Eighteen rock carvings of Buddhist Arhats dating to the early Tran Dynasty are believed to be the oldest of their kind in Vietnam, offering rare insights into the flourishing Buddhist culture of medieval Dai Viet.
Unique Buddhist carvings preserved in a limestone cave
Phong Phu Pagoda, also known as Lien Hoa Cave, is located in Tay Hoa Lu Ward, Ninh Binh Province, northern Vietnam.
The cave, situated on Co Phong Mountain within the pagoda complex, preserves 18 ancient rock carvings depicting Buddhist Arhats, enlightened disciples who have attained liberation.
According to an inscription on the Khuc Mo Tu Bi Ky stone stele at the pagoda, Phong Phu Pagoda dates back to the reign of King Dinh Tien Hoang in the 10th century.
Lien Hoa Cave on Co Phong Mountain in Ninh Binh preserves 18 ancient rock carvings depicting Buddhist Arhats.
It was originally known as Khuc Mo Tu, Co Phong Son, meaning Khuc Mo Pagoda on Co Phong Mountain.
Another stone inscription, dating to the Kien Gia era (1211-1224), records that An Quoc Dai Vuong, a royal figure from the Dinh Dynasty, established a Buddhist place of worship in Co Phong Cave under the name Khuc Mo.
Carved into the cave's opposing rock walls are images of 18 Arhats, with nine figures on each side.
The carvings vary in size and appearance, and each figure is depicted with distinctive postures, gestures, facial expressions, surroundings and natural scenery.
According to the Ninh Binh Department of Culture and Sports, the 18 Arhat carvings at Lien Hoa Cave date to the Tran Dynasty and remain original historical artefacts.
They constitute Vietnam's only known surviving set of 18 Arhat images carved directly into cave walls and are considered the country's earliest and oldest depictions of these Buddhist figures.
The carvings are an exceptionally rare example of ma nhai, a traditional form of inscription or imagery engraved directly into natural rock surfaces.
They are also valuable historical sources for studying Tran Dynasty Buddhist art and the broader development of Vietnamese Buddhist culture.
The Arhat carvings on the cave walls have been dated to the Tran Dynasty.
Unlike the carvings at Lien Hoa Cave, most surviving sets of 18 Arhat statues in Vietnamese Buddhist pagodas date from much later, primarily the 17th and 18th centuries.
These later works were generally created as freestanding sculptures or reliefs using wood, lacquer-coated clay, or materials decorated with red lacquer and gold or silver leaf.
Notable examples include the 18 lacquer-coated clay Arhat statues at Nom Pagoda in Hung Yen, the wooden Arhat reliefs at Tram Gian Pagoda in Hanoi, and the wooden Arhat statues at Mia Pagoda in Hanoi and Dau Pagoda in Bac Ninh.
Another distinctive feature of the Lien Hoa Cave carvings is the way the Arhats' names or places of residence are recorded alongside individual figures.
These inscriptions add to the collection's historical and religious significance.
Traces of Buddhism's golden age in Dai Viet
The original carvings are considered Vietnam's earliest and oldest surviving depictions of the 18 Arhats on cave walls.
The carvings bear distinctive Buddhist features, depicting Arhats in various religious postures, including meditation, ritual hand gestures and the use of prayer beads and staffs. Lotus pedestals and multi-tiered platforms are particularly prominent.
According to the Ninh Binh Department of Culture and Sports, a rock inscription dated 1246, during the reign of King Tran Thai Tong, provides important evidence about the origins of the carvings.
The inscription records that a Buddhist monk associated with the Southern tradition came to Co Phong Mountain, reopened the Bao Phuc rock sanctuary and worked to revitalise Buddhist religious activities.
The monk is also credited with creating the 18 Arhat carvings on the mountain cave's rock walls.
During the early Tran Dynasty, Buddhism enjoyed strong support from the royal court.
King Tran Thai Tong himself reportedly considered becoming a Buddhist monk at Yen Tu Mountain shortly after ascending the throne.
Ninh Binh was regarded as an important religious centre of Dai Viet during the Tran period, when Buddhism was experiencing a period of considerable prosperity.
Historical records describe an event in 1231, the seventh year of the Kien Trung era, when a royal decree ordered Buddhist statues to be installed at public stations throughout the country to promote and expand the religion's influence.
Some carvings feature lotus flowers, bamboo and Chinese inscriptions recording the Arhats' names and places of residence.
Ancient rock inscriptions and stone steles provide historical evidence of the creation of the Arhat carvings on the cave walls.
Dr Vu Dieu Trung, Director of the Cultural Heritage Data Centre at the Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Arts under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the carvings display numerous distinctive Buddhist features.
The 18 Arhats are portrayed in different religious postures and activities, including sitting cross-legged in meditation, forming ritual hand gestures, holding prayer beads and carrying staffs.
Particularly notable are the lotus pedestals, lotus petals and multi-tiered platforms beneath the figures.
Some carvings also feature lotus flowers, bamboo and Chinese characters identifying the Arhats and their places of residence.
According to Trung, one of the clearest indications of Ninh Binh's importance as a religious centre during the Tran Dynasty is the Vu Lam royal retreat.
The carvings demonstrate the early introduction and influence of Arhat veneration in Vietnamese Buddhism.
The retreat was once used for Buddhist religious practice by Kings Tran Thai Tong and Tran Nhan Tong.
Meanwhile, at Co Phong Mountain, the monk associated with the Southern tradition practised Buddhism, restored the Bao Phuc sanctuary and created the 18 Arhat carvings.
Together, these historical remains provide compelling evidence of Buddhist religious activities, pagoda construction and the flourishing of Buddhist art in Ninh Binh during the early Tran period.
Research suggests that the 18 Arhat rock carvings at Lien Hoa Cave are the earliest surviving evidence of the introduction and influence of Arhat veneration in Vietnamese Buddhism.
Of particular interest are the names and places of residence associated with the Arhats.
These correspond to traditions commonly referenced during the early development of Arhat worship, revealing differences in Buddhist thought and aesthetic preferences at the time.
The carvings therefore represent far more than a rare artistic achievement.
They provide an important historical record of how Buddhist beliefs were received, interpreted and expressed in medieval Vietnam, while preserving a distinctive part of the religious and cultural heritage of Dai Viet.
Vietnamnet.vn
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