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Location: Long Thu Pagoda Stele is located
in Long Thu Pagoda (now called An Long Pagoda), behind Cham Museum in Binh Hien
Ward, Hai Chau District of Danang.
Characteristics: Long Thu Pagoda Stele is the oldest one in the territory
and plays an important role in local history research.
The stele was set up on period of Le Thanh Tong’s reign (1658), and was written
by Le Gia Phuoc (religious name of Phap Giam) born in Hai Chau District. Reasons
for building, name of pagoda, names of people contributing into setting up the
pagoda are readable on the stele. According to the stele’s content, Buddha in
appearance of a dragon’s head usually helped miserable people so Buddhist
followers come here for praying. Tran Huu Le offered a garden on which a pagoda
was built for worshipping the Buddha. Other followers contributed financially to
the pagoda construction, bell casting, and statue sculpture in 1653. It is said
that there were two big bells and many beautiful statues, but they were stolen.
The pagoda was destroyed in Tay Son – Nguyen Anh’s period. The stele was covered
by earth, and in 1903 it was found out and laid next to the gate. In 1961, the
pagoda was rebuilt in the same architecture as current ones of the south. Only
the ancient three-door temple gate is outstanding. Made of grey sandstone, the
stele was 1.25m high, 1.20m wide, 0.21m thick in shape of round-top trapezium.
It is sculpted in both sides. On the front is a Chinese poet surrounded by
floral designs, on the top carved a sun, clouds, flowers, and two lions. The
poet has 368 words, 6 big ones are put horizontally: “Lap Thach Bi Thu Long Tu”.
On the other side are floral designs. Long Thu pagoda stele was recognized as a
historic relic by the decree approved by the Indochina government on 16th May
1925 and a national historic relic by Ministry of Culture and Information on 2nd
December 1992
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