Nghia Xa Pagoda (also known as Vien Quang Pagoda) in Xuan Truong commune, Ninh Binh province is an ancient pagoda, recognized as a national relic in 1991. At this pagoda, a stone stele dating from Thien Phu Due Vu 3 (1122) is still preserved.
With special values in history, culture, fine arts and documents, the stone stele of Nghia Xa Pagoda was recognized by the Prime Minister as a National Treasure. This is a unique artwork typical of the Buddhist fine arts style of the Ly Dynasty in the 12th century and the Le Trung Hung period in the 16th century, a golden period in the history of Vietnamese Buddhism.
Mr. Pham Ngoc Nam - Management Board of Nghia Xa Pagoda relic, Xuan Truong commune said that according to historical records, the stele of Nghia Xa Pagoda was compiled by Luc Thuong Thai Su Ly Tuong Dinh during the Ly Dynasty and recarved during the Le Trung Hung period at the end of the 16th century. The content of the stele contains profound literary values with contents of Buddhist philosophy, making an important contribution to the study of Ly - Tran literature.
According to Mr. Nam, after being recognized as a National Treasure, the preservation and maintenance of stone steles is increasingly focused on by the locality and the pagoda. The relic management board regularly inspects the current status of the treasure, performs periodic cleaning, and at the same time coordinates with specialized agencies to implement protection measures to limit the impact of weather and environment.
This is not only the pride of the local people but also a precious cultural asset of the nation. Therefore, we always raise our sense of responsibility in preserving and maintaining the original state of treasures to serve research, sightseeing and traditional education for future generations," Mr. Nam shared.
In addition to the National Treasure of Nghia Xa Pagoda stele, Ninh Binh province now has a total of 22 National Treasures. These are artifacts passed down by predecessors, of particularly precious and typical value of the country in terms of history, culture, and science.
