Vong Cung Temple

VIETNAM, Nam Dinh

The main building was originally used for administrative purposes by kings during the Later Le dynasty (1428–1527, 1533–1789). It was converted to an imperial lodge in 1812 and was transferred to the Vietnamese Buddhist Association in 1945. The temple was damaged during the war in 1965 but was later rebuilt. It suffered further bomb damage in 1972 and was restored and expanded in 1986.
The temple faces south and occupies 3,000 sq m. It consists of the main hall, the House of Gratitude to the Four Graces, the stupa garden, and a cemetery. Situated in the center, the two-story main hall has a hip-and-gable roof and is a blend of traditional and modern architectural styles. The hall houses a three-tier Buddha niche: the central image in the first tier is a statue of Amitabha Buddha, while the second and third tiers are mainly dedicated to Sakyamuni Buddha. A walkway connects the main hall to the lecture hall, library, reception hall, and bookstore. In front of the main hall there is a small building resembling the thousand-year-old Dien Huu Temple in Hanoi. It houses a statue of the Thousand-Armed, Thousand-Eyed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva.
The House of Gratitude to the Four Graces surrounds a large courtyard. A small path leads to the stupa garden, in which there are five three-tier stupas each containing relics of past eminent monks.