The pagoda belongs to the Northern sect and was built in 1932. The pagoda has beautiful ancient structure according to the style of “Môn”, which means gate. It was built by the people who came to explore this land and then settled here. In general, the Bac Ai temple was built in the north-south direction, the first is the three-way gate, then is the main hall in the center and the left and right are east house, west house. Outside the main hall is a flower garden, where tombs, kitchen, shrines to worshiping village gods, mountain gods, and are concentrated.
What special:
- Captain Quenin’s merit
In 1931, the central of Vietnam suffered from consecutive droughts starting in the mid-1930s, causing crop failure and food scarcity, so people from the provinces of Thua Thien Hue, Quang Nam, and Quang Ngai moved to Kon Tum to earn a living. More than 70% have died of starvation along the way.At that time, Mr. Vo Chuan Huan – the abbot of Bac Ai Pagoda, with a good fortune met Captain Quenin, the Frenchman was a Buddhist, who actively supported Mr. Vo Chuan to bury thousands of corpses. Captain Quenin was also a supporter of Vo Chuan to invite Mr. Hoang Thong – the abbot of Bach Sa Quy Nhon Pagoda and the monks to Kon Tum to pray for the souls of the dead of starvation in 1931.
2. The white tiger image is carved right on the screen of the main shrine.
In the past, there was still a wild forest around, the sound of wild animals going to eat at night was still roaring, local people always had a feeling of insecurity. However, no wild animals have broken into the temple or taken dogs and livestock. However, in the afternoon around the end of 1932, the whole pagoda was startled when they saw a three-legged white tiger went from the forest into the temple. This white tiger was known as a violent tiger in this forest. It attacked and ate all animals. When it lacked bait, it even attacked people. Once the white tiger has eaten human flesh, it was more ferocious than any evil beast.
Strangely, when entering the temple, this three-legged white tiger did not growl but curled its tail gently to lie down in the temple’s kitchen. The white tiger’s head rests on the front legs, the ears were raised, the nose was inhaled, and the eyes were closed as if enjoying something very peaceful. At about 20 – 21 o’clock, the monks in the temple entered the main hall to chant Buddhist sutras, the white tiger also went to the main hall, prostrated himself outside the temple door, kneeling with both front legs, head raised, and one foot behind spread out. When the time for chanting was over, the monks returned to rest, and the white tiger went back into the kitchen. At 4 a.m. the next morning, he got up again to listen to the Buddhist scriptures, and when it was still early morning, he went into the forest.
So for 10 years, the white tiger went to the temple every day to listen to Buddhist scriptures like that. The monks in the temple gradually got used to it, stroking its hair with their hands, some people even rode it, but the white tiger was still gentle, licking the monks’ hands with its tongue. The kitchen where the white tiger returns is located outside the main hall, where the white tiger lie and listened to the Buddha’s sutras. It is worth mentioning that, since returning to Bac Ai temple to listen to Buddhist scriptures, around the temple, wild animals have been avoided, and there have been no traumatic events in the area such as people being mauled by tigers, or wild animals attacking livestock of the village again. Around 1943, where the white tiger went, no one knows.
3. In front of the temple yard, you will see a log of chits buried in the temple grounds, below are the skulls of 7 Japanese officers who committed suicide when Japan fell in 1945. According to the abbot, the Japanese Government has plans to bring back seven Japanese officers.
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