Nestled in the heart of Giang Cao village in Hanoi's Gia Lam district, Tieu Dao Pagoda stands as a testament to the rich ceramic heritage of the renowned Bat Trang craft village.
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This pagoda, dating back to the Tran dynasty (1226-1400), has undergone extensive renovations and expansions over the centuries, covering an area of approximately 8,300 square meters. After enduring the ravages of time and external impacts, the pagoda received a much-needed restoration in 2011. This endeavor marked the integration of Bat Trang's finest ceramic products into the temple's worship spaces, both inside and out.
Local artisans have meticulously adorned the temple gate with individually designed ceramic pieces, a process that involves intricate tiling and assembly. Beyond the gate lies the main courtyard, flanked by two chambers dedicated to the Eighteen Arhats. Each room houses nine statues set against a mountain cloud backdrop, all spanning approximately 60 square meters. Statues, murals, and altar borders are meticulously crafted and assembled from ceramics.
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Outside the Eighteen Arhats altar, pillars boast intricately designed blue dragon motifs, each carefully crafted from ceramic.
At the heart of the courtyard, the entrance to the Tam Bao Palace's main hall greets visitors with an Om mani-style painting made of colorful ceramic pieces—a unique masterpiece measuring approximately 2x2 meters. The steps leading to this painting are likewise adorned with green ceramic tiles.
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Tam Bao Hall features ceramic motifs in its iconic three colors: blue, red, and yellow. Ceramic paintings of lotus flowers, chrysanthemums, and bamboo trees adorn the pillars, reflecting common motifs in Vietnamese Buddhist architecture.
Within the main hall of Tam Bao Hall, two monumental dharma guardian statues, each standing at 2.5 meters tall and cast from a single piece of ceramic, steal the spotlight. This remarkable achievement is a testament to the skill of the craft village's artisans, although it wasn't without its challenges. The initial release of these statues from the kiln resulted in sagging, breaking, and cracking in some areas due to the extreme temperatures exceeding 1,000 degrees Celsius. Subsequent attempts required substantial time, effort, and resources to complete.
Behind Tam Bao's main hall, the Patriarch's Church features four Le Dynasty dragon statues on the steps in front of the entrance. The primary decorative material used is porcelain, predominantly adorned in shades of blue.
The temple's worship space houses nine ceramic statues, with the centerpiece being the statue of Buddha Emperor Tran Nhan Tong. The altar features two blessing vials, adorned with images of children symbolizing good fortune, also crafted from ceramic and donated by the people of Bat Trang craft village.
In the waiting room, visitors will find five ceramic paintings depicting the law of cause and effect, as well as an elegant lotus pond scene assembled from numerous ceramic pieces.
Every roof blade within the temple is made of ceramic and intricately carved with dragon images and sunflower motifs underneath. The temple's interior is replete with ceramic statues of dragons, unicorns, fish, and large sculptures that depict scenes from the daily lives of nobles.
Since 2013, Thich Bao Duc, the abbot of Tieu Dao Pagoda, has played a pivotal role in transforming the temple into a "museum of the craft village." Drawing on his vision, the community has contributed expertise, techniques, and resources to design and execute various projects. Today, the pagoda boasts nearly 80 ceramic statues, alongside wall paintings, decorative motifs, and miniature representations of enlightened masters' daily lives.
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