Bong Lai Temple, Hoa Binh
Are you a person who loves the peaceful, sacred space in Vietnamese temples and pagodas? Spending half of day at Bong Lai temple, Hoa Binh, you won’t be disappointed.
Not only does Hoa Binh have the poetic Mai Chau valley or unique specialties of forests and mountains but the place also attracts visitors by the spiritual tourism with many temples and pagodas on Mai Chau Ninh Binh tour. Of which, Bong Lai temple is one of the most famous and sacred here that you should experience once. Let’s find out what makes it worth everyone’s concern.
Where is Bong Lai temple?
From Area 3, Cao Phong town, Cao Phong district, Hoa Binh province, you can catch the appearance of Bong Lai temple on the foot of Dau Rong (Dragon Head) mountain.
About 10km south of Hoa Binh city, the temple worships Co Doi Thuong Ngan – a disciple of Mother Goddess of Forest and spirits of Four Realms according to the beliefs of Vietnamese people.
The temple was in construction in 1890 and restoration in 2013 on an area of over 5,000 square meters to meet the religious needs of many people and tourists.
The architecture of Bong Lai temple
Inside the temple
Through the temple’s three-door gate, there is a large yard with two rows of “dai vu” houses on the two sides.
The front shrine of the temple consists of 3 compartments decorated with many reliefs, horizontal lacquered boards, and parallel sentences, etc. The temple’s back shrine is the place to worship Three Mother Goddesses (Gods of Heaven, Forest, and Water) and Co Doi Thuong Ngan.
Now, Bong Lai Temple also preserves some valuable antiquities such as ancient bells dated in the reign of King Thanh Thai (1889-1907) and two genie ordinance records of kings.
Bong Lai temple worships Three Mother Goddesses and Co Doi Thuong Ngan
The peaceful natural scenery of Bong Lai temple
Not only standing out with the beautiful architecture but Bong Lai Temple also attracts visitors by quiet space and immense green color of the North-Western mountains.
Behind the temple, there is the altar of Shakyamuni Buddha and the interesting cave system, typically Hoa Son Thach, Khong Day, Phong Son, and Long Son caves, etc. All make the scenery like the fairyland.
Hoa Son Thach cave
Bong Lai temple festivals
Bong Lai Temple has 4 main festivals in the year, including Spring Festival (the 14th day of the first lunar month), Co Doi’s Feast Festival (the 2nd day of the second lunar month), Summer Festival (the 14th day of the fourth lunar month), and End-year Festival (the 14th day of the twelfth lunar month).
Bong Lai temple and the landscape ensemble in Dau Rong mountain have been recognized as National Landscape Site since 2012.
The unique combination of the temple with magnificent architecture and cave complex at Dau Rong mountain has created a beautiful landscape. On Tet holidays, there is a considerable number of tourists coming here to worship and visit. If you plan on trekking to Mai Chau, don’t forget to pass by this particular spot. For further information, feel free to contact us. Thank you.