World’s oldest carved Buddhist Sutras on “thi” wood at Bo Da pagoda
(VOVWORLD) - Carved woodblocks bearing the Sutras of Zen Buddhism at Bo Da Pagoda in Viet Yen district, Bac Giang province, were named national treasures at a ceremony on March 31.
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| Located at the foot of Bo Da Mountain in Tien Son commune, Viet Yen district, Bac Giang province, Bo Da pagoda was a center of Lam Te Zen Buddhism in the Le Trung Hung Dynasty (1533 – 1789). |
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| The pagoda preserves 1,953 Sutra woodblocks, carved by Lam Te Buddhist monks during the reign of King Le Canh Hung (1740 -1786) and later. |
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| All the woodblocks were carved on thi wood (decandrous persimmon) from trees as much as 1,200 years old. |
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| Historical records show that there were once 84 collections of Sutras carved on the woodblocks. |
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| The pagoda now owns 36 collections of Sutras, incantations and Buddhist teachings. |
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| Designs and letters carved on the woodblocks are still looking sharp after three centuries. |
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| Each woodblock is considered a self-contained work of woodcarving art. |
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| Each printing woodblock embodies a beautiful graphic design. |
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| In 2017, the World Records Union (Worldkings) recognised the Bo Da Buddhist Sutra woodblocks as the world’s oldest carved Sutras on woodblocks. |