This pagoda is an entire temple complex with an ancient history and beautiful statues known throughout the Buddhist world.
According to legend, a Chinese monk saw a sign in a flock of flying swallows, which rose from the roof of an old Chinese pagoda, crossed the Duong River, and landed on the spot where the monk indicated the site for the construction of a new temple. This happened back in the 16th century, during the time of the Later Le dynasty, whose architecture has left behind many historical monuments of Vietnam.
The But Thap pagoda complex consists of 10 buildings, including a temple in the classical style, two white stone towers, a bell tower, the traditional Vietnamese three-entrance gate, and residential buildings for monks and nuns. Incidentally, among the female residents of this temple were princesses and even the dowager empress of the Le dynasty.
In addition, But Thap is known for its ancient statues of gods and saints; there are more than 50 of them here in total. Many of them date back to the 17th century and are unique examples of wood carving.
The temple's most famous attraction is the grand wooden statue of Avalokiteshvara, the thousand-armed and thousand-eyed embodiment of compassion and mercy in Buddhism. Meanwhile, the But Thap statue depicts the female manifestation of this deity, named Quan Am. She sits on a lotus flower in a radiant crown and, despite the number of arms and eyes, looks truly kind and serene.
