Experts urge care of Khmer delta pagodas

Khmer pagodas scattered in different localities of the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta need to be preserved to enhance the tourism industry in the area, according to cultural experts.
Several of these pagodas were built hundreds of years ago. Some of them have been poorly restored or rebuilt, as different materials and decorative styles have been used.
The water from the delta’s 50,000 rivers and canals and the delta’s soft, low-lying land has affected the life-span of these old pagodas, which are closely tied to the community’s cultural life.
Several pagodas bombed during the American War have not been fully restored to their original condition.
The 350-year-old Khmer Hang Pagoda in Tra Vinh Province was bombed in 1968 and underwent restoration 10 times.
Cultural experts, meeting at a recent seminar, said that proper preservation methods should be applied immediately to keep the invaluable heritage.
The famous Doi (Bat) Pagoda in Soc Trang, which was set on fire in 2007, has been partly restored to its original shape as several materials had to be replaced.
Rare wood used for building the 400-year-old pagoda could not be found, and the carving on the wood was not done well.
Recently, several other pagodas and temples in the region have been restored, but the architecture has been changed and the materials replaced. But overall, the fundamentals remain.
Hung Khu, an official from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, who spoke during a recent semimar on protecting cultural heritage in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta, urged that the pagodas be restored because of their significance during the wars against the French and the Americans.
Several monks who lived at the pagodas have been acknowledged as martyrs for their sacrifice to the country’s liberation.
“It is urgent to preserve the pagodas as well as other cultural heritage in the delta to develop the tourism sector in the region,” he said.
The Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta’s Tra Vinh, Soc Trang, Kien Giang and An Giang provinces are home to most of Viet Nam’s Khmer community.
The region has roughly 500 Khmer pagodas which reflect the aesthetic characteristics of the Khmer community, as well as the thoughts, feelings and culture of the Khmer community in southern Viet Nam.
Most of the pagodas are scattered in these four provinces. Tra Vinh has 141, Soc Trang 90, Kien Giang 73, and An Giang 65. Seven of them have been recognised as national cultural heritage sites. Khmer pagodas, which are always painted yellow, are appealing to tourists, especially when they are viewed under the sunlight and palm trees.
The Khmer view the pagodas as responsible for moral education and the preservation of traditional arts and culture.