Vĩnh Trà ng Temple
Vĩnh Trà ng Temple is a Buddhist temple near Mỹ Tho in the Mekong Delta region of southern Vietnam. It is one of the best-known temples in the region.[1]
The temple stands on a 2 hectares (5 acres) block filled with fruit trees in the village of Mỹ Hóa in the town of Mỹ Phong, on the banks of the Bảo Äịnh canal.[1]

In the middle of the 19th century, the temple came into being through the endeavours of the district chief Bùi Công Äạt, who organised its erection. He recruited the monk ThÃch Từ Lâm from Bá»u Lâm Temple to preside over VÄ©nh Trà ng. Following the death of Bùi Công Äạt, ThÃch Huệ Äăng presided over the remainder of the construction phase and the temple was completed in 1850.[1]
Between 1859 and 1862, French colonial forces battled the army of the Nguyá»…n Dynasty of Emperor Tá»± Äức. The French army prevailed and Tá»± Äức ceded three southern provinces to become the colony of Cochinchina. In the fighting, VÄ©nh Trà ng was seriously damaged. The successor of ThÃch Huệ Äăng was ThÃch Thiện Äá», and he oversaw the reconstruction efforts. After his death, the temple fell into disuse.[1]
In 1890, ThÃch Trà Chánh was recruited from Sắc tứ Linh Thứu Temple to become the abbot of the temple. The new abbot hailed from Mỹ Tho and was a disciple of ThÃch Minh PhÆ°á»›c. In 1895, ThÃch Chánh Háºu organised a complete renovation of the temple. In 1904, the temple was ravaged in a large tropical storm, requiring a major rebuilding in 1907. ThÃch Chánh Háºu presided as the abbot for 33 years until his death in 1923. His successor ThÃch Minh Äà n, organised further renovations including the main triple gate, main ceremonial hall and the patriarch hall.[1]
The main triple gate was built in 1933 through the labour of craftsmen recruited from the imperial capital in Huế, central Vietnam. The central gate is made from steel, while the two side gates are made from concrete and styled akin to a historical fortress. The triple gate has an upper level with another large gate on top. On the right is the statue of ThÃch Chánh Háºu and on the left is a statue of ThÃch Minh Äà n. Both sculptures were made of statue and were made by Nguyá»…n Phi Hoanh. The front of the temple is designed in a style that mixes European and Asian architecture.[1]
In the main hall of the temple, there are multiple statues of various Buddhas including Amitabha Buddha, Gautama Buddha, various arahants and bodhisattvas. There are also statues of ThÃch Chánh Háºu and ThÃch Minh Äà n. The three oldest statues in the temple are those of Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara and Äại Thế Chà bodhisattva, which are made of bronze. However, the statue of Avalokiteshvara has been lost for a long time, so a wooden replacement was made. There is also a statue of the Jade Emperor, roughly the size of a real human.[1]
The statues of 18 arahants are carved from wood and were made in 1907 by a group of southern craftsmen. Each statue is approximately 80 centimetres (31 in) tall and 58 centimetres (23 in) in width.[1]
The garden of the temple is decorated with many pot plants and are tended to on a regular basis. Under the shade of one tree is the stupa of ThÃch Chánh Háºu, in which his ashes are interred.[1]
The temple is currently the office of the board of the provincial Buddhist Association of Tiá»n Giang Province. It is a major provincial destination for tourists and pilgrims.[1]
References
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