AND THE FOUNDATION OF BUDDHISM AND CATHOLICISM IN SOUTHERN VIETNAM
In the 17th century, amid the vibrant bustle of one of Central Vietnam’s busiest seaports, Nuoc Man – now located in Tuy Phuoc district, Binh Dinh province – quietly became a rare crossroads of civilizations. It was here that the Vietnamese Romanized script (Quoc Ngu) was conceived, Catholicism took its first roots, and Buddhism was firmly established in the southern region known as Đàng Trong.
Not only did Jesuit missionaries arrive and begin transcribing the Vietnamese language into Latin script, but Zen Master Nguyên Thiều, a revered monk from China, also arrived via this very port. Feeling the powerful spiritual energy of the land, he chose to stop at Long Bich Hill and, in 1668, founded Thap Thap Di-Da Pagoda, planting the first seeds of the Lam Te Zen lineage in Đàng Trong.
Right here – on this sacred land nourished by alluvial tides and historical echoes – three of Vietnam’s greatest spiritual and cultural legacies converged: language, religion, and cultural identity, forming a sacred undercurrent that has quietly nourished the soul of the Vietnamese people for over 300 years.
The Golden Life Travel team visits Go Thi Church, a historical Catholic site in Binh Dinh, known as one of the earliest centers for missionary work and Vietnamese script development. A heartfelt journey connecting faith, heritage, and community.
Nước Mặn Port – The Spiritual Gateway for Zen Master Nguyên Thiều to Establish Buddhism in Central Vietnam
Beyond its role as a bustling trading hub and the cradle of the Vietnamese script, Nước Mặn Port also served as a spiritual conduit for Zen Master Nguyên Thiều, a revered monk from China, to enter the land of Champa.
In 1668, upon arriving in the northern region of the former Đồ Bàn citadel (present-day Bình Định), Master Nguyên Thiều was moved by the area’s profound spiritual energy. He chose to settle on Long Bích Hill, where he established a modest thatched hermitage. This humble beginning laid the foundation for what would become Thập Tháp Di-Đà Temple, a significant center for Buddhist practice.
From this sacred site, Master Nguyên Thiều propagated the Lâm Tế Zen lineage throughout central Vietnam. His efforts led to the establishment of numerous temples across the Đàng Trong region, including notable sites in Thuận Hóa (now Huế) and Gia Định (now Ho Chi Minh City). His legacy endures, marking him as a pivotal figure in the dissemination and development of Buddhism in Vietnam.
