A major icon of Danang City in Central Vietnam is the statue of Lady Buddha; the tallest statue in the entire country of Vietnam! Although Alex isn't a fan of religious abodes, I managed to drag him along. Arrival at the temple compound, known as Chùa Linh Ứng Buddhist Temple, via GRAB. The driver would ask if you need a return ride but I declined since I didn't want to be fixated on the timing, and prefer to explore without any constraint. Temple rules above, with a directory that's in Vietnamese.
Furthermore, it was a huge complex at about 20 hectares (200,000 square meters) big; that's about 400 meters by 500 meters! Only problem; we visited on a hot, hot day!
The many beautiful Buddhist statues in the halls, which are common in many Buddhist temples, which I am quite accustomed to seeing in Asia. Some of them have really nice backdrops, like the one with the clouds. Just note that those wearing sleeveless or shorts are required to cover up in the halls, using the sarong provided by the temple.
Spotted this absolutely gorgeous puppy that was caged up! As it was under direct sun, I was worried of its safety. Turned out he was temporarily left out to dry after a shower.
Just a few meters away, the mommy (they looked so alike, like a dachshund mix) was standing guard. Guess she would also help to ensure the puppy's safety and as a Buddhist temple! It was surprisingly much cooler in the temple halls as the outdoors were scorching hot, and there wasn't any wind even though we were at a higher elevation.
How old do you think this Chùa Linh Ứng Buddhist Temple is? There were a total of three Chùa Linh Ứng Buddhist Temples in Danang; one at Bana Hills, another at Marble Mountains and this one at Son Tra Peninsula is the youngest, at a teenage age of just 15 years old!
Good to be the youngest though. Built in 2004 and completed in 2010, the temple compound was filled with manicured gardens, dozens of exquisite bonsai, sculpted plants, statues, and a pretty uniformed architecture that didn't appear messy, and out of place.
Main temple archway and had a spectacular view of Danang. I noted the words bai but, which means "The Land of Buddha". There's a myth to the name.
During the reign of Emperor Minh Mang (1820 to 1839), "a Buddha statue drifted to the sandbank of Son Tra Peninsula. Believing that this was an auspicious sign, the local fishermen built a shrine to worship Buddha. Since then, the waves of the sea became calmer". More photographs of the main archway / entrance, including the ferocious stone dragons flanking the stairs, baring their sharp teeth at intruders and unwelcome visitors!
The first dog was, very well-fed. I am unsure but the canines in the temple seemed to be good-tempered. Not a bark from them and they had this chill, relaxed vibe surrounding them.
Paragliders! I am aware of this extreme sports activity at Son Tra Peninsula, and actually intended to participate in it in my most recent trip. But I chickened out, just like TACO!
A few more statues for your reference, including one of the monkey king! Even though Vietnamese are not Chinese, there are cultural similarities given their proximity.
While there were a number of informative stones lying around, their target audience was the locals since over 90% were in Vietnamese! I can only thank the translate apps to give some context, regardless of how bad they are.
On our way to Vietnam's tallest statue! Do note the lady buddha's back, where there seemed to be access panels for fire safety. I was more puzzled with the numerous holes that appeared be pin-holes in comparison to the size of the statue. What is their purpose?
Random photographs; the top two were memorial pagodas I guess.
Side views of Lady Buddha; now, although we have been talking about lady buddha, those familiar with Buddhism would know that she was based on Guanyin Bodhisattva, more widely known as the Goddess of Mercy.
Details on the Lady Buddha statue,
The frills of the robe, and the holes I mentioned earlier.
View of Lady Buddha in her fully glory! It was said that ever since the completion of this temple, a triangular protection boundary connecting all three Linh Ứng Buddhist temples has formed; greatly reducing damages from the annual typhoon season.
If you wish to have a great picture with the Lady Buddha, you can engage the services from th onsite photographers, where a picture shall cost you 50,000 Vietnamese dong, about S$2.50.
Stepping into Lady Buddha for a closer look. Interestingly, the interior stood in contrast from the white stone exterior, with many pillars painted in wood-grain. I figured it's to complement the maroon colored tiles.
As usual, I had to go to the back, in search of an access point to the upper levels. According to some web accounts, there are a total of 17 floors (a strange number) and each of them houses 21 Buddha statues, with one source mentioning there's a 2-meter tall Buddha statue on the top floor.
Sadly, the staircase was padlocked. :(
Eerie? This would have been weird since we should be under some kind of religious protection. Anyway, I read that the upper levels used to be open. So what happened? Anyone knows?
Walking straight out, all the way, towards the viewpoint for Danang. And walking the way back. I should have taken the opportunity to take a video but the heat was killing me! I should have joined the ladies and hid in the ground floor of Lady Buddha. Aside from the cool interior, even the flooring was cold to the touch.
Usually, the four heavenly kings would be placed around a tower but in this case, the structure was more a memorial and from the translation app, I think the facings represent the tenets of Buddhism.
Although this area gave the impression that it was quite far away, it wasn't separate from Chùa Linh Ứng Buddhist Temple! Let's check it out too! p.s. Alex wasn't too happy. He learnt his lesson and for our second trip to Danang, he opted not to join my mom and I!
A building we strolled past had a Buddha statue that would have been more suitable for a Thai temple! In case some of you aren't aware, Thailand's Buddhism has elements of Hinduism.
There was a garden with statues of kneeling monks surrounding a statue of Siddhartha Gautama that was in front of a large tree. Dotted around the tree were also statues of deer.
Tower with a sleeping Buddha in front. Unlike the main section of Linh Ứng Buddhist Temple, many visitors would likely give this a miss if time is tight. As mentioned earlier, many might also assume this was under another temple. Another viewpoint! Some would argue that the placement of the Lady Buddha was intended to face Danang City, so that she can help protect and bring prosperity to Vietnam's fifth largest city. Dragon and lion statues even more fierce looking here.
Tháp Xá Lợi - a stupa tower said to contain relics of Buddha! What stood out for me was the use of grey walls and green roof tiles, when the conventional color would likely be white / red with yellow roof tiles.
Again, in search of the entrance for the upper levels, to find it locked just like Lady Buddha a while earlier. Hm..... why?! I bet the view upstairs would have been breathtaking! Oh well, not all visitors are well behaved.
Decorative stone plaques placed across the stone vents; I initially thought it would be the same image of Siddhartha Gautama but turned out there were other buddhas! According to Theravada Buddhism, there were 28 buddhas but it could be more in the two other branches; Mahayana, and Vajrayana.
Alex was happy just sitting on the cold floor, and guarding my bag while I explored on my own. That's one of the benefits of not travelling alone; someone to take care of my belongings!
Time to leave the cooling refuge. After this visit, I thought I would be more prepared for my next visit to Chùa Linh Ứng Buddhist Temple. I told my mom to wear light and even bought an expensive Jisulife Ultra fan for her. Alas, the temperature was even hotter than expected!
Waiting for our GRAB car at the carpark.
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472H+435 Vườn Lâm Tỳ Ni, Hoàng Sa,
Thọ Quang, Sơn Trà, Đà Nẵng, Vietnam
Map
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