It is said that this was the place where King Tran Nhan Tong meditated, read books, and composed scriptures. During the Tran Dynasty, the stone cave behind the pagoda was known as the Thanh Long Cave, or the Ly Tran Hermitage (a place to transcend the worldly realm). During the Le Dynasty, it became a pagoda dedicated to Buddha, named “Boda Pagoda,” and the locals referred to it as “Chua Ban Thien” (Pagoda of Half the Sky) or “Chua Ban Mai” (Pagoda of Half the Roof). It is now called “One Roof Pagoda.” The pagoda has undergone several restorations, with the most recent one taking place in October 2014. In the past, the pagoda was known to have many green snakes (Thanh Long) that appeared during changing weather, but none of them ever harmed anyone.
The pagoda’s system of statues and worship items is entirely made of white stone, dating from the late Le Dynasty to the early Nguyen Dynasty, and includes altars dedicated to: the Three Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, the Three Patriarchs of Truc Lam, the Mother Goddess, and the Elder Monk.
The incense burner (from 1853) is engraved with the words “Phật, Pháp, Tăng tam bảo kim cương” (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha – the three precious jewels) and the esoteric mantra “Om Mani Padme Hum.” The stone steles, inscribed in Chinese characters, describe the statues, Dharma practices, and the scenery of the pagoda, as well as the merit of donations from the people. Inside the pagoda, there is a stone water droplet that falls slowly, which is often likened to a mother’s milk.
In front of the pagoda stands the Thanh Long Tower, built during the Le Dynasty, which houses the statue of Zen Master Nguyen Hoi, the head monk who attained enlightenment at the pagoda. Before the pagoda, there is a forest tree known as the “Ngot” tree, whose young leaves were used by the monks to make soup. Next to the tower, along the path, are ancient mandarin trees planted by people long ago, along with the Bodhi tree, whose fruits and roots are used to treat headaches, coughs, disinfect, and treat colds. The leaves of this tree are also used for washing clothes as a substitute for soap. On the cliff below the pagoda, many medicinal plants grow naturally. On both sides of the pagoda are two streams that are the water sources of Yen Tu Mountain, which flow into the Giải Oan Stream. In front of the pagoda is a Yên Tử yellow apricot tree. At the end of spring, the yellow apricots bloom abundantly on the mountain cliffs. The yellow apricot symbolizes beauty and noble character, and it was described and praised by Emperor Tran Nhan Tong in his Chinese poem “Tao Mai Ky Nhat” (First Morning Apricot). The poem, translated by Tran Thi Bang Thanh, reads:
Five petals round with yellow stamen tips,
Coral-like, silver-speckled, newly adorned,
Three eastward branches proudly displaying white,
Spring passes by, leaving only scattered blooms.
Sweet sap drips, fragrant as it melts the butterfly’s rest,
The night moon pauses, thirsting like the forest bird,
Like the immortal goddess, knowing the beauty of the apricot,
Why lament the cold, fragrant scent of the cinnabar palace.
