Bửu Sơn Tự (The Clay Pagoda): A Must-Visit Attraction

Sóc Trăng is often hailed as the land of pagodas and festivals, and once you visit, you'll understand why! This region truly lives up to its name, boasting a treasure trove of unique cultural landmarks and captivating tourist spots. Each is deeply interwoven with its vibrant places of worship and rich religious traditions, offering a profound glimpse into local life and heritage. You'll discover fascinating sites like Chùa Dơi (the famous Bat Pagoda), Chùa Kh’leang, and Chùa Chén Kiểu (often referred to as the Bowl Pagoda), just to name a few. But among these remarkable historical sites, there’s one that absolutely stands out and simply cannot be missed: Bửu Sơn Tự. This incredible pagoda is affectionately known by locals, Buddhist devotees, and travelers from far and wide as Chùa Đất Sét — the one-of-a-kind Clay Pagoda.

Clay Pagoda – A Masterpiece of Century-Old Clay Sculptures and Unique Record-Breaking Giant Candles

Sóc Trăng is renowned as the land of pagodas and festivals. This is why Sóc Trăng boasts numerous unique historical sites and tourist attractions linked to places of worship and religious beliefs, deeply imprinted with national cultural identity, such as Bat Pagoda (Chùa Dơi), Kh'leang Pagoda, or Chén Kiểu Pagoda (Sro Lôn Pagoda)... Among these unique relics, Bửu Sơn Tự, affectionately known by local Buddhists and visitors as the Clay Pagoda (Chùa Đất Sét), certainly stands out. But why do people call it the Clay Pagoda? This very name partly attracts a large number of visitors for sightseeing and exploration.

The Clay Pagoda is located at 286 Tôn Đức Thắng Street, Group 1, Ward 5, Sóc Trăng City, Sóc Trăng Province. Its West Gate faces Tôn Đức Thắng Street, while the pagoda's facade faces East. Although the total area of the Clay Pagoda is only about 2,000m², it feels spacious and cool. The main hall, though small, is harmoniously arranged. The inner sanctuary is where the most distinctive cultural and artistic elements converge. In front of the pagoda's facade, you'll find a statue of Avalokiteshvara (Quan Thế Âm Buddha), a pedestal for Maitreya Buddha (Di Lạc Buddha), a set of five Buddhas seated in teaching poses (Kaundinya, Bhadrika, Daśabala, Mahānāman, and Aśvajit), small shrines dedicated to Ông Hổ (Tiger Deity) and Ông Tà (Forest Deity), and altars for Thiên Phụ (Heavenly Father) and Địa Mẫu (Earth Mother). To the left of the pagoda is the burial area of artisan Ngô Kim Tòng and his family lineage. The Clay Pagoda was founded over 200 years ago by the Ngô family (Mr. Ngô Kim Đính, 1844-1947, and his wife Đỗ Thị Ngọc, 1880-1975) for home worship, hence it has no specific doctrine and no resident monks. Currently, the Clay Pagoda is managed and guided by various members of the family.

Visitors arriving at Bửu Sơn Tự.

The Clay Pagoda (Bửu Sơn Tự) is a religious establishment within the organizational system of the Bửu Sơn Kỳ Hương religion, founded by Mr. Đoàn Minh Huyên (1807-1856) in 1849 at the hermitage of Mr. Đạo Kiến, which is now Tây An Cổ Tự (at Sam Mountain, Châu Đốc), in Long Kiến Commune, Chợ Mới District, An Giang Province. The core teaching of Bửu Sơn Kỳ Hương is “Học Phật Tu Nhân” (Learn from Buddha, Cultivate Humanity), centered on repaying the “Tứ Đại Trọng Ân” (Four Great Debts of Gratitude) (gratitude to ancestors and parents, to the nation, to the Triple Gem, and to all fellow human beings). It particularly emphasizes gratitude to the nation to rally patriotic forces and working people to rise against French colonial invaders.

Clay Pagoda Bửu Sơn Tự

The Clay Pagoda, despite its humble architecture, houses a wealth of unique cultural and artistic treasures, all masterfully crafted by the talented artisan Ngô Kim Tòng. These include nearly 2,000 large and small Buddha statues, along with sacred animals and devotional objects, all sculpted from clay by Ngô Kim Tòng over 42 years (from 1929 to 1970). His clay artworks represent a diligent artistic journey, born from boundless creativity and a profound devotion to Buddha. He bequeathed to future generations an exceptionally precious cultural heritage, one that his descendants must cherish, preserve, and promote.

The creation of these rustic clay artworks was profoundly influenced by artisan Ngô Kim Tòng's background. According to Mr. Ngô Kim Quang, who is Ngô Kim Tòng's nephew and currently the Deputy Head of the Clay Pagoda tourist site management board, Ngô Kim Tòng was born in 1909 into a poor but devout family in Nhâm Lăng village, Nhiêu Khánh district (now part of Ward 5, Sóc Trăng City). Ngô Kim Tòng's parents were lay Buddhists practicing at home, carrying on the third generation of the Ngô family lineage in Sóc Trăng. Ngô Kim Tòng had eight siblings (four brothers, four sisters), and he was the fourth child, known in Southern Vietnam as "Cậu Năm Tòng" (Fifth Uncle Tòng). From a young age, he showed an early passion for art, but due to his family's poverty and his constant illnesses, he only completed third grade before dropping out. His father, Ngô Kim Đính, seeing his son's frail health and constant sickness, brought him to live at the pagoda to facilitate medical care and Buddhist chanting and prayers. After some time, his illness gradually subsided and eventually disappeared completely. At 18, seeing his aging and weakened parents, and with no land of their own, he went to Phú Hữu Commune, Long Phú District, Sóc Trăng Province, and rented two "công" (a traditional land measure, roughly 2,000m²) of land to cultivate. By day, he tilled the soil and planted sweet potatoes; by night, he read scriptures and recited Buddhist prayers.

A shrine at Bửu Sơn Tự

Every harvest season, he would paddle a boat, carrying sweet potatoes to sell at Sóc Trăng market. Due to overwork, he fainted in his field hut in Phú Hữu. Upon hearing the news, his parents brought him home. Lacking money for medicine, they set up an altar at the pagoda, praying to the Buddhas of the ten directions and Avalokiteshvara for protection and blessings, day and night for three days. At this point, he looked lifeless, and his eyes were wide open and staring. On the third day, he suddenly regained consciousness and recovered completely. After that near-death experience, he vowed to spend his entire life practicing vegetarianism, reciting Buddha's name, performing good deeds, and contributing meritorious acts to repay the Buddha for saving his life.

In 1929, when Mr. Tòng was 20 years old, his father passed away from a severe illness, leaving only his mother. Due to their poverty, the existing worship statues in the pagoda were merely rudimentary pictures or Buddha figures made of paper and wood. They were damaged and decayed, but there was no money for new repairs. One night, he dreamt that the Buddha instructed him: "Go west, about 1,000 meters from the pagoda, facing east, dig up clay, sculpt Buddha statues, and worship them." Upon waking, the very next day, he followed the Buddha's instructions precisely. When he carried the excavated clay back, he first dried it thoroughly, then ground it into a fine powder in a rice mortar, sifting out impurities like rice roots and grass. He then combined it with "Ô Dước" glue and incense powder, kneading these three ingredients for many hours until the clay became perfectly pliable. With his imagination and gifted hands, he taught himself and researched Buddhist scriptures as he worked, approaching each piece with patience and meticulous attention. After many years of persistent and diligent work, he created the numerous Buddha statues, worship objects, decorative items, and renowned animal figures seen today.

The main hall of the Clay Pagoda isn't overly large, with its roof supported by 24 columns, each adorned with intricate clay dragon motifs coiling from the base to the vaulted ceiling. The inner sanctuary of this ancient pagoda, though not vast, is beautifully arranged with many Buddha statues, meticulously placed in order. The most revered space is dedicated to the “Thập Phương Phật” (Buddhas of the Ten Directions), sculpted by artisan Ngô Kim Tòng starting in early 1929. These were his initial works and comprise three tiers featuring Buddhas, as well as Confucius and Laozi. The first tier includes Amitābha Buddha (A Di Đà), Avalokiteshvara (Quan Thế Âm), and Mahāsthāmaprāpta (Đại Thế Chí). The second tier features Shakyamuni Buddha (Bổn Sư Thích Ca), Ananda (A Nan), Mahakasyapa (Ca Diếp), Confucius, Laozi, Manjushri (Văn Thù), and Śariputra (Sư Lợi). The third tier presents Avalokiteshvara (Quan Âm), Cundī (Chuẩn Đề), Ksitigarbha (Địa Tạng Vương), the Buddha's Mother, and Prince Siddhartha (Thái tử Tất Đạt Đa)... This arrangement clearly expresses the “Tam giáo đồng nguyên” (Three Religions of the Same Origin) philosophy – Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism – held by the pagoda's founder.

Among the thousands of Buddha statues, worship objects, and renowned animal figures currently found in the Pagoda, the most extraordinary are the “Tháp Đa Bảo” (Multi-Treasured Stupa) and the “Bảo Tòa Liên Hoa” (Lotus Throne). These two works are arguably the pinnacle of artistic achievement sculpted by artisan Ngô Kim Tòng in early 1939. The Multi-Treasured Stupa is a 13-story structure, approximately 4 meters tall, made entirely of clay. Despite enduring nearly a century, it remains perfectly upright. Each story features 16 doors, with a Buddha residing in each, totaling 208 doors and 208 Buddhas. Additionally, 156 embossed dragons coil along the tiled roofs and support the stupa's base. This Multi-Treasured Stupa was completed in just 6 months and 1 day, with thousands of meticulously crafted clay details, further solidifying the undeniable talent of artisan Ngô Kim Tòng.

Adjacent to the Multi-Treasured Stupa is the Lotus Throne (Bảo Tòa Liên Hoa). This Lotus Throne was sculpted by artisan Ngô Kim Tòng in mid-1939, after he completed the Multi-Treasured Stupa. It depicts a lotus tower with 1,000 lotus petals, each containing a small Buddha meditating. Beneath the lotus pedestal are the Bagua (Eight Trigrams), the Four Heavenly Kings, and Thiên Tiên (Celestial Immortals), comprising eight divisions: Qian, Kan, Gen, Zhen, Xun, Li, Kun, Dui, with two celestial maidens attending in each division.

Furthermore, artisan Ngô Kim Tòng also sculpted several other elaborate and meticulous works, which remain intact today and possess immense unique artistic value, such as: three large incense sticks, each 2 meters tall, approximately 0.2 meters in diameter, weighing about 50 kg, made from incense powder and Ô Dước glue, adorned with coiling dragon motifs and featuring four embossed Hán characters on each stick; three large finial-like ornaments (one 2.5 meters tall, and two others 1.5 meters tall) and seven small incense burners; one colossal “Lục Long Đăng” (Six Dragon Lamp) hanging from the ceiling in the center of the main hall. This lamp was Ngô Kim Tòng's final artwork. The Lục Long Đăng features three finial-like ornaments with six large dragons curving, their tails converged, and heads facing in different directions. The lamp's base is a stylized lotus pedestal supporting the six dragons. The Lục Long Đăng is crafted entirely from clay with thousands of intricate patterns and details, and despite its considerable weight, it has hung unchanged for decades.

Additionally, artisan Ngô Kim Tòng sculpted four large horizontal plaques (hoành phi), each approximately 2m x 4m, adorned with incredibly intricate decorative patterns. The first plaque, hung above the altar of the “Thập Phương Phật” (Buddhas of the Ten Directions), consists of three large quadrilateral pieces joined to form a stylized open book. Surrounding it are two large coiling dragons, “Song Long chầu Phật” (Twin Dragons Worshipping Buddha), with two Hán character blessing panels on either side. The bottom edge is decorated with a large lotus throne at the center, and the background of the plaque is adorned with stylized bamboo, cherry blossoms, peach blossoms, and lotus flowers. On the three large joined pieces, the pagoda's name, “Bửu Sơn Tự,” is embossed in three large Hán characters, all magnificently lacquered in red and gilded. The second plaque hangs above the “Tam Bảo” (Triple Gem) altar and is called “Cửu Ngũ Bệ Rồng chầu Phật” (Nine-Five Dragon Pedestal Worshipping Buddha). On this plaque, nine small dragons coil and emerge from clouds, forming a “Bán Nguyệt” (Half Moon) shape. The background features seven embossed Hán characters and stylized clouds, bamboo, and lotus flowers, also lacquered in red and gilded. The third and fourth plaques are displayed above the altars of “Diêu Trì Kim Mẫu” (Golden Mother of the Jade Pond) and “Ngọc Hoàng Thượng Đế” (Jade Emperor). They are identically decorated, each featuring two large coiling dragons, “Song Long Chầu Phật” (Twin Dragons Worshipping Buddha), embracing a rectangular plaque encased in glass, with four embossed Hán characters inside.

Gazing upon these artworks, most visitors assume they are the creations of a professional sculptor or carver, not someone who only completed third grade in a village school, had no formal art education, and never attended art classes. Yet, he managed to create Buddha statues and sacred animals with incredibly refined forms and intricate details. Because of his uniquely talented and exquisite Buddha sculptures, people often praise him, saying he received “divine guidance from the Buddha.”

In 1953, to make offerings to the Buddhas of the ten directions, he began diligently sculpting sacred animals from clay, including the Kim Lân (Golden Kylin), Thanh Sư (Blue Lion), Bạch Tượng (White Elephant), Bạch Hổ (White Tiger), and Long Mã (Dragon Horse). Each intricately crafted animal figure is associated with a fascinating and legendary tale from the Buddha's life.

In his final years, artisan Ngô Kim Tòng temporarily ceased sculpting to cast candles, which were then placed in the altars within the main hall. To cast the candles as he envisioned, he made the effort to travel to Saigon to buy "Bạch Lạc" wax, a pure type of wax imported from France. He then brought it back, chopped it into small pieces, melted it in a pan, and poured it into molds. These pairs of candles were intended to be quite large, so Ngô Kim Tòng couldn't find suitable molds. After many days of contemplation, he ingeniously used rolled-up roofing sheets to create his molds. To successfully cast a single candle, Ngô Kim Tòng had to work with immense perseverance. Because he wanted the candles to burn continuously without extinguishing, he ensured there were no horizontal joints when pouring the wax into the molds. Consequently, he had to pour continuously, day and night, for several consecutive days. After a month, once the wax had cooled, he could finally remove the molds. In total, Ngô Kim Tòng cast six large candles, each weighing 200 kg, and two smaller candles, each weighing 100 kg. The pair of smaller candles was lit in 1970, on the day Ngô Kim Tòng passed away, and they have been burning continuously for 46 years since. According to calculations, although only about 1/16 of their length remains, these two candles are expected to burn out in approximately another 3 years. Another remarkable fact is that these two candles have never once been extinguished throughout those 46 years. Once the two smaller candles burn out, the pair of large candles will be lit. It's estimated that each of these larger candles will burn for about 70 years before extinguishing, meaning if lit sequentially, they could last for approximately another 400 years.

In praise of his talent and creativity, a writer once remarked about artisan Ngô Kim Tòng: “He was a man who lived for the earth, diligently toiling for 42 years with every load of clay, cherishing every handful. He gave the earth form, breathed sacred spirit into it, made the earth's heart beat, so that a hundred years later, the earth would speak on behalf of man.”

Recognizing these unique cultural and artistic values, on December 19, 2001, Ms. Võ Thị Thắng, Director General of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, awarded the Clay Pagoda (Bửu Sơn Tự) the "Vietnam Tourism Badge."

To preserve, conserve, and promote the cultural and artistic values of the Clay Pagoda (Bửu Sơn Tự), on December 10, 2010, the Chairman of the Sóc Trăng Provincial People's Committee officially recognized it as a provincial-level architectural and artistic relic.

In recognition of artisan Ngô Kim Tòng's contributions and talent, on July 18, 2013, the Vietnam Records Book Center officially confirmed the “Tháp Đa Bảo” (Multi-Treasured Stupa) and “Bảo Tòa Liên Hoa” (Lotus Throne) at Bửu Sơn Tự as two clay artifacts holding the record for being the largest in Vietnam.

Currently, the Clay Pagoda welcomes thousands of domestic and international visitors, as well as Buddhist devotees, every day. On the first day and full moon day of the lunar month, as well as during holidays and Tết (Lunar New Year), the number of visitors coming for sightseeing and worship is several times higher.

Can Tho 5687 view

Update day : 23/08/2023