Opening performance at the seminar
The conference was attended by delegates including: Venerable Thich Duc Thien, PhD - Vice Chairman and General Secretary of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha; Venerable Thich Giac Dat - Abbot of Bach Mon Pagoda; leaders of the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee, and the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Representing Tien Du district were Mr. Nguyen Duong Bac - Standing Deputy Secretary of the District Party Committee and Mr. Nguyen Dai Dong - Deputy Secretary of the District Party Committee and Chairman of the People's Committee. From the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, were Prof. Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan - Rector of the university; Dr. Le Thi Thanh Tam - Head of the Department of Vietnamese Studies and Vietnamese Language, along with representatives from relevant departments/faculties/institutes.
Venerable Thich Giac Dat – Abbot of Bach Mon Pagoda, Head of the Executive Board of the Buddhist Association of Tien Du District, Bac Ninh Province
Speaking at the seminar, Venerable Thich Giac Dat – Abbot of Bach Mon Pagoda – shared about the history and importance of Bach Mon Pagoda: Bach Mon Pagoda, whose official name is Linh Cam Temple, is built on the slopes of Long Kham Mountain. It is an ancient temple built during the Ly Dynasty, a cultural heritage with a rich history of religious beliefs. It was once a place where members of the Ly royal family, the Le kings, and the Trinh lords came to visit, practice meditation, and pray for national peace and prosperity. With its unique structure, rarely found in other temples, and possessing many historically valuable artifacts, Bach Mon Pagoda deserves to be a special national monument, representing Bac Ninh and Kinh Bac – the cradle and center of Buddhism in Vietnam.
Professor Hoang Anh Tuan, Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, delivered a speech at the opening session of the conference.
Accordingly, Professor Hoang Anh Tuan, Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, also emphasized that Buddhism has always played an important role in the two thousand years of its existence and development, closely associated with and accompanying the Vietnamese nation. In particular, Bach Mon Pagoda – with its rich history of formation and development and its architectural and cultural value – has contributed significantly to the historical and cultural values of Buddhism in the Kinh Bac region in particular and Vietnam in general.
Based on existing research, the Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, in collaboration with the Executive Board of the Vietnam Buddhist Association of Tien Du District, Bac Ninh Province, and the Tran Nhan Tong Institute of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, organized a scientific conference: “Architecture and Culture of Bach Mon Pagoda in the History of Buddhism in Bac Ninh - Kinh Bac.” With nearly 30 research reports presented in two sessions: Archaeology, inscriptions and architecture of Bach Mon Pagoda; and Preservation and promotion of the Buddhist heritage value of Bach Mon Pagoda, the conference will contribute to affirming the established values, honoring the achievements of our ancestors, and promoting the position of Vietnamese Buddhism in the future.
Associate Professor Dr. Dinh Khac Thuan – Institute of Han Nom Studies presented the paper: “The stele commemorating the restoration of Linh Cam Pagoda and the Bach Mon deity”.
Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thanh Tung shared his thoughts on the paper: "Some opinions on the original name and image origin of Bach Mon Pagoda".
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dinh Hong Hai introduces "The Mandala Architecture of Bach Mon Pagoda from a Comparative Perspective".At the conclusion of the seminar, Associate Professor Dr. Dinh Khac Thuan - Institute of Han Nom Studies, on behalf of the presiding officer, summarized the seminar and highlighted some development directions for Bach Mon Pagoda in the coming years with the following content:
- Restore Bach Mon Pagoda according to the architecture of the 18th and early 19th centuries and standardize the name Bach Mon Pagoda;
- The implementation of the restoration of Bach Mon Pagoda will continue to be discussed in depth at seminars and workshops in the coming time;
- The results of the workshop will be selected and published for widespread dissemination among Buddhists and local people, contributing to promoting the positive values of Buddhism for the locality in particular and the country in general in the current period.
Here are some photos from the workshop:
