Nôm Pagoda in Hưng Yên Province is recognised as a national tourist attraction. — VNA/VNS Photo

HƯNG YÊN — The National Historical-Cultural Relic of Nôm Pagoda, a 350-year-old religious landmark in Đại Đồng Commune in the northern province of Hưng Yên, has been officially recognised as a national tourist attraction.

According to Chairman of the Đại Đồng Commune People's Committee Tôn Ngọc Chuẩn, the recognition was both a source of pride and a responsibility to preserve and promote its heritage values.

The locality views the recognition as a starting point for integrating the conservation of the National Historical-Cultural Relic of Nôm Pagoda with tourism development, gradually establishing it as an attractive cultural and spiritual destination in the province.

In the future, the commune will continue working with authorities, the Việt Nam Buddhist Sangha's Hưng Yên chapter, the pagoda's abbot and the Nôm Pagoda relic management board to strengthen the site's management, protection and promotion.

It will also gradually improve the landscape, infrastructure, transport access, parking facilities, environmental sanitation and other services for visitors.

Đại Đồng Commune has undergone several changes to its name and administrative boundaries throughout history. Its formation and development have shaped a distinctive cultural landscape rooted in the Red River Delta's rice-growing civilisation, while reflecting the cultural influences of Kinh Bắc (Bắc Ninh), the ancient imperial capital of Thăng Long–Hà Nội, and Phố Hiến in Hưng Yên.

The commune currently has 64 historical and cultural sites, six of which are nationally recognised, along with numerous festivals, customs, traditions and distinctive community cultural values. These constitute valuable resources for the locality to both preserve its cultural identity and tap its potential for developing cultural, historical and spiritual tourism.

The pagoda attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. — VNA/VNS Photo

Within this heritage system, Nôm Pagoda, part of the Nôm Village complex in Đại Đồng Hamlet, now Đồng Tiến Hamlet, is one of the commune's most notable historical and cultural sites.

The pagoda attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year with its spacious, airy grounds, tranquil and serene surroundings, and the rich heritage of the Nôm Village complex, including a nine-span ancient stone bridge, village paths paved with sloping bricks, old houses, ancestral worship houses, an ancient well, a village gate, a Confucian temple and stone steles.

Together, they form enduring marks of time, where the soul of the countryside seems to linger in every architectural detail, adding to the distinctive appeal of the heritage journey.

Beyond its role as a religious and spiritual site, the pagoda preserves a wealth of distinctive historical, architectural, artistic and cultural values, including 128 clay Buddha statues, a gilded bronze statue of the Buddha, a collection of ancient stone steles, and a Mother Goddess worship space.

Alson called Linh Thông Cổ Tự, Nôm Pagoda occupies a site covering more than 8,000sq.m, enclosed by laterite stone walls that add to the pagoda’s ancient character.

Although the exact year of its construction remains unknown, historical records show that in 1680, during the Lê Dynasty, the Emperor ordered the restoration of the ancient pagoda. It was subsequently renovated several times during the Later Lê and Nguyễn dynasties.

In 2020, the Nôm Village relic complex was recognised as a national historical, architectural and artistic relic for its well-preserved cultural and heritage values.

Despite the ups and downs of history, Nôm Pagoda has been jointly preserved, protected and restored by local authorities and communities of Đồng Tiến Hamlet. It has become a familiar cultural and spiritual destination for local people and visitors from near and far. — VNS

Tourism is expected to promote the ancient pagoda's heritage. — VNA/VNS Photo