Next to the head office of the O Lam commune People’s Committee in Tri Ton district in An Giang province, Kom Phlung Pagoda has been standing with majesty and quietness for many years. The architectural work includes a pagoda gate, fence, main hall, and stupa for keeping remains and other items. The most outstanding feature is the main hall, situated in the central position with the ground higher than other construction works.

The pagoda in the southern region is well known to many Vietnamese for the story about the dead body of Superior Buddhist Monk Chau Tinh (1935-2014). The corpse has not decomposed though he passed away 10 years ago.

When the monk's corpse was exposed, the other monks of the pagoda and local people all were astonished when seeing the intact dead body. Many people said they could not believe the story even though they saw the body.

Monk Chau Nen of the pagoda said the Superior Buddhist Monk in his childhood stayed at a pagoda in Tri Ton district. When he turned 13 years old, he left for Kom Phlung Pagoda and lived there until his death. His corpse was buried within the pagoda’s campus.

In March 2020, according to religious custom, Monk Chau Tinh's body was exhumed after six years. “The day the remains were collected and removed, monks and people gathered to witness the sacred moment. When opening the coffin lid, I saw that the bones had not disintegrated, while the skin and bones were still intact, and there was no bad odor," Monk Chau Platform recalled.

In general, after being buried for many years, the skin and flesh will rot and decompose. But this did not happen with the Superior Buddhist Monk: his dead body was still the same as if it had just been buried.

The monks of the pagoda said that they had not used any chemicals or embalming methods.

The monks and local people all said this was the first time they saw such a strange phenomenon. They decided to rebuild the stupa to make it more spacious. After that, they put the dead body of the Superior Buddhist Monk into a glass coffin. The coffin has been there for years. 

Chau Xuan Huan, an official of the commune’s authorities confirmed that the story is true. According to Khmer people’s customs, there is no regulation that forces them to bury dead bodies, so the local authorities don’t interfere in this case.

Tran Tuyen