Is it true that a white elephant once decided the fate of this sacred ground? That’s the tale they whisper about Chùa Phụng Sơn. This pagoda stands as a testament to time and faith. We are standing before Chùa Phụng Sơn now. It is also known as Chùa Gò. It is located at 1408 Duong 3 Thang 2 in District 11 of Ho Chi Minh City.
Chùa Phụng Sơn was established in the early 19th century. Bonze Lieu Thong founded it. This was during the reign of King Gia Long. He built it upon the foundation of an ancient Khmer temple. This temple had fallen into disrepair. Back then, Phụng Sơn was just a small hermitage.
Legend says that Lieu Thong saw the area’s peacefulness. He was on his way to Gia Định province. The monk thought it perfect for meditation. Locals affectionately called it Chùa Gò. One day, a phoenix landed on a wutong tree. It stood before the hermitage and sang. The monk saw this as a good omen. So he named the pagoda Phụng Sơn Tự. It means pagoda on a mountain with a phoenix.
In 1904, it was rebuilt from a leaf hermitage. Since then, Chùa Phụng Sơn has had two major restorations. These were under the abbots Huệ Minh and Thích Phước Quang. In 1963, the Tam Quan gate was rebuilt. Architect Nguyễn Bá Lăng designed it. Despite the renovations, the pagoda maintains its ancient architecture. It has a wooden frame and yin-yang tiled roof.
Chùa Phụng Sơn is one of the oldest pagodas in Southern Vietnam. It showcases unique architecture and history. The pagoda follows the “国” shape. It is over 40 meters long and almost 20 meters wide. A row of houses surrounds it on all four sides. Inside, the pagoda is divided into two distinct areas. The main điện is in the front. A courtyard separates it from the lecture hall in the back. Two corridors connect these areas. The courtyard has rock gardens and statues. A statue of Quan Âm stands there. The open space keeps the pagoda airy and bright.
The pagoda houses about 40 statues. Many were crafted by artisans from Sa Dec. Abbot Huệ Minh invited them in the early 20th century. The Di Đà Tam Tôn and Ngũ Hiền Thượng Kỳ Thú statues are precious. There is also a stone Buddha statue covered in gold leaves. A ceramic statue of Tiêu Diện is also found here.
The surrounding area is an archaeological site. Artifacts from the Óc Eo culture have been excavated here. These include baked earthen head statues and ceramic items.
Many years ago, a move was planned. Ritual objects were loaded onto a white elephant. The elephant slipped on the way to the new location. All the precious objects fell into a pond. This was seen as a sign to stay put. All items were recovered except the bell. Locals said it rang on new and full moons for a century.
The Ministry of Culture recognized Chùa Phụng Sơn. It is a national historical and cultural relic since 1988. People still come here to pray three times a day. They pray from 4 to 5 am, 4 to 5 pm, and 6 to 7 pm.
So take a moment. Consider the echoes of prayers and the weight of history. Feel the spirit of the phoenix that watches over Chùa Phụng Sơn.