Quan-Am-Phat-Dai was formed in 1973, by the late Most Venerable Thich Tri Duc (1915 - 1999), former Head of the Buddhist Representative Committee of Bac Lieu town, now Bac Lieu City, and the construction was promoted by Doctor Nguyen Tu Vinh (1915 – 2004), former Director of the Red Cross Society of Bac Lieu province.
“Here, if you build an out-door statue of Guan-Yin (Skt. Avalokitesh Bodhisattva; Vietnamese: Quan-Am) so that seafarers have enough faith to overcome strong waves and winds, earning foods and clothes for their families, then you will create blessings to sentient beings for many next generations. Then, your merits are still remembered by people.”
Hearing the encouragements, Doctor Vinh eagerly accepted and from that moment, the Bodhisattva Avalokites statue was selected to built in this place as a Holy Land. The statue of Avalokites was built on a circular platform of 1.5m high, on the top of the platform is the Bodhisattva Avalokites statue sits on that lotus throne. At that time, this land was still neglected with wild forests and square ponds surrounding.
By 1990, the base of the Bodhisattva statue had been deteriorated and needed to be restored and upgraded to a new higher base. But moving the Bodhisattva statue to a new location was difficult, because technology condition at that time has not yet been developed, so Most venerable Thich Tri Duc asked the Military Region No. 9 to assist in moving the statue. Therefore, the Bodhisattva Avalokiteś statue was successfully moved in the joy of lay Buddhists, monks and nuns.
By 2008, Most Venerable Thich Hue Ha, former Head of the Bac Lieu Buddhist Administrative Committee, has built completely the construction of 2 palaces of the Thousand Hands – Thousand Eyes Bodhisattva and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. Due to limited fund, the Sangha had borrowed expenditure fee from Provincial Goverment and requested the Department of Culture to build these two palaces. These two projects have also been completed to make the Quan-Am-Phat-Dai become more solemn and meet the usage needs up to now.
The Avalokiteś Bodhisattva here is also honored as the gentle mother “Quan Am” or mother “Quan Am Nam Hai”. This sacred land also witnessed the miraculous phenomena. Through the fierced and strong storms like Typhoon Linda (November 1997), Typhoon Tembin (December 2017) were fortuned to raid the Ca Mau Cape, Bac Lieu Province but Buddhists came together and sent their prayers to the gentle Quan-Am Mother. Eventually, the storms had changed direction or weaken into tropical low pressures.
The Bodhisattva Avalokites statue is about more 13 meters high and for a long time, the statue has become the lighthouse for fishermen in the sea as well as respected and worshiped by many local people and oversea Vietnamese. Many prayers for peace and blessings from lay Buddhists have been sent to this place nourishing the faith in Mother of Quan-Am-Phat-Dai is growing more and more.
Up to now, due to the deterioration of the project, on March 10th, 2023 (February 19th, Quy Mao, Lunar Calendar), the Construction Stone Laying Ceremony has conducted by Most Venerable Thich Giac Nghi, Chairman of Buddhist Sangha in Bac Lieu Province accompanied with the standing Committeee of Buddhist Sangha in order to meet the religious needs of people as well as accompanying the government to develop spiritual tourism of the province. On the morning of September 8th, 2023 (July 24th/Quy Mao, Lunar Calendar), the Standing Committee of the Provincial Buddhist Executive Committee solemnly held the Construction Commencement Ceremony and the Restoration of the Quan-Am-Phat-Dai, phase I of building the platform of Quan-Am (ground floor and first floor over 4,000 m2.
The first piles were driven down which transforming to a new look for the Quan-Am Phat-Dai, that contributes to the development of Bac Lieu Buddhism, Bac Lieu province and the Southwest region.
Here are some recorded images:
– Some portraits of Chairman of the Administrative Executive Commitee:
- Some photos of the construction:
- Landcapes of Quan-Am Phat-Dai
- The photos of typical activities
By the Infomation and Communition Section in Bạc Liêu.
