CLUSTER OF RELICS OF BUI NGOA TEMPLES AND PAGODAS - HUNG NGUYEN DISTRICT

The cluster of relics of Bui Ngoa temples and pagodas is located in Hung Trung commune, Hung Nguyen district, Nghe An province.

Legend said that, Bui Ngoa temple was built in the early Le Dynasty to worship Muou Loc Hau. Folk legend retold that: After giving up the mandarin, Muou Loc Hau brought the accumulated benefits with him, returned from the Capital city to Hoan Chau and decided to stop at Bui Ngoa land to reclaim and recruit people to establish a new village. He directed irrigation to irrigate the fields, set up a market to serve as a place of exchange and trade. Bui Ngoa area from the wilderness gradually became a prosperous village, people heard the word coming here to settle down more and more crowded. When Muoi Loc Hau died, the villagers buried him on a high and open land in the middle of a land that was associated with his merits and career, and at the same time, built a temple and honored him as a king of the village. Later, there were more Cao Son - Cao Cac and Bach Y princess at the temple. Bui Ngoa Temple was recognized as a Cultural and Historical Relic in 1998.

The temple and tomb of Muou Loc Hau are located in a fairly large campus, keeping the same as before, including 3 beautiful architectural buildings, delicately carved, which villagers often use as a place for community activities. During the war against America, the Middle and Lower Halls were damaged, leaving only the Upper Palace. Later, the people restored 2 halls, inclding: the Middle and Lower Halls, and returned the original layout of the relic. Currently, next to the temple, there is an ancient well called Muou well, which is still used by people for daily living.

Bui Ngoa Pagoda was formerly a sacred temple, built on the banks of the Dao River from the 13th century. By the Nguyen Dynasty, to avoid flooding, the temple was moved to Bui Ngoa village, next to the temple, restored to a large scale. as big as it is today. The pagoda is located on an area of 400m2, including Upper, Lower, and Middle halls.

This is the place to worship Great Buddha, Buddha Emperor Tran Nhan Tong, Saint Tran Quoc Tuan and Holy Mother Lieu Hanh. Along with Bui Ngoa Temple, Bui Ngoa Pagoda was granted Certificate of Cultural History in 1998 by People's Committee of Nghe An Province. Over hundreds of years of existence, where the "three great religions of the same place" converges, with the canopy of Bodhi tree rising high above Bui Ngoa land, the pagoda has contributed to creating a unique spiritual cultural space here.

At the temple area, Bui Ngoa pagoda has been the center of traditional cultural activities of Bui Ngoa villagers since ancient times. In addition to the traditional Buddhist festivals, every year, many festivals take place at Bui Ngoa temple, especially in those festivals, people from Bui Ngoa village, regardless of non-religious people - Catholicism, gather at the temple to review the merits of their ancestors, direct the good to their descendants, report the merits of their labor, study for a year, celebrate the life of the elderly in the village.... And ever since, in the minds of the people of Bui Ngoa village, the temple has had the meaning of a communal house, a place where cultural activities of the village community are rare still preserved in Nghe An province.