Linh Ung Pagoda was built in a perfect harmony between modern and traditional features typical of a Vietnamese pagoda, hence it has become an attractive tourist site in the beautiful coastal city of Da Nang.
Local residents on Son Tra Peninsula recalled stories relating to the existence of Linh Ung Pagoda.
Accordingly, under the reign of King Minh Mang in the Nguyen Dynasty (the 19th century), a Buddhist statue drifted downstream to the area and got anchored at a sandy embankment.
The local villagers thought it was a good sign, so they built up a small pagoda to worship the statue. From that day on, they said, the whole coastal region enjoyed good weather, with no big storms and rough sea waves, while local fishermen harvested good fishing.
The embankment where the statue drifted was named Bai But, meaning “Buddha’s Sanctuary in The Real Life,” where the present-day Linh Ung Pagoda is located.
To visit the pagoda, visitors will drive along the road surrounding the Me Khe coastal beach, one among the most beautiful beaches in Da Nang. From the foot of Son Tra Peninsula, it will take them about 10km further to the entrance to the pagoda.
Built on an area of about 20 hectares and on the side of a mountain, the pagoda is really a magnificent artwork. It looks to the sea while its back leans on a vast primitive forest of Son Tra Peninsula.
Linh Ung Pagoda can easily be recognized from afar due to its location set on the highest point on Son Tra Peninsula.
From any corner of Da Nang, visitors can easily capture the sight of the Guanyan statue placed by the pagoda. She looks to the sea, with her back leaning against the mountain side. One of her hands is set in a mudra gesture and the other hand holds a small water jar (Buddhist sa.amrta).
From the pagoda, visitors can enjoy seeing a panoramic view of the beautiful city of Da Nang, a young, dynamic economic hub in the central region, or to another direction, My Khe Beach with an immense blue sea and white sand stretching along the road at the foot of Son Tra Peninsula.
Along the two sides of the path leading to the main chamber are statues of 18 Arhats, each describing different human beings’ emotions – joyous, angry, happy and sad, and each being sculptured so skillfully. Inside the pagoda’s main chamber, statues of Buddha Sakyamuri, Guanyin and Tripittaka are displayed. All make the scene so attractive and lively.
The main shrine is built in a great harmony of modern and traditional architecture, typical of a Vietnamese pagoda, including firm pillars with meticulously carved dragons.
Other categories, including the main chamber, the ancestors’ house, and the statue garden of Arhats, all were built and arranged magnificently.
The 17-layer tower inside the statue of Buddha Guanyin is a “must” stop for any visitor who wants to explore its uniqueness. The statue is said to be the biggest one in Viet Nam to date at 67m in height and 35m in diameter of its base, which is a high as a 30-storey building. From the top of the tower, visitors will see the whole city of Da Nang, forests, islands and the sea of Son Tra Peninsula.
On top of Guayin’s hat, there is a 2m-high statue of Buddha, and in each layer of the tower there are 21 smaller Buddhist statues placed in different gestures and positions.
Located in a newly established tourist complex on Son Tra Peninsula, Linh Ung Pagoda is not only a religious site, but also a spiritual tourist attraction to visitors who visit the coastal city of Da Nang.
There are three Linh Ung (miracle) pagodas in the city of Da Nang, including the Linh Ung Non Nuoc located on Thuy Mount, one of the Ngu Hanh Son (Five elements mountains); the Linh Ung Ba Na on the top of the famous Ba Na Hill resort; and the Linh Ung Bai But on the side of a mountain on Son Tra Peninsula. There three pagodas make up a wonderful complex of spiritual attractive sites in this central coastal city.
