Chuc Thanh III

These four charming young ladies were the first to greet me as I walked through Chuc Thanh pagoda (see Chuc Thanh  and Chuc Thanh II). Wonderful haircuts. Beautiful smiles. [NOTE: The girls are trainee nuns who have entered monastic life at a young age.  They live and are educated at Chuc Thanh].

Chuc Thanh II

Young monks at Chuc Thanh pagoda doing their homework as the rain pours down outside. Interesting tonsure. [NOTE: I shot this from the meditation hall, i.e. I was not standing out in the rain].

Chuc Thanh Pagoda

Chuc Thanh pagoda, located about 2 km north of Hoi An (see Hoi An), was founded in 1454 by the Chinese monk Minh Hai. The main altar at this ancient temple complex is shown below. Note the two large, and well-used, mokugyos (mộc ngư in Vietnamese) to the left of the altar.

The meditation hall contains beautiful wooden statues of prominent Chuc Thanh ancestors and bodhisattvas, as well as a large, cast-iron bell that was said to be several hundred years old. This was a very peaceful and magical place. 

Hoi An

Hoi An was an important Chinese settlement during the 17th to 19th centuries, and it has recently been designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO as a well-preserved example of a traditional Southeast Asian trading port. I spent several hours strolling through Hoi An yesterday - in the pouring rain. The insides of the houses are spectacular. The first image shows a writing desk in the study of one of the homes, the second shot frames the view through the split-bamboo partition between rooms, and the final image shows the bonzai pot flora of the courtyard. And to top it all off, the owner of the house served us tea. [NOTE: My wet umbrella was dripping water all over the floor of this nice man's house as I took these pictures].