Linh Phuoc Pagoda: Mosaic Buddhist Temple in Dalat City

Linh Phuoc Pagoda (Vietnamese: Chùa Linh Phước or Chùa Ve Chai) is one of the most famous Sightseeing Spots, and is the Best Buddhist Temple in Dalat Vietnam, with the typical design of Asian identity of Mosaic. It boasts a perfect combination of temples and pagodas of Eastern architecture. As a result, for many years, Linh Phuoc Pagoda has always been a spiritual attraction to both domestic and foreign tourists.

• Location: No. 120 Tu Phuoc, Trai Mat village, Ward 11, Da Lat City, Lam Dong province
• Opening Hours: from 08:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. every day
• Entrance Fee: Free of Charge
• Dress Code: Decent Clothes

History of Linh Phuoc Pagoda in Dalat:

Linh Phuoc Pagoda in Dalat took four years to build, from 1949 to 1952. It is known that the pagoda was first built by a number of monks, nuns and Buddhists from Thua Thien – Hue Province in Central Vietnam. When it was just completed, the temple was little known.

The primary materials to build pagoda are fragments of porcelain, glass, and pottery. It was under the control of four monks, Thich Minh The (1951 – 1954), Thich An Hoa (1954 – 1956), Thich Quang Phat (1956 – 1959), Thich Minh Duc (1959 – 1985). From 1985 to present, Thich Tam Vi has been managing the pagoda. He also is the one who restored the site in 1990.

What to See & Do in Linh Phuoc Pagoda?

Linh Phuoc Pagoda in Da Lat attracting many religious believers as well as local and international tourist with some best records of the country. Check out the impressive national records only at the Mosaic Pagoda:

•  The temple is made with the most pieces of earthenware.
• The tallest concrete indoor Buddha statue in Vietnam.
• Vietnam's largest star wooden reflector.
• A set of tables and chairs made of Sao wood, carved with 12 largest animals in Vietnam.
• The largest wooden star statue of King Kong Tuoc in Vietnam.
• The statue of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara is made of 600,000 Immortal flowers.
• The tallest bell tower in Vietnam.
• The root of the Tram tree contains the largest set of sutras in Vietnam.
• The architectural work recreates the scene of Muc Lien finding her mother through the 18 largest hell floors in Vietnam.
• Song Tung Bach Hac - a work of art that has set a Vietnamese record.
• The tallest wooden statue of Bodhidharma in Vietnam.

Praying at Dai Hong Chung Chime:

A rotation of the bell represents a season in the year. We highly recommend you turn it based on the season you are in, write down your wish on the part of yellow paper, glue it on the bell and tinkle the chime three times to deliver the message to the Buddha. It would bring you good luck if you did this spiritual ritual in the pagoda.

Discovering the Hell on Your Own:

The second thing is to go to the inferno by yourself. With the scenes illustrating the details of the inferno with sounds and lights, and the story of Maudgalyayana finding her mother, you will feel as if you are lost in the real hell under the earth. Going there alone will help you acquire the most apparent feeling. The best time to do it is the low season, or early mornings and late afternoons when there are not so many tourists.

Architecture & Structure of Pagoda:

Splendid mosaics cover the whole stunning shrine. People in Da Lat often call it the pagoda of Ve Chai, or glass bottle, as there is a dragon carefully made from 12.000 the type of container. It has a length of 49 meters, imposingly standing at the entrance gate.

In front of the pagoda, the very first thing appearing in the eyes of visitors is a bell tower with a height of 37 meters, seen as the highest in the city. Additionally, pillars in the shape of flying dragons are diligently carved. What makes numerous tourists surprised is that builders made those pillars from glass fragments. Furthermore, they are able to learn more about the myth of the Buddha Sakyamuni through 12 enameled sculptures, of which the statue of Sakyamuni in the middle, is the most eye-catching.

In the main hall, the highlight is two lines of cobblestone mosaics and sophisticated reliefs about the stories of the Shakyamuni and Lotus Sutras. Besides, the art of tile is shown on the ceilings, walls, and designs of legendary creatures. The meticulous workers did their excellent job of inlaying thousands of tiny parts of broken ceramic, glass, and terracotta. At the back, there is a site to worship 18 Arhats and 10 Bulls, as well as the statues of Bodhidharma. Through the times, all of them remain their striking pulchritude.

The immense architecture must be the 4.3-meter-high bell, or Dai Hong Chung, in the second level of the tower. Dai Hong Chung has the four words, ‘Linh Phuoc Tu Chung’, Buddhist statues, and the landscapes of One Pillar Pagoda (Hanoi), Thien Mu Pagoda (Hue), Linh Phuoc Pagoda, and Bodh Gaya Tower (India) sculptured on it. Thanks to the contribution of both national and foreign travelers and the continuous work of skillful Hue artists for a year, the bell with classical harmonic features has left tourists with a deep impression about the pagoda.

Its quite impressive weight, 8.500 kilograms, used to make the bell become the heaviest one in Vietnam. However, at present, the chime in Bai Dinh Pagoda (Ninh Binh Province) is on the first ranking. Next to the bell, there is a gilded statue of Bodhisattva ornamented with more than 600.000 colorful blossoms.

The accommodation of the monks is on the right of the pagoda. The three-floor building consists of a semicircular lotus pond, rooms for monks, a big living room, and a library. You can also see the place for worshiping and the Long Hoa flower garden. The campus at the pagoda is not quite large, so most of the sightseeing time relies on the time you want to contemplate the details and step the stairs. If you go with a group of people, make sure to catch up with them, as the pagoda is a stop of many bus routes.

How to Get to Linh Phuoc Pagoda:

Situated in the Northeast of Dalat city, distance to Linh Phuoc pagoda is about 8 kilometers to reach from Dalat city center. Heading to the land, the tranquil scene, and the distinctive design of the temple will definitely make you overwhelmed. There are 03 easy ways to get to the pagoda.

• Take a motorbike taxi (from 80,000 VND to 120,000 VND per day), or a car, (about 1,000,000 VND) from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. By renting and driving on your own, you can stop at any beautiful destinations on the way to the pagoda.
• Go by local public bus: To get to Linh Phuoc Pagoda in Dalat, you can take a bus in the inner city. Choose a bus with a journey from Hoa Binh Bus Station to Xuan Truong. This bus route often passes through many tourist attractions including Linh Phuoc Pagoda. You only need to spend from 4,000 VND to 30,000 VND to go from the city center.
• Take a train at 170,000 VND for a round trip. Each journey takes only 25 minutes, from Da Lat railway station to Trai Mat village. Then, you can easily walk to the pagoda. The reason why visitors like to catch a train to Linh Phuoc is that the train moves slowly enough for them to enjoy the lush greenery and fantastic landscapes from the mean of transport.

Adventure Journey

See Also:

• Dalat Vietnam Travel Guide - Things You Need to Know
• Best Things to Do and Places to Visit in Da Lat Vietnam