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Perfume Pagoda in the Rain

Huyen Tran — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 09:42:11 +0000

On April 30, 2009 at 8am, I was one of the 12 passengers packed into a van heading towards the highway to the scenic spot— Perfume Pagoda near Hanoi, Vietnam. Today was the national holiday— the Liberation Day. So everybody was out going somewhere. There were millions of motorbikes and big buses overflowing with people and the communing in the cities was impossibly crowded. After 2 and a half hours of crazy traffic and constant horning, we finally arrived at the pier to board the flat boat up perfume river. I was asked to disguise as Vietnamese from the south, along with a real vietnamese family of 6 and the tour guide, we boarded one larger boat rowed by 2 young girls with conical hats. I was sure our other non-vietnamese passengers must have paid a much higher price for the same boat ride.

It was a typical cloudy day of Spring, with a light drizzle. The scenery was very nice. There were rounded limestone hills along the calm river where taro plants, cat tails and water morning glories grew wild. Dragonflies hovered around and laid pinkish red eggs on water reeds. Occasionally troups of ducks interrupted the calm water. We took photos and ate candies. The vietnamese talked non-stop and I just soakedup the beautiful landscape.

When we arrived to the area before going up to the Perfume Pagoda Complex, there were several eateries hanging exotic meat available for the hungry travellers. I saw a wild fox with a very long tail, a small wild pig and a couple rats. For the vegetarians, there were morning glories and wild pumpkin leaves. we climbed up some steps through stalls selling incense sticks, prayer decorations and flowers (brunches of palm flowers with q blossoms). I eyed a stall selling traditional jungle medicine and plant roots. but we were on the way up first, taking the cable car to the top of the mountain. There are only 2 girls opting for a trek up the thousands of steps which would take them an hour. Either way, you could see the lush jungle wetted by the Spring drizzle.

The main pagoda was inside a limestone cave down by about a hundred steps made of uneven stones. It was called the most beautiful cave under the southern sky. Inside, the statue of Goddess of mercy was housed in an alter in a natural setting among stalatiles and stalamites. Some of these limestone features were being worshipped for different reasons. There were the “boy” stone and the “girl” stone, and also the”gold” and “silver” stones where worshippers rubbed money on the smooth surface. We all went back down by cable car. It was important to mention that at the waiting area before getting into the cable car, the passageway was constructed like a maze ( I guess to control the crowd) so a mere 3 meter distance took almost 3 minutes to meander through and it was quite funny.

Back downhill, we had lunch in one of the eateries. Thank goodness, there were no exotic meat on the table. We were sharing a soup of wild leaves, fried onion and leeks with pork, deep-fried chicken, omlette, water morning glories wth garlic, grilled fish and rice. I bought my own bottle of passionfruit juice.

Between lunch and the time to view the second pagoda, I looked at the different roots at the medicinal store. There were unidentified roots, lots of ginger, tree barks and I recognized lots of tubers of Stephania sp. which were used to treat hyperactiveness. It has a good sedative effect when used onpatients. The tubers ranged from fist-sized to huge ones. I bought the smallest one for a dollar.

When it was the time to go back to the boat, it was really pouring. I got my unbrella and others had plastic raincoats. But it did not matter. We all got drenched as the boat is roofless. We guided downstream in the pouring rain for a solid hour. The scenery was nethertheless breathtaking. Hills from a distance were enveloped by mist and we heard nothing but the sound of rain falling onto the river.

(Source: thingsasian)

Perfume Pagoda

Huyen Tran — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 03:46:48 +0000

Perfume Pagoda is about 70 km or 2 hours driving out of Hanoi, located on the limestone rocks of Huong Son Mountain in beautiful and mystical surroundings. Unlike other temples in Vietnam, the only way to reach this sanctuary is floating along a narrow but extremely poetic stream by rowing boats that takes 45 minutes.

A boat can carry 3-5 people and a large wooden boat – up to 20 locals. The stream is edged by rice, grass, small paths, and temples here and there. A local pilgrim can spend here traditionally three days to visit entirely the area and pray at all the temples. The first temple they often stop is called Den Trinh , where Vietnamese burn the first jossticks to inform the local deities about their presence and pray for a good trip and good luck for the year ahead. If you are anxious to reach the main Wharf of Huong Son mountain to start the uphill trip to see the Main Grotto of Huong Tich, you may skip this temple, especially in the peak season between January and early April.

The uphill trip takes an hour climbing on the ancient flat and sometime slippery stones, which have been here thousand years ago. The road is “breathtaking” in all aspects – you will have some exercise, and at the same time have chance to take some stops to contemplate beautiful scenery and daily life of local farmers, who plant cassava and apricots in the valleys, who run quickly on the slippery stone with their burdens of tapioca, apricots or medicinal herbs whilst you are careful with your steps. The main pagoda is set in a huge grotto containing a highly decorative shrine. Each stalactite and stalagmite inside, which are soaked by undercurrent, is combined with a legend about its miracle and good luck. Most of them became small shrines by now. Remember that the stone grotto is huge and very cool, so stop for a while at the entrance to dry your sweat before coming in.

The main festive days of Perfume Pagoda stretch from January to early April, busy and exciting. Sometimes it’s drizzling and the Vietnamese all believe that the real good things will reach you if you catch rainwater after praying in a sacred pagoda. And among all the sacred temples and pagodas in Northern Vietnam, Chua Huong is even more attractive and mysterious not only for its spectacular scenery, but for the painstaking road you passed over to reach to the top.

Perfume Pagoda festival

Thanh Vu — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 07:04:12 +0000

Approximately 70 kilometers southwest of Ha Noi, Huong Son boasts quite a few pagodas built in the Posterior Le Dynasty. Until the beginning of the 20th century, there have over 100 pagodas. Visitors can go to Huong Son via the Ha Dong – Van Dinh route.

Vietnamese or foreigners alike wish to come to Huong Son in springtime. Heading there tourists come to a magnificent land, a famous beauty spot in Vietnam.

Going boating in Yen Stream, visitors get a stunning view of the landscape in springtime. Here lies Ngu Nhac Mountain, there stand Hoi Bridge, Dun and Voi Phuc (Prostrating Elephant) mountains. Then come Thuyen Rong (Dragon Boat) and Con Phuong (Phoenix) mountains, not to mention various other mountains named after their shape like Ong Su (Buddhist Monk), Ba Vai (Buddhist nun), Mam Xoi (Tray of Sticky Rice), Trong (Drum), or Chieng (Gong).

At Trinh Temple visitors stop to burn incense and present to the Mountain Deity before going on their journey to Ba Cave. In front of the cave spreads a land with magnificent beauty. Leaving Ba Cave, tourists go to Tro Wharf, the starting point for the trekking up the mountain. Thien Tru Pagoda is the first destination. Known as the Kitchen of Heaven, it boasts Thien Thuy – a tower-like natural rock, and Vien Cong Tower an exquisite terracotta architectural structure dated back to the 17th century. On the right of the pagoda stands Tien Son Grotto, housing five statues carved out of stone and many stalactites and stalagmites which can be used as musical instruments.

To reach Huong Tich Grotto one go past a winding path paved with slabs of stone nature has smoothed. Alongside the path visitors has a chance to feast their eyes on stunning landscapes. In the 18th century, upon coming here Lord Trinh Sam had the words “The most beautiful grotto under the Southern sky” chiselled above the mouth of the grotto. Pushing into its belly, visitors get a spectacular view. Many stalactites and stalagmites are named after their shape: Rice Pile, Money Pile, Gold Tree, Silver Tree to name but a few. Inside there are statues of King’s Father, Queen, Avalokitesvara, and so on. Noteworthy is the Cuu Long structure with nine dragons flanking from above.

There are many interesting pagodas, caves and grottoes in Huong Son. Among them include Long Van, Tuyet Son, Hinh Bong, and so forth. The Ong Bay (Sung Sam) Cave, 2km from Long Van Pagoda, still retains traces of ancient people some tens of thousands of years ago.

Unlike any other places, Huong Pagoda harmonizes the characters of a Buddhist architectural complex with the impressive natural beauty. Coming here, tourists have chances to live in a boisterous atmosphere of a spring festival amidst beautiful landscape. They seem to be free from all tiredness and sorrow and come to pay respect to the compassionate Buddha.

Perfume Pagoda festival

Hảo Nguyễn — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:35:01 +0000

Vietnamese or foreigners alike wish to come to Huong Son in springtime. Heading there tourists come to a magnificent land, a famous beauty spot in Vietnam.

Source: ODC Travel