At the top of Monkey Mountain, you will find the the largest pagoda of scale and artistic architecture in Da Nang – Linh Ung Pagoda. It is situated at Da Nang’s Son Tra Peninsula (about 10 km northeast of the city center). Linh Ung literally translates to “wishes answered miraculously”. This signifies that if you pray in the pagoda with sincerity, all of your wishes may come true.
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History of Linh Ung Pagoda
In the reign of King Minh Mang (Nguyen Dynasty, XIX century), local fishermen spotted a statue of Buddha drifting from nowhere to a sandbank in the Son Tra Peninsula, according to Thich Thien Nguyen – the pagoda’s manager. Coastal fishermen and residents built a shrine to this statue, believing it to be a good omen. Since then, the waves have gradually quieted and softened, allowing coastal residents to safely go out fishing and earn a living.
Through a long time with many historical periods, Linh Ung Pagoda has stood tall on Son Tra Peninsula with the help of other Buddhists and the approval of the city elders, after 6 years of construction.
What makes Linh Ung Pagoda special?
Linh Ung Pagoda is one of the most famous architecture is worth visiting in Da Nang. It is a complex of many buildings, including the main hall, ancestor’s house, lecture hall, library…
The path to the main chamber of pagoda consists of 18 Arhat marble statues that represent various emotions such as love, hate, happiness, and anger. These statues add to the architectural distinctiveness of Linh Ung pagoda.
The main chamber of the pagoda is a hybrid of contemporary and traditional Vietnamese temple architecture, with a curved roof in the shape of a dragon, solid pillars surrounded by sophisticated sinuous dragons. The Buddha Shakyamuni statue is located in the center, with the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva statue on the right side and the Buddha Tripitaka statue on the left.
It is well-known for the 67-meter-high statue of Lady Buddha – the tallest in Southeast Asia. This statue has become a symbol of the city, and it can be seen from all throughout Da Nang. There are 17 floors in the statue, each with an altar worshiping a total of 21 Buddha statues ith the shape of different postures known as “Middle Buddha Buddha”. Many tourists and Buddhists flock to the Buddha’s ceremony at the foot of the statue’s lotus tower to admire the compassionate beauty of this one-of-a-kind statue.
Visiting Linh Ung Pagoda, visitors have the opportunity to see the panorama of a city in rapid development. The view towards the sea from the pagoda will be surrounded by a blue sea and sky, as well as a long white sandy beach that runs around the road at the foot of the mountain, sparkling in the mild sunlight of the peninsula.
How to get there?
Because Linh Ung pagoda is on a peninsula, there is no nearby bus stop or train station. The road to the Pagoda is well-marked, so you can travel by car, motorcycle, or bicycle, following the coastal route Vo Nguyen Giap, turning left and heading straight for Lady Buddha statue.
On the route to the pagoda, you may take in the scenery of the city and the azure sea. You should visit the pagoda early in the morning or late in the afternoon to catch a glimpse of the sunrise or sunset and take in the most stunning sights that nature has to offer.