Bao Mon Pagoda

As one of Trà Vinh's most renowned pagodas, it captivates visitors not just with its unique Khmer architecture but also with its impressive collection of worship statues.
Sacred Bao Mon Pagoda with Distinctive Architecture
Located in Bao Mon hamlet, Don Chau commune, Tra Cu district, Dom Bon Bak Pagoda (also known as Bao Mon Pagoda) is a site with a rich revolutionary history.
Strategically located at the intersection of three districts – Tra Cu, Cau Ngang, and Duyen Hai – this area was fiercely contested during both the resistance wars against the French and Americans. The enemy constantly exploited ethnic and religious issues, using pagodas to sow division among the people and undermine the revolution.

From the early days of its establishment, the Don Chau Commune Party Cell understood the enemy's intentions and therefore built revolutionary bases within various pagodas. For Bao Mon Pagoda, Comrade Tran Van Khoi, Secretary of the Party Cell, discussed with Most Venerable Kim Nhieu Kem to designate the pagoda as a legitimate operational base and a safe haven for cadres. Concurrently, they mobilized monks to establish the Provincial Patriotic Monks' Affairs Committee, organizing protests against conscription and demanding reductions in rent and taxes.
The decision by the Department of Education to assign Mr. Tang Khe and Mr. Nga to teach at Bao Mon Pagoda between 1946 and 1950 proved to be a favorable condition. Through these classes, the two men propagated the Party's guidelines and policies, explained the enemy's insidious plots, and instilled patriotism and revolutionary spirit in the youth. Many who attended these classes later became revolutionary cadres and soldiers.

In 1951, during a sweep operation into Bao Mon and Mo Coi hamlets in Don Chau commune, the enemy shot dead several cadres, including Mr. Duong Thanh Bien, Mr. Tam Than, Mr. Thuoi, Mr. Tech, and Mr. Quan. Most Venerable Kim Nhieu Kem rallied Buddhists to bring the bodies of the cadres to the pagoda for burial. Mr. Tech, however, regained consciousness upon arrival at the pagoda, so the Most Venerable arranged for him to be taken to Cau Ngang district's military medical station for treatment. Simultaneously, the Most Venerable collected and hid important documents. Later, during a sweep by Commando soldiers, the pagoda hid several cadres inside its stupas and the ceiling of the main hall. Many revolutionary cadres during the resistance against the French were harbored, protected, and sheltered by the pagoda, including Mr. Ma Ha Son Thong, Son Phuoc Roth, Tran Lai, Thach Ngoc Bien, Tran Van Khoi, Char Khieu, Tran Van Tech, Nam Chieu, Muoi Lanh, and others.
During the American resistance war, Bao Mon Pagoda continued to serve as a steadfast revolutionary base. Numerous secret bunkers were constructed within the pagoda grounds: beneath the Buddha altars, in the ceiling of the main hall, and even in the rooms of Most Venerable Kim Nhieu Kem, Venerable Kim Toc Chon, and Venerable Son Luong. Many historical events associated with the pagoda are widely known, such as:
On the occasion of the Don-ta festival in 1960, under the guidance of the Provincial Party Committee, thousands of people, including monks, Kinh, and Khmer ethnic groups, gathered at the pagoda before marching to Tra Vinh to protest. They demanded that the provincial chief release Acha Pho and Acha Luis Sa Rat, end the arrests and imprisonment of patriots, cease the oppression of monks, and grant freedom of movement and education. The protest march split into several groups, all heading towards Tra Vinh. Specifically, the Tra Cu contingent, upon reaching Phuoc Hung, was met by provincial chief Le Hoang Thao and his forces attempting to block their advance, but they could not halt the protestors. When the protest group arrived at Cau Giong Luc Bridge, the panicked provincial chief personally directed the suppression. A clash ensued, resulting in 10 injuries among our people, but ultimately the provincial chief was forced to promise the release of Acha Pho and Acha Lui Sa Rat and address many of their demands.
Following the protest, the Monks' Mobilization Committee and the Provincial Resistance Forces Steering Committee organized a victory rally at the pagoda, featuring performances by a Dù Kê (Khmer traditional theater) troupe. Upon discovery, the enemy dispatched a Marine division to surround the pagoda, shot and killed Mr. Thach Sa Ray, and arrested 21 monks, including Most Venerable Kim Nhieu Kem, taking them to Tra Vinh. This act further fueled the fervor of the rally, and the local people carried Mr. Thach Sa Ray's body to the district and provincial authorities to continue their struggle. As for Most Venerable Kim Nhieu Kem, after multiple failed attempts to bribe and persuade him, they forced him to go on Ba Xuyen Radio to call on monks and the public not to follow the Viet Cong. The Most Venerable staunchly refused, and eventually, they had to release him.
In late 1968, the enemy discovered a guerrilla squad stationed at the pagoda and consequently surrounded it, calling for their surrender. Faced with this difficult situation, Most Venerable Kim Nhieu Kem, with his quick wit, instructed the guerrilla squad to hide in the water tank in front of the main hall. Then, with skillful and firm words, he explained to the enemy that this was a place of worship and that as Khmer people, they should respect monks and pagodas. Confronted by the Most Venerable's persuasive arguments, the enemy could not find any evidence and had to withdraw, visibly frustrated.

In preparation for the campaign to liberate the countryside and Tra Vinh, in September 1974, Comrade Thach Tua (Ba Tua), Head of the Provincial Khmer Affairs Committee, discussed with Most Venerable Kim Nhieu Kem the plan to send several provincial commando cadres disguised as monks to the pagoda. Subsequently, the Most Venerable used the pagoda's jeep to transport these "monks" – Nguyen Thanh Cong (Ut Danh), Ba Trung, and others – to survey the puppet commune administrations of Don Chau, Long Son, and Nhi Truong. After nearly half a month of research and planning, our forces launched an attack, swiftly neutralizing the puppet administrations of Don Chau and Long Son communes. The Nhi Truong commune administration suffered heavy losses.
During the Ho Chi Minh Campaign to liberate Tra Vinh, Most Venerable Kim Toc Chon, Head of the Provincial Monks' Mobilization Committee, assigned Venerable Lam Ruong Son (from Bao Mon Pagoda), along with Venerables Son Song, Thach Suong, and Son Sa Ra, to enter the provincial chief's residence. Their mission was to persuade Nguyen Van Son, the provincial chief of Vinh Binh, to call on the puppet army and administration to surrender, thereby contributing to the overall victory of the American resistance war.

Embracing the spirit of 'All for the front line, all for the resistance,' the Buddhist followers and monks of Bao Mon Pagoda contributed dozens of taels of gold, thousands of bushels of rice, and many other essential items. Twenty-five monks and Buddhist devotees bravely sacrificed their lives for the cause of national liberation. Most Venerable Kim Nhieu Kem himself was awarded the Second-Class Resistance Order and the Medal for National Development by the State. Bao Mon Pagoda was officially recognized as a provincial-level historical relic by the Tra Vinh Provincial People's Committee under Decision No. 1022/QD-UBND dated June 10, 2005.
Vinh Long 5353 view
Update day : 30/10/2023
Source : travinh.gov.vn Affiliate links
Monuments close by
See allNearby tourist attractions
See all

























