It is called Lan Pagoda because it is located on a mountain resembling the shape of a reclining Ky Lan (a mythical creature), so the pagoda is named after the shape of the mountain. The pagoda’s official name is “Long Động” (Dragon Cave). The story goes that on the way to Yen Tu, Buddha Tran Nhan Tong and his disciple Bao Sai rested here for the night. That night, the Emperor dreamt of riding a golden dragon into a beautiful cave, where there was a shimmering pond full of blooming lotus flowers emitting a fragrant aroma. Upon waking, the Emperor shared the dream with Bảo Sái and decided to name the pagoda “Chùa Động Rồng” (Dragon Cave Pagoda).
The original pagoda was built during the Tran Dynasty (the remains of the old pagoda’s foundation are still visible in front of the Đại Hùng Bảo Điện), and it was large, magnificent, and one of the two main centers of Yen Tu, alongside Dragon Cave and Van Yen. The pagoda was a place for meditation and spreading the teachings of the Trúc Lâm Buddhist School before moving to the Vân Yên center. The local saying “Ngõ chùa Lân, sân chùa Muống, ruộng chùa Quỳnh” refers to the three most significant places during the flourishing of the Trúc Lâm Zen sect.
During the French colonial period, the pagoda became a revolutionary base and was destroyed by the invaders. Local people rebuilt it on the old foundation, but on a smaller scale. After several renovations, in 2002, Venerable Thích Thanh Từ, along with devoted Buddhists, funded the construction of Lân Pagoda – Trúc Lâm Yên Tử Zen Monastery on a 23.7-hectare site with three main functions: it is a place for guiding meditation for monks, nuns, and lay Buddhists following the Trúc Lâm Zen sect; a place for researching and preserving literature and cultural publications about Yên Tử and the Trúc Lâm Zen sect; and a place for tourism and pilgrimage for visitors. The main areas include: Đại Hùng Bảo Điện, the Ancestor Hall, the Zen Hall, the Arhat Hall, the Dining Hall, the Dharma Hall, and Tĩnh Tâm Lake.
The Đại Hùng Bảo Điện (Main Hall) enshrines Buddha Śākyamuni, with statues of Manjushri and Samantabhadra Bodhisattvas on either side. The walls are adorned with reliefs depicting the Buddha’s life, from his birth, ordination, practice, enlightenment, preaching, saving beings, to his entering Nirvana. On either side of the Main Hall are the Bell Tower and Drum Tower. In front of the Main Hall is the “Wish-fulfilling Globe of Gratitude to the Buddha.” Behind the Main Hall is the statue of Bodhidharma. Adjacent to the rear yard is the Ancestor Hall, where the three founding masters of the Trúc Lâm sect are enshrined. Behind the Ancestor Hall is the ancient Tịch Quang Kim Tháp (Tịch Quang Golden Stupa) where Master Chân Nguyên is honored. Further away is the Zen Hall (where monks and nuns meditate). To the right of the Ancestor Hall is the Arhat Hall (housing 18 statues of Arhats). To the left and right are the guest house, exhibition hall with historical and cultural artifacts, library, and other auxiliary buildings. The exhibition hall to the left of the Main Hall is like a small museum, displaying many artifacts excavated from Lân Pagoda, along with books and photographs about the Trúc Lâm Zen sect.
The Đại Hùng Bảo Điện and Ancestor Hall were built in just 90 days and nights, with thousands of people working to complete the project quickly while ensuring quality. The Dharma Hall can accommodate 4,000 people and is used for Dharma talks for monks, nuns, and lay Buddhists, as well as to enshrine the ten great disciples of the Buddha. In front of the Dharma Hall is the statue of Avalokiteshvara and Tĩnh Tâm Lake. In addition to the Tịch Quang Stupa behind the Ancestor Hall, there are 22 other stupas enshrining Zen masters, many of which are still well-preserved. There is now also a stupa for the nun Đàm Châu, who served as the head of the old Lân Pagoda for over 20 years before the establishment of Trúc Lâm Yên Tử Zen Monastery.
Lân Pagoda – Trúc Lâm Yên Tử Zen Monastery is the only place in Yên Tử where monks practice the Trúc Lâm Zen tradition under Venerable Thích Thanh Từ. Here, no votive offerings or paper money are burned, no donation boxes are placed, and no certificates of merit are issued. The offerings by Buddhists and visitors are purely voluntary. Each year, the Zen monastery welcomes tens of thousands of visitors for meditation practice.
To the left of the Ancestor Hall is a rare and fascinating natural scene. It features a centuries-old banyan tree intertwined with a fig tree, symbolizing the spirit of solidarity, mutual support, and unity across all species—an essential cultural trait of the Vietnamese people.
