Dong Pagoda

Dong Pagoda (Chua Dong) is a bronze pagoda located at the 1,068-meter summit of Yen Tu Mountain in Thuong Yen Cong Ward, Uong Bi City, Quang Ninh Province. It is the highest pagoda in Vietnam and the culminating shrine of the Yen Tu Buddhist complex, the birthplace of Truc Lam Zen Buddhism founded by King Tran Nhan Tong. The current bronze structure, inaugurated in 2007, is a major pilgrimage and sightseeing destination.

Visitors can expect a mountain-top Buddhist shrine made entirely of bronze, situated on a small rocky peak with panoramic views over Yen Tu range and surrounding forests. Access requires a combination of cable car and a steep stone stair climb of about 30-45 minutes from the upper cable car station. The area includes incense offerings, statues, and viewing platforms. The surroundings are forested mountain slopes with other pagodas and temples of the Yen Tu complex along the route.

Yen Tu Mountain is the birthplace of Truc Lam Zen Buddhism founded by King Tran Nhan Tong (1258-1308) after his abdication in 1293. A small pagoda has existed at the summit for centuries as the highest shrine of the complex. The earlier copper pagoda was replaced by the current bronze pagoda cast between 2006-2007, weighing about 70 tons and modeled on the Tran dynasty style.

Dong Pagoda is the most sacred shrine of the Yen Tu Buddhist complex and a major pilgrimage destination for Vietnamese Buddhists, especially during the Yen Tu Spring Festival (January to March lunar calendar). It represents the spiritual culmination of the Truc Lam Zen lineage, Vietnam's indigenous Zen Buddhist school, and symbolizes the harmony of Buddhism with Vietnamese culture.