Cave Pagoda is a combination of nature and human labour, thus of great value in various ways, most notably a striking evidence of the making of the island by Da Viet residents.
Cave Pagoda (also called Thien Khong Thach Tu, meaning stone pagoda created by God) was founded in An Hai Village, Ly Son Island, Quang Ngai province during the reign of King Le Kinh Tong (some 400 years ago) by Mr. Tran Cong Thanh, one among the first migrants coming to the island to reclaim and make the village.
The pagoda is so called because it resides inside a natural cave formed in a mountain. This is the largest cave in the cave system created by a vertical cliff some 20 m high, larva coloured of Thoi Loi Mountain Ridge in the northeast os Ly Son Island.
The cave is some 30 m wide, 25 m long inside the mount, and abot 15 m high at the opening of the cave lowering further inward, which looks like a frog jaws.
Inside the pagoda cave are magnificient stone tables, stone beds, amusing nooks and crannies: road to heaven and road to hell.
What amazing is though the cave pagoda is adjacient to the sea coast there is fresh water inside: one can use his or her hands to catch the cool beams of purified water and safely drink.
The pagoda worships Buddha, thus there are several statutes inside the cave, and worshiping tables using the stalagtiles where local resident often visit and perform the worshp rites on the occasion of Buddha’s birthday, Tet Holiday or death aniversaries of some local predecessors who made significant contribution to the making and development of the pagoda and the island.
Right in the centre of the pagoda front yard is a lotus pond with Buddha statute, surrounded by secular trees hundreds of years of age.
N.T
