Viet Nam News
THANH HOA — Scientists have gathered more evidence of a 14th-century Buddhism centre in an excavation at Am Cac Pagoda, Tinh Gia District in the central province of Thanh Hoa.
The pagoda was built under the Tran Dysnaty.
It reached its peak under the Le Trung Hung Dynasty in the 18th century as a Buddhist centre of the area, the researchers revealed. Over time, the pagoda was destroyed. A new pagoda was built at the site few years ago.
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| A modern pagoda was built where the ancient one once stood. |
Scientists from the Institute of Citadel Studies, part of the Viet Nam Social Sciences Academy, have excavated a total area of 543sq.m at the site.
They found remnants of a workshop producing building materials and gathered thousands of ceramic objects that helped them determine the exact dates the site was active.
Scientists noted that the pagoda was formed in 14th century, shortly after the formation of the independent Dai Viet nation. Buddhism was flourishing in the area starting in the 10th century.
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| Traces of various building materials were found in a workshop at the site. |
According to Bui Minh Tri, director of the institute, ancient documents mentioned Am Cac Mountain but scientists have not found any written clues on Am Cac Pagoda.
Researcher Tran Van Thuc, from the Thanh Hoa College of Culture, Sports and Tourism said a group of researchers will go to China to search for more ancient documents concerning the founding, history and cultural value of the pagoda.
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| Researchers at the site. |
The pagoda is situated in Cac Mountain, 500 metres above sea level, overlooking the southeast sea of Thanh Hoa Province. The pagoda used to be surrounded by jungle.
Scientists asked concerned agencies to do further research at the site to complete a dossier to propose recognising the site as a national historic and landscape site.
Local authorites also intend to devise a plan to preserve and develop the site into a spiritual and tourism site with a total area of 300ha. — VNS