (New Year's Ceremony), Sene Dol Ta (Grandparents' Worshiping Ceremony), Ooc - Om - Boc (Moon Worshiping Ceremony),...

Soc Trang

From November to April

187 view

Peam Buol Thmay Pagoda

Peam Buol Thmay Pagoda is one of the destinations you cannot miss when you have the opportunity to travel to Soc Trang. This pagoda was built with unique architecture, extremely massive and plated with brilliant gold, no different from a magnificent palace. Peam Buol Thmay Pagoda is currently one of the most famous pagodas in Soc Trang province. Compared to other spiritual works of the Khmer people, the pagoda was built quite late, starting in 1964. Therefore, in the name of the new pagoda there is a word Thmay meaning new. In addition to the name Peam Buol Thmay in Khmer, this pagoda also has many other names such as: Nga Tu Pagoda because it is located next to the intersection of Sung Dinh provincial road. Lamp Pillar Pagoda because next to the pagoda there are many telecommunications towers serving the postal industry. Sung Dinh Pagoda is located on the land that was formerly Sung Dinh village (now merged into Soc Trang city). As for the official name, Peam Buol Thmay Pagoda, in Khmer means new intersection. Because Peam Buol Thmay Pagoda belongs to the Khmer people, it will certainly bear the typical architectural culture of this people. In 2016, the Sala section here was repaired to have a more complete appearance. By 2018, it was officially completed with a typical Thai temple style. This newness has caused many young people to come here to visit and take photos. In addition to the Sala, the remaining parts of the temple grounds such as the main hall and the monks' monastery still retain their original architecture with brick walls and simple corrugated iron roofs. The main hall is quite rustic. Compared to other temples in Soc Trang, Peam Buol Thmay is somewhat simpler. Besides, because it is located at a major road intersection, the pagoda's area is also limited, the surrounding campus is not too large and few trees are planted. All the highlights of Peam Buol Thmay Pagoda are in the architecture of Sala. The design uses white as the main color, the lines and decorative motifs are painted with gold emulsion. Sala consists of 2 floors, at the top is a large tower, creating an impression of majesty, magnificence and sacredness. If you have ever been to the Golden Temple country of Thailand, you will realize that this architectural style is extremely familiar. When you come to Peam Buol Thmay Pagoda, you not only feel the sacredness and solemnity but also have countless impressive "virtual living" corners to bring home millions of likes. Compared to traditional Khmer Buddhist architecture, Thai temple style is somewhat softer, gentler, and more elegant. The decorative colors are also quite simple but very prominent and extremely brilliant. Therefore, during the process of renovating Sala, Peam Buol Thmay Pagoda paid attention to every detail and line to create a space of harmonious interference between these two pagoda styles. If you pay close attention, you will see carved dragon motifs running along the hallway and on the roof, they are curving, lively and soft. Inside the Sala is also decorated quite simply, the altar with the Shakyamuni Buddha statue is also carved in Thai Buddhist style. All walls in the Sala are painted white, dotted with diamond-shaped geometric patterns, painted with a shimmering gold layer. It can be said that when you come to the Sala of Peam Buol Thmay Pagoda, you can take beautiful photos from every corner. The atmosphere here does not bring a heavy feeling of sacredness but is more about luxury and brilliance. Therefore, you can freely be creative with impressive camera angles, choose outfits that stand out a bit, and just click the camera to ensure a beautiful photo. In particular, the late afternoon and sunset moments here are extremely beautiful because the rose gold sunlight reflects on the golden emulsion patterns, creating a scene that looks like it came out of a painting. Therefore, you can consider coming here in the late afternoon to take more impressive photos. In addition, Khmer people also have many other traditional festivals often held at Peam Buol Thmay pagoda. So when you come here, you will have the opportunity to understand more about the unique cultural features of this ethnic community.

Soc Trang

From November to April

208 view

Bat Pagoda

Bat Pagoda, also known as Ma Toc Pagoda (or Mahatup Pagoda), is located on Van Ngoc Chinh Street (with signage) in Ward 3, Soc Trang city. The reason for this special name is because the pagoda is home to crowded colonies of bats. The pagoda is the only cultural space worshiping Shakyamuni Buddha of the Southern Khmer ethnic community in Soc Trang province. According to the remaining ancient bibliography, it is recorded: The pagoda was started construction in 1569, more than 440 years ago. Initially, the main hall of the pagoda was built only with bamboo leaves, then rebuilt with bricks and tiled roof. In 1960, the pagoda was majorly repaired in the main hall and until it had the beautiful and spacious appearance it has today, the pagoda went through many restorations and embellishments. In 2008, an unfortunate incident caused the temple to burn down in the main hall area. But there were continuous positive signs when in April 2009, the main hall of the pagoda was restored to its original state. In 2013, Bat Pagoda tourist area in Soc Trang province was put into operation. Although the budget is not abundant, the tourist area located opposite the temple gate has a spacious parking lot and other convenient services such as restaurants, trams... that are very popular with tourists. Since 1999, Bat Pagoda has been recognized as a national historical-cultural relic. Up to now, the Soc Trang government is still considering policies to preserve and restore this place to both educate religious beliefs and turn Bat Pagoda into a familiar tourist destination of the province. Bat Pagoda is an architectural complex including: Main hall, Sala, meeting house of monks and followers, living room of monks and abbots, towers for storing ashes of the dead, living room... All works Located in a large campus with many ancient trees, an area of about 4 hectares. Although it is a space to worship Shakyamuni Buddha, the architecture of Bat Pagoda in Soc Trang is still strongly influenced by Khmer culture. The pagoda stands out in the green space of trees thanks to its characteristic Khmer orange-yellow color. The pagoda has a tiled roof, four curved ends of the roof are carved with Naga snakes, and on top of the roof is a pointed tower. Surrounding the main hall are rows of supporting columns, each column has a statue of the goddess Kemnar clasping her hands in front of her chest... Going deeper into the sanctuary, we will see a monolithic stone statue of Shakyamuni Buddha placed on a lotus flower about 2 meters high. Equally impressive nearby is a statue depicting Buddha riding on the sacred snake Muchalinda. Tourists have the opportunity to learn in detail about the life of Buddha through paintings depicting the Buddha, from his birth until his enlightenment and entering Nirvana.. Sutras recorded on palm tree leaves along with Rare artifacts with unique cultural and religious values of the Southern region are also kept in the solemn grounds of the pagoda. The tour guide will definitely explain about Soc Trang Bat Pagoda to help you understand many things better. Visiting Bat Pagoda, visitors can rest in rows of chairs under the cool shade of ancient trees. On the campus, there are also many stupas containing the remains of the temple's abbots, and the Sa La Assembly Hall with communal house-style architecture, serving as a place for monks to rest and study...

Soc Trang

From January to December

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Nga Nam Floating Market

Anyone who comes to the Southwest and doesn't go to the floating market is truly missing out. This place is not only a place to trade but also an ideal destination for tourists to learn about the unique cultural features of the Western river region. In the Mekong Delta, there are many floating markets, but Nga Nam floating market still has a simple and idyllic character and is one of the oldest floating markets with a history of more than a hundred years, on a large scale in the region. Nga Nam floating market in Nga Nam town, about 60 km from Soc Trang city, is a place that attracts tourists to visit and experience Western river life. If you want to visit Nga Nam floating market, starting from the center of Soc Trang city, visitors can follow National Highway 1A to Phu Loc, then turn right onto Provincial Road 42 to arrive. The name Nga Nam appeared when the French dug the canal around Phung Hiep route. This canal and Xang canal cross Xeo Chinh canal to form five river branches flowing to 5 intersections: Ca Mau, Vinh Quoi, Long My, Thanh Tri, Phung Hiep. Nga Nam floating market usually opens quite early and lasts until 8 o'clock, then gradually dissipates. The busiest time is usually from 5am to 6am with the scene of hundreds of boats gathering, making a bustling noise all over the river wharf. This is the most ideal time to experience the floating market. Near the Lunar New Year, Nga Nam floating market is open almost from morning to night, making the atmosphere even busier. The variety of goods at Nga Nam floating market is very rich and diverse, from famous delicious rice from large rice granaries in the area to garden vegetables and fruits; from agricultural products and seafood to daily living and household items, etc. To help transmit information easily between sellers and buyers, Beo trees are an effective advertising medium. of the floating market type. This tool is usually made from old bamboo, bent straight, about 4-5 m long, with sharp corners for easy insertion and pliers when parked. The top is perforated to allow a rope to be skewered through to hang goods. Buyers just need to stand from afar, look at the Beo trees to observe and find the type of goods they want to buy. Currently, due to the increasingly improved road transportation system, some traders have switched to the form of onshore market groups. However, the floating market still operates quite bustlingly, still retaining the typical soul of the Western floating market, a tourist destination not to be missed in Soc Trang. Coming to Nga Nam market, visitors will see the panorama of the market like a vivid, colorful realistic painting. Colors from vegetables and fruits; the color of grandmother's dresses fluttering in the wind... In the middle of a vast river area, the sound of oars splashing water, invitations to buy goods on boats, canoes, five-leaf canoes, three-leaf canoes going up and down... create a joyful scene of buying and selling. Visiting the Floating Market, visitors can enjoy breakfast right on the boat with Soc Trang specialties such as noodle soup, vermicelli noodles, silkworm cakes and drinks including da coffee, sugar tea, fruit juice... Find and buy There's nothing better than visiting this place, eating some agricultural products, eating some breakfast on the river.

Soc Trang

From January to December

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Clay Temple

If you have the opportunity to visit Buu Son Tu, visitors will have the opportunity to learn about the unique cultural, spiritual and religious life of the people of Soc Trang. Buu Son Tu, also known as Clay Pagoda, is located at 286, Ton Duc Thang Street, Group 1, Ward 5, Soc Trang City, Soc Trang Province. Clay Pagoda is not famous for its external architecture or large scale in area, but it is a unique pagoda in Vietnam because thousands of artifacts inside are shaped from clay and made from clay. There are pairs of candles and giant incense sticks. According to the elders, Buu Son pagoda was previously just a small hermitage built around the beginning of the 19th century, built by Mr. Ngo Kim Tay for the purpose of practicing at home. At first, the pagoda was made entirely of available natural materials such as bamboo, paintings, etc. It was not until the fourth abbot, Mr. Ngo Kim Tong (1909 - 1970), that the small temple was renovated and expanded. to have Buu Son throne like now. Buu Son pagoda has an area of about 400m2 with traditional architecture of wooden columns and corrugated iron roof, but this ancient pagoda contains many unique cultural and artistic values. There are nearly 2,000 large and small Buddha statues, along with sacred animals and worship objects, molded by artist Ngo Kim Tong in clay for 42 years (from 1929 to 1970). Traveling to Soc Trang, visiting Clay Pagoda, everyone admires and admires the genius who used his lifelong determination and love for Buddhism to create this miraculous work. Mr. Ngo Kim Tong is the son of Mr. Ngo Kim Dinh. When he was young, he was often sick. In 1929, when he was 20 years old, he fell seriously ill and thought he would not survive. The family had no choice but to take Mr. Tong to a mountain temple in An Giang province for treatment and to pray to God and Buddha. While taking medicine and practicing meditation and calming down, he gradually got better. Mr. Ngo Kim Tong became a monk and returned to the temple to become the fourth generation abbot, an artist who did not go to sculpting or painting classes, did not study with a formal teacher, but only through folk contemplation created amazing works. Clay sculptures have extremely rare religious historical value. The raw materials used for making statues are mainly clay, dug by Mr. Tong from fields a few kilometers away from the pagoda, brought back to dry, then put in a mortar and pounded with a pestle until smooth, filtering out all impurities and roots. trees, grass roots, take fine soil and mix it with sawdust to make incense (incense powder) and acacia acacia to create a fragrant mixture. At that time, he just started shaping the statues. The statues were smooth and not cracked. In addition, he also researched and applied support methods for sculpting statues to meet high aesthetic requirements. He used wire mesh and wooden trees to build the ribs, then used mosquito net fabric to cover it and covered it with mixed materials to make the statue. , the exterior is covered with a layer of metallic paint and varnish. Not only with his skillful and talented hands, but also with his extremely rich imagination, hundreds of large and small statues were formed without duplication. Each statue has a different look, clearly showing the spirit on each face. It is also the result of the mind of a Buddha-oriented person, the diligence, diligence, and quietness that brings sweetness to life. Mr. Ngo Kim Tong also created other works, the most prominent of which is the Da Bao tower built in 1939 when he was only 30 years old, about 4 meters high and very sophisticatedly designed. The tower has 13 floors, each floor has 16 doors, each door has a Buddha statue, in total Da Bao tower has 208 doors, 208 Buddhas and around the tower there are 156 winding dragons flying into the sky. tall, protecting the tower. Bao Toa is the second unique building built in 1940, about 2 meters high. Above there is a lotus flower with 1000 petals in an octagonal shape, below there are 16 fairies standing as attendants. The base of the tower is shaped like 4 animals of the four sacred animals (unicorn, dragon, tortoise, phoenix) and 12 unique, lively and impressive fish transformed into dragons. Looking at this tower and lotus flower as a whole, visitors will immediately think of a talented sculptor who took advantage of Buddhist teachings to create statues that speak the Buddha's meaning. In the worship space above the ceiling, there is hanging a chandelier called "Luc Long Dang" also made of clay, consisting of three peaks with 6 curved dragons symbolizing the six provinces of the Southwest region, their tails bunched together. each other, heads sticking out in all directions. The dragon's body is made entirely of clay with many delicate details, so the weight is quite heavy. At the bottom of the lamp is an upside-down lotus that radiates its petals to the altar. The lotus petals are quite thin, but according to the passage of time, Luc Long Dang has not fallen or chipped at all. This is a rare artistic masterpiece and the last work of his life. Around the pagoda, contributing to guarding the system of Buddha statues, there are many animal statues also made of clay. The most prominent and sharpest is the pair of Kim Lans holding their heads high in front of the altar in the middle of the hall, holding pearls in their mouths. The feet resting on the ball look so majestic, plus the statues of Thanh Su, Bach Ho, Long Ma,... some are gentle and some are very majestic. Clay Pagoda is not only famous for its thousands of statues made of clay, but is also known to tourists for its four rather special pairs of giant candles. In the last years of his life, he temporarily stopped making statues and cast candles to erect them in the main halls of the temple. He bought pure, unadulterated wax from Saigon many times with his trusted disciples, chopped the wax into pieces, melted it, and then "cast" the lamp. Because these lamps were too large, Mr. Ngo Kim Tong could not find a suitable mold, so he used roofing iron to make the mold. Pour wax into a large pan and cook continuously for many days until the tube was full until noon. 2 meters high. After a month, the new pairs of candles were completely dry. When the mold was removed, these pairs of lamps naturally took on the wavy shape of corrugated iron sheets. After several months of continuously doing this, he was able to cast six large candles (3 pairs). ), each weighs 200 kg, each pair is estimated to burn continuously for more than 70 years and two small candles each weigh 100 kg. The pair of candles was lit on the full moon day of July 1970 since the day Mr. Ngo Kim Tong The tree has been burning continuously for more than 40 years and nearly 1/5 of the tree remains. The works made from clay created by Mr. Ngo Kim Tong more than 60 years ago are still intact over time. However, what all tourists and scientists cannot explain is that all of the most famous and strange works in the world were created by a monk. I just finished 3rd grade at the village school and don't know anything about the art of painting.

Soc Trang

From January to December

1333 view

Chen Kieu Pagoda

Located in the Southern Khmer pagoda system in Soc Trang, Chen Kieu Pagoda is known as one of the pagodas with a "unique" architectural style that leaves a deep impression in the hearts of visitors. The outstanding feature of this temple is the walls. It is not evenly cemented, tiled or painted like other temples. The walls of this temple are covered with pieces of cups, plates, and ceramics that look very unique but extremely beautiful and aesthetically pleasing. Chen Kieu Pagoda, also known as Sa Lon Pagoda, is located in Dai Tam commune, My Xuyen district, Soc Trang province, located right on National Highway 1A, about 12 km from Soc Trang city, in the direction from Soc Trang city to Bac Lieu. The pagoda's Khmer name is Wath Sro Loun. For ease of pronunciation, the word Sro Loun is spelled Sa Lon. Sro Loun originates from the word Chro Luong - the name of a canal running along the village road that used to be near the pagoda, and that name is also used to name the pagoda. In 1815, Chen Kieu Pagoda began to be built with materials like leaves, wood, soil... like many other Khmer pagodas. During the war, under the devastation of bombs and bullets, the main hall of the pagoda was seriously damaged. In 1969, the pagoda was rebuilt according to today's architecture, including: Main hall, sala, stupa, place for prayer books, etc. During the construction process, due to lack of materials, the monks came up with an idea. The idea is to donate cups and plates from people in Phum and Soc to put on the wall. This idea not only saves construction costs but also creates impressive decorative motifs. Since then, the pagoda has also been known by the people by its second name: "Chen Kieu Pagoda". Khmer artisans cleverly took advantage of these cups and plates to decorate the walls and towers, creating a harmonious and impressive architectural work. New items are placed directly on the wall, or made into convenient fences surrounding hallways or stair handrails, while broken or chipped items are arranged and assembled into decorative patterns. fancy. The first impression when entering the temple is the three-entrance gate with three towers carved with vibrant patterns and colors in the traditional Cambodian Angkor style. Among the three towers, the middle tower stands out with a glass cage inside, enshrining a majestic sitting Buddha statue. Surrounding the pagoda is a fence decorated with the image of the dancing goddess Apsara, symbolizing peace and prosperity. On both sides of the entrance gate are two stone lion statues, facing the street as if protecting the temple. On the gate wall are the words Khmer and national language: "Sa Lon Pagoda (Chen Kieu)". Along the entrance to the pagoda are two rows of statues of the god Kayno (kerno), these are statues with the face of the fairy Apsara - symbolizing eternal beauty and the body of the god Garuda - symbolizing strength. The campus of Chen Kieu Pagoda is very large with many cool green trees, making visitors feel very comfortable. Like other Khmer pagodas, the roof of Chen Kieu Pagoda consists of 3 staggered roofs, the top roof being the smallest. At the edge of each roof layer there are decorative patterns, motifs, and traditional statues of Khmer culture, carrying the wish for peace and escape. The triangular roof is beautifully decorated like a colorful carpet exposed to the sky. The two ends of the knife on both sides are curved as if there is a spiritual communion with the savior of human souls, blessing and protecting sentient beings for peace and happiness. The most outstanding and impressive architecture on the facade of the main hall is the column heads decorated with the image of the winged goddess Kayno. These statues of the goddess Kayno are in a rising position to support the roof's fringe, creating a transition between the vertical direction of the columns and the horizontal direction of the roof. The main hall of the pagoda is spacious and airy, with 16 rows of large columns. Around the pillars are carved and embossed with images from Khmer cultural legends. On both sides of the wall are many paintings telling the story of Shakyamuni Buddha from birth until attainment of enlightenment. The walls and paintings are even more special when decorated and shaped with broken pieces of cups and plates. The worship space is a complex of 20 large and small Buddha statues, with many standing, lying, and sitting positions, arranged reasonably and artistically. The smoke of incense and the light of candles swaying with each gentle breeze make the already solemn temple even more solemn. In the middle of the courtyard of Chen Kieu Pagoda is a flagpole, with a vivid image of the Nagar snake spreading its 5 heads, referring to the legend of a snake spreading its head to protect the Buddha from the rain while he was meditating. The Nagar snake is an important decorative motif in Khmer Buddhist sculpture. The Khmer people of Soc Trang in particular and the South in general are influenced by Indian Buddhism, so Theravada Buddhism is the main religion that governs their spiritual life. That's why they only worship Shakyamuni Buddha, not other Bodhisattvas or Avalokiteshvara. Furthermore, Khmer people believe that their ancestors are snake mothers, so they worship snakes and snake images often appear in temples. Behind the pagoda is the Garden where Shakyamuni Buddha preached and entered Nirvana. This is an architectural complex consisting of many large and small Buddha statues, vividly simulating the process of birth, searching for truth, enlightenment until entering Nirvana of Buddha Shakyamuni. Chen Kieu Pagoda is a famous pagoda in Soc Trang, an indispensable spiritual pilgrimage site for the lives of people and the Khmer community. It is a sacred place for people to find peace and tranquility. Coming to Chen Kieu Pagoda, in addition to admiring the unique architecture of the pagoda, visitors also have the opportunity to learn about the culture of the Khmer people. For those who love to explore or check-in with ancient architectural works, this is an ideal place. Every corner of the temple can become an artistic background for thousands of likes, guaranteed to surprise many people when posted.

Soc Trang

From January to December

1347 view

My Phuoc Island

My Phuoc Islet with its fresh, cool climate, green trees, lush fruit in all four seasons, charming poetic scenery, generous, gentle, hospitable people... has become a green Soc Trang tourist destination. Attractive, attracting a large number of domestic and foreign tourists to visit, experience and relax. My Phuoc Islet, also known as Cong Dien Islet or Mud Dune, is located near the downstream end, down the Hau River, in the West - North, East - South direction, between the banks of the two provinces of Soc Trang and Tra Vinh, in the hamlet My Phuoc, Nhon My commune, Ke Sach district, Soc Trang province. The tip of the dune faces Hau Giang, Can Tho, the tail of the dune faces the East Sea, adjacent to Cu Lao Dung district, about 1km from the beginning of the island, about 40km from the East coast, about 25km from Soc Trang city center. If viewed from above, My Phuoc dune has an oval shape like the shape of a canoe or a cana fruit, the two ends are concave, the middle is bulging, the widest part is the section across the middle of the dune body. , diameter about 600m. My Phuoc Islet is about 5km long, with a natural area of more than 1,020 hectares, of which over 300 hectares of fruit trees are located, and currently has 540 households with more than 1,280 residents. According to the old people here, My Phuoc island was formed about 150 years ago. At first, the surface of the dune was very low, on the dune there were only mud flats, weeds, vines, some miscellaneous plants, mostly cork trees, and some wild animals and birds living. From the initial upland cultivation, people began to grow common fruit trees such as bananas, coconuts, citrus, grapefruit, sabo... and then developed other specialty orchards such as mangos, Longan, rambutan, durian, mangosteen... Perhaps because it is suitable for the soil and climate conditions, the fruits here grow very well, have a richer flavor, are more delicious and nutritious than other regions. other land. Traveling to Soc Trang to visit My Phuoc Island with its vast space and poetic rivers, you will definitely feel the cool breeze on the year-round roads lined with fruit trees. In addition, you can also participate in exciting entertainment activities such as visiting the garden, picking fruit yourself; cast nets, set nets to catch fish, pick vegetables; rowing canoes to collect cork, catching goby fish, diatoms, and catching chem carp; Fishing, bathing in the river... or making folk cakes, listening to Southern amateur music with rustic and lyrical "homegrown" folk songs, discovering rustic dishes with alcohol-based flavors such as snakehead fish boiled with wort, sour fish soup cooked with cork, snails boiled in coconut water dipped in rice... thereby understanding more about the lives of gardeners.

Soc Trang

From January to December

1389 view