Cuong Xa Pagoda is a highly significant structure in Hai Duong Province since aside from its religious character, it is also a symbol of beauty because of its distinctive architecture. As such, it is frequented by thousands of pilgrims and tourists every year.
Cuong Xa Pagoda, also known as Quynh Khau Pagoda or Jade Mound Pagoda, is situated 80 kilometres from Hanoi, Cuong Xa, Hai Tan Commune. It is one of the oldest pagodas in Vietnam dating back as far back as between the 1st and 3rd centuries. Since it is already a hundred years old, it went through a number of renovations through a long period of time.
The first rehabilitation was in the 17th century during the reign of King Le Vinh To. In 1946, the local residents themselves repaired their religious icon after it was severely damaged by the war. In 2009, the Head of Cuong Xa Pagoda Venerable Thich Thanh Cuong ordered a reconstruction and enlarged the pagoda to more than 360 square metres of area.
Image by: http://www.vietnamtourism.com/
This April 2016, a hall was added to the pagoda for the purpose of worshipping Buddha, Buddhist teaching and Shangha. It is built from stone and designed with 18 pillars made of iron wood. Each pillar is one metre in perimeter, 8 metres high and weighs 1.7 tons. In the first row of the hall are the statues of Amida Buddha, the Goddess of Mercy, and the Great Bodhisattva. The statue of Kuan Yin can be found in the second row with its thousand eyes and hands. In the third row, the statue of Sakyamuni Buddha stands made of white stone and weighing 6.6 tons. The fourth row consists of the Cuu Long Tower which is made of bronze. The seven statues of Bhaijyaguru Buddha can be found in the fifth row, a symbol of peace and good weather for people and whole nation of Vietnam.
Cuong Xa Pagoda will continue to draw visitors from all over the world because of its uniquely strong impact of religious symbolism and aesthetic beauty. People who visit the place find a certain kind of peace from worshipping Buddha as well as appreciating the beauty of the physical structure.