Covering an area of 12.5 ha in Nham Son commune, Yen Dung District, the building will house a main chamber, costing some VND27 billion ($1.3 million), with funds raised by Buddhists, businesses and charity organisations, both inside and outside of the province.— File Photo

BAC GIANG (VNS)— Construction of the Truc Lam Phuong Hoang Zen Monastery, a national spiritual and cultural project, began yesterday in the northern province of Bac Giang.

Covering an area of 12.5 ha in Nham Son commune, Yen Dung District, the building will house a main chamber, costing some VND27 billion ($1.3 million), with funds raised by Buddhists, businesses and charity organisations, both inside and outside of the province.

The project is expected to promote the development of the spiritual and cultural tourism industry, along with renowned pagodas, historic relics and tourist attractions across the country, such as Vinh Nghiem pagoda, where 3,050 Buddhist wood blocks, recognised as a Memory of the World by UNESCO, are preserved.

The Truc Lam Phuong Hoang monastery will also serve as a location for researching and preserving bibliographies and dharma materials of Buddhism and the Truc Lam Zen sect. — VNS