Wat
Chùa Hang
Chùa Hang (Wat Kompong Chrây) is a Khmer Theravada Buddhist Wat on National Route 54 in Châu Thành commune, Vĩnh Long province, Vietnam.[1] It stands in a grove of old trees about 5 km (3 mi) south of Trà Vinh ward.[1]
History
Its Khmer name, Kompong Chrây, means "landing of the banyan tree": a large banyan once stood at a river landing on the site, and the first monks built the Wat there. Its everyday name, Hang ("cave"), comes from its vaulted gate.[1][2] The Wat was founded in 1637[1][3] or in the late 18th century,[2] and it has had 23 generations of abbots.[1]
Hòa thượng (Most Venerable) Thạch Suông, the 23rd abbot, brought a master woodcarver to the Wat to teach monks and young people, using the roots of old trees destroyed in the war. Within four years the Wat held more than 100 carved works.[3] Its displayed carvings include Cửu long (nine dragons), nine dragons entwined, carved by six workers and monks over six years, and a set of the twelve zodiac animals in the Khmer Theravada tradition.[4] In May 2025, the people's committee of the former Trà Vinh province recognized Chùa Hang as a provincial historical relic.[1] The certificate was presented on June 13, 2025.[5]
Architecture
The gate, 8 m (26 ft) long with thick walls, opens through a large central arch flanked by two smaller ones. The main hall follows Khmer Theravada forms, and scenes from the life of the Buddha are depicted inside. The grounds cover about 7 ha (17 acres)[1] or 7,000 m² (1.7 acres),[3] much of it a stand of old sao and dầu trees where storks and herons roost. The Wat sets strict rules to protect the birds and trees.[1]
Religious life
As of 2025, the abbot was Thượng tọa (Venerable) Thạch Suông[6] or Sư Chơn Sỹ.[2] Provincial leaders and a delegation of Military Region 9 visited the monks there for Khmer New Year (Chol Chnam Thmey) on April 10, 2025.[6][7] The Wat holds the major Buddhist festivals of the year, and Khmer children come there to study and take part in religious life.[2][1]
On September 17, 2025, a deputy chair of the provincial people's committee visited the Wat with gifts for Sene Dolta, the festival for ancestors.[8][9]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Phật Sự Online, Chiêm ngưỡng chùa Hang hàng trăm tuổi giữa 'rừng' cây cổ thụ (July 18, 2025)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Pháp Luật TP.HCM, Chùa Kompong Chrây: Vẻ đẹp kiến trúc Khmer và nét tĩnh lặng giữa lòng Trà Vinh (February 1, 2025)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Giác Ngộ, Độc đáo chùa Kompông Chrây (May 22, 2011)
- ↑ Báo Vĩnh Long, Độc đáo chùa Kompong Chrây (August 27, 2025)
- ↑ Giác Ngộ, Trà Vinh: Chùa Kompong Chrây đón nhận Bằng xếp hạng Di tích lịch sử cấp tỉnh (June 14, 2025)
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Báo Trà Vinh, Phó Chủ tịch UBND tỉnh Nguyễn Quỳnh Thiện thăm, chúc mừng Chôl Chnam Thmây năm 2025 (April 11, 2025)
- ↑ Báo Trà Vinh, Đoàn công tác Bộ Tư lệnh Quân khu 9 thăm, chúc mừng Chôl Chnam Thmây tại Trà Vinh (April 10, 2025)
- ↑ Giác Ngộ, Vĩnh Long: Lãnh đạo tỉnh thăm, chúc mừng lễ Sene Dolta các chùa Khmer tiêu biểu (September 19, 2025)
- ↑ Báo Vĩnh Long, Lãnh đạo UBND tỉnh thăm, tặng quà đồng bào Khmer dịp lễ Sêne Đôlta (September 17, 2025)