Bac Giang (VNA) – The national treasures - carved woodblocks bearingthe Sutras of Zen Buddhism at Bo Da Pagoda inViet Yen district, the northern province of Bac Giang are beingshowcased at an exhibition that opened in the pagoda on January 29.

This is part of activities within the framework of the Culture and Tourism Week2020 in Bac Giang, and to mark the 300th founding anniversary ofTung Lam Bo Da (1720-2020), and 200 years of the establishment of Viet Yendistrict (1820-2020).

It aims to popularise widely uniquevalues of the woodblocks as well as the quintessence in ancient sculpture art inthe community, while contributing to introducing the image of the Sutras of Zen Buddhism to domestic and foreign visitors.

The exhibition is expected to help raise public awareness of theimportance of preserving the national treasures.

According to Vice Chairman of the Viet Yen district People’s Committee NguyenDai Luong, Bo Da Pagoda, which is a centre ofLam Te Buddhism and had a major role in Buddhism’s development in Vietnam, is now home to nearly 2,000 Sutra woodblocks engravedby the Lam Te Zen Buddhism’s masters inthe Le dynasty - Canh Hung era (1740-1786).

Carved woodblocks, which were named national treasures in 2018, reflect profoundthoughts and philosophies of Buddhism in general and the Lam Te Zen Buddhism in particular.

In the 18th century, monks at the pagodacarved Buddhist Sutras on thi wood (decandrous perssimmom) that is both lightand pliable, making it ideal for carving, preserve the texts so that they couldbe used to teach Buddhism.

The pagoda, also known as Quan Am (Goddess ofMercy), lies at the foot of a pine-covered hill, surrounded by earthen wallswith mountains and rivers in the distance.

The pagoda was built in the 11th century underthe Ly dynasty, the golden age of Buddhism in Vietnam, but was badly damagedduring wars in subsequent centuries. It was not until the revival of the Ledynasty under King Le Du Tong that the pagoda was reconstructed.

Bo Da is unique for its architecture, while itappears to be a closed complex from the outside, the pagoda’s inside hashundreds of compartments that open into one another. The pagoda providesvisitors with a sacred, secluded refuge from the world.

On this occasion, Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Le AnhDuong handed over a decision recognising Bo Da Pagoda as a tourism site to representativesof Viet Yen district and the pagoda./.