Bảo tàng lịch sử Quốc gia

While realizing the program of archaeological exploration serving to the reparation and construction of the buddhist complex Truc Lam Tue Duc, the Service of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the province of Vinh Phuc, in coordination with the National Museum of Vietnamese History, has undertaken the study and exploration of the foundation of the ancient pagoda Kim Ton as well as the surroundings, as a basis to realize the bigger excavation in the future.

According to the tradition, the pagoda – tower Kim Ton has been built towards the end of the Ly, the beginning of the Tran. After a long time of existence, the pagoda and the tower have fallen into ruins. After the indications of the local population, we have explored the domain “Doi chua”, considered as the place of situation of the pagoda – tower Kim Ton. “Doi chua” is one of the low hills at the foot of the mountain Hinh Nhan. The hill has a rather spacious plane, coming up to thousands of m², turned towards the lake of “strayed ox” in face, now covered by the vegetal carpet. Since the utilization of the soil by the local population is constantly changing, “Doi chua” has a long past of plantation of short-life industrial planbts and of pluri-annual plants. During this time, vestiges of architectural construction have appeared. Most numerous are materials of construction, comprising bricks (pavement bricks, decorated with chrysanthemums, of peony, rectangular bricks, covering bricks decorated with dragons, lotus… ), tiles (panel tiles, tiles with simple and double lotus petals, corner tiles), architectural decorations (decorations with multilayer lotus petals, with sinusoidal garlands, coverings decorated with dragons and clouds…). Through the sucession of models and of decorations, of colours and materials (fine clay, dark red), one can conclude that they are architectural materials of the time of Tran. Moreover, one has found certain forms in material of limestone and sandstone, currently used in the times of Ly and Tran. One finds too pieces of ceramics and chinaware, dating from the 13^th and 14^th centuries.

Pieces of materials and decorations of the times of Le and Nguyen (17^th, 18^th and 19^th centuries) are more rare. However, such pieces seem to be concentrated at the south of Doi Chua.

The plane of this architectural construction of Doi Chua as well as the pieces of materials and other vestiges can be the material traces remaining of the pagoda – tower Kim Ton reported by the local population. To answer this question and to restore an architectural construction during its existence with its extent and itd relative problems, one must absolutely explore and undertake the archaeological excavation of the domain. It is a scientific requirement in order to determine the historical and cultural value of a famous architectural construction, as well as a requirement of the material and spiritual life of the population of the region.