The group of sites of the temple and pagoda of Ba Tam is situated in the commune of Duong Xa, district of Gia Lam, suburb of Hanoi. The group is 20km from the center of Hanoi to the east. From the center of Hanoi, one passes through the bridge Chuong Duong, and by following the national road nr 5 in the direction of Haiphong about 8km, one arrives to the commune of Duong Xa. The group is situated on the left, quite near the national road.
The group of sites of the temple and pagoda of Ba Tam is situated in the commune of Duong Xa, district of Gia Lam, suburb of Hanoi. The group is 20km from the center of Hanoi to the east. From the center of Hanoi, one passes through the bridge Chuong Duong, and by following the national road nr 5 in the direction of Haiphong about 8km, one arrives to the commune of Duong Xa. The group is situated on the left, quite near the national road.
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According to written documents and popular legend, the group of sites of the temple and Pagoda of Ba Tam has been constructed at the beginning of the dynasty of Ly. The creation of the site is linked with the first Lady, Qween Mother Y Lan, a eminent personage of the dynasty of Ly. The chronicles said that Qween Y Lan is very strong in administration (twice chief of the country), bringing consensus to the whole people, peace to the country, and has been named Phat Ba Quan Am by the buddhist people. The legends about her are spread on a cultural historical region of the old Kinh Bac country. The people gave her the name of Ba Tam, which is a personification of indulgence, of largess and of lucky things.
She has had constructed a great number of famous pagodas and towers (more than 100) such as pagoda Dam, 1086 (Que Vo, Bac Ninh), the single- roofed pagoda of Hoang Xa, 1099 (Quoc Oai, Ha Tay), the pagoda Phat Tich, 1100 (Tien Son, Bac Ninh), the pagoda Bao An, 1100 (Dong Son, Thanh Hoa), the tower Chuong Son, 1108 (Y Yen, Nam Dinh). At her natal country, the village Tho Loi has been changed in village Sieu Loai. In 1115, she has had constructed the pagoda Linh Nhan Tu Phuc Tu (Ba Tam is the commonly used name). Towards 1117, at the death of Y Lan, the temple dedicated to her has been constructed. Until now, the temple-pagoda Ba Tam is a worshipping altar for Buddha and also a place of worship of the regional population. During its existence, the temple-pagoda Ba Tam is constantly repaired, restored and completed with new constructions. The steles show us that during the XVI, XVII and XVIII centuries, the ladies Trinh have many a times subscribed to the population of the communes of Duong Xa and Duong Nguyen to repair the pagoda.
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The group of the temple-pagoda Ba Tam was initially constructed on a high and wide hill at the right bank of the well-known river Thien Duc (at the left bank is located the pagoda Bao An of the dynasty of Tran, closely linked with the hermit life of king Tran Nhan Tong). During its existence, the site has suffered many changes and now it remains the pagoda, the temple, the worshipping house of the lady and certain neighbouring constructions. Though the constructions be recent (the temple is constructed at the beginning of the XX
th century, the pagoda about at the years 1980), they have always been a sacred place, the sacred character of which appears clearly in feasts organized on the 19/2 and the 5/7 of each lunar year. According to the population, the feasts of Ba Tam have a very great extent, comprising not only Duong Xa and Duong Nguyen, but also all the region stretching from Phu Thi to Van Lam (Hung Yen).
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Now, the pagoda has preserved precious vestiges reflecting the history and the existence, the reparations and restorations of the site… It is to be noted two lion statues (altar) with very large dimensions, a wall with steps decorated with crocodiles, phoenix, chrysanthemums, well-known by researchers, as well as vestiges of ceramics of architectural decoration of the period of Ly, now preserved at the site (see fig.). Besides, are discovered many steles of the periods of Le and Nguyen (1 stele of year Duong Hoa 7 – 1641, 1 stele of the year Hoang Dinh 17 -1617; 2 steles of year Duc Long 7 – 1635; 1 stele of year Bao Dai 18 – 1943) and a system of pedestals, the most famous among which are the pedestals in sandstone of the Ly – Tran and other vestiges of the Le – Nguyen.
Being aware of the historical cultural values of the site, in the programme of archaeological studies of the 1000e anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi, the Museum of History of Vietnam in coordination with the Service of Culture and Information of Hanoi and the leading Bureau of the 1000e anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi, has undertaken the study, the exploration anf the archaeological excavation of this group of sites.
Nguyen Van Doan