Gazing from afar toward the gentle hill in the southwestern sector of Pleiku mountain town, visitors easily spot the majestic 9-story Relic Stupa rising 70 meters against the deep blue sky alongside multi-tiered curved yin-yang tile roofs. Stepping through the triple gate at 348 Nguyễn Viết Xuân Street into the two-hectare compound of Minh Thành Pagoda, the warm aroma of Fokienia wood mingling with the chime of wind bells under the stupa eaves and gentle curls of incense smoke rising from a four-tonne bronze burner beside Liên Trì Pond immediately carries the mind away from urban bustle.
Founded in the Giáp Thìn year (1964) by Most Venerable Thích Giác Đạo as a Buddhist institute and comprehensively reconstructed over more than a decade beginning in 1997 under the architectural design of Senior Venerable Thích Tâm Mãn, Minh Thành Pagoda stands today as a masterpiece of contemporary Buddhist architecture in the Central Highlands. The monastery subtly synthesizes the classical aesthetics of Lý and Trần dynasty Vietnamese temples with traditional East Asian bracket-and-timber craftsmanship and the profound Mandala cosmology of Mahayana Buddhism.
IMandala Cosmology and the Statue of Vairocana Buddha
Unlike the T-shaped (chữ Đinh) or I-shaped (chữ Công) ground plans typical of traditional temples, the central sanctuary of Minh Thành Pagoda is constructed upon the Mandala (Mạn-đà-la) cosmogram of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism. In Sanskrit, Mandala signifies a sacred circle of completeness or an altar of awakening, representing the structure of the entire cosmic Dharma realm converging around a center of absolute purity. The ground plan of the main hall here is designed like a giant lotus in full bloom atop the hill, harmonizing the two dimensions of ultimate reality: the Womb Realm (Thai Tạng giới, innate compassionate awakening) and the Diamond Realm (Kim Cang giới, indestructible wisdom).
At the exact center of the Mandala inside the Grand Hall (Đại Hùng Bửu Điện), the monastery enshrines the golden figure of Vairocana Buddha (Đức Phật Tỳ Lô Giá Na), the supreme pure Dharmakaya (Truth Body) of Shakyamuni Buddha. The name Vairocana means He Who Illuminates All Things, referring to the light of Buddhist wisdom shining across the ten directions of the cosmos unobstructed by any hindrance, echoing the two characters Minh Thành (luminous wisdom brought to perfection) in the pagoda's name.
The Five Dhyani Buddhas and Ten Thousand Buddhas inside the sanctuary
Surrounding the 6-meter-tall, 16-tonne bronze statue of Vairocana Buddha at the center of the sanctuary are the figures of the Five Dhyani Buddhas (Ngũ Phương Ngũ Phật), representing the five wisdom families that transmute the five delusions of sentient beings. The four corners of the main hall are guarded by four statues of Thousand-Armed, Thousand-Eyed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva (Thiên Thủ Thiên Nhãn), each standing 8 meters tall and 3.5 meters wide, manifesting boundless compassion reaching out in all directions to relieve suffering and bring joy.
Lining the left and right sides of the inner hall are eighteen statues of the Eighteen Arhats (Thập Bát La Hán) carved from jackfruit wood lacquered in crimson and gilded in gold, each standing 1.3 meters tall and weighing nearly 300 kilograms with vivid expressions. Notably, the entire wooden wall encircling the main sanctuary is divided into more than 3,000 intricately carved niches, each enshrining a small seated meditating Buddha to form a solemn realm of the Ten Thousand Buddhas (Vạn Phật), reminding every Buddhist practitioner of the innate Buddha-nature ever present within their own mind.
The pairing of the open-air Amitabha Buddha statue standing amidst the lotus waters of Liên Trì Pond in front and Vairocana Buddha enthroned at the heart of the Mandala hall behind expresses the harmonious integration of Pure Land practice and Esoteric Mahayana teaching: taking the recitation of Amitabha Buddha's name as the initial skillful means to purify afflictions, and progressing toward realizing the ocean of Vairocana's Eternal Quiescent Light right within the human world.
IIFrom a 1964 Buddhist Institute to a Celebrated Monastic Complex
More than six decades of history at Minh Thành Pagoda are intertwined with two eminent figures of Buddhism in Gia Lai province, Founding Patriarch Most Venerable Thích Giác Đạo and Architect-Monk Senior Venerable Thích Tâm Mãn, reflecting the enduring vitality of Buddhism on the highland plateau through changing historical eras.
- 1964 (Giáp Thìn)Most Venerable Thích Giác Đạo founds Minh Thành Buddhist InstituteMost Venerable Thích Giác Đạo established Minh Thành Pagoda on a 20,000-square-meter (2-hectare) hillside plot in the southern part of former Pleiku town to serve as a Buddhist institute training monastic talent and a place of worship for lay devotees.
- 1975 - 1996Sustaining monastic practice through challenging yearsThrough historical transitions and difficult economic conditions after 1975, the pagoda's early structures built of modest materials suffered heavy weathering and deterioration, yet the monastic lamp was steadfastly preserved by the resident clergy.
- 1997Grand reconstruction commences under the design of Venerable Thích Tâm MãnSenior Venerable Thích Tâm Mãn (the first Vietnamese Buddhist monk to graduate valedictorian with a Master's degree in Buddhist Fine Arts and Pagoda Architecture in Taiwan) drafted the master blueprints and initiated the comprehensive reconstruction of Minh Thành Pagoda.
- 2000sErection of the Fokienia wood Main Hall and 9-story Relic StupaCompletion of the two-story, 16-meter-high main hall with its intricately carved Fokienia wood ceiling, casting of the 16-tonne bronze Vairocana Buddha statue, and construction of the 70-meter 9-story Relic Stupa alongside the Bell Tower and Patriarch Tower.
- 2010 - presentCompletion of Liên Trì Pond and emergence as a cultural-spiritual centerLandscaping of Liên Trì Pond with the 40-tonne white marble Amitabha Buddha statue, the 4-tonne bronze incense burner, and statuary gardens, establishing Minh Thành Pagoda as a premier Buddhist architectural landmark of the Central Highlands.
According to records of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Gia Lai province and the Buddhism Today portal (Đạo Phật Ngày Nay), the visionary behind the distinctive architectural form of Minh Thành Pagoda today is Senior Venerable Thích Tâm Mãn (Member of the Central Executive Council and Standing Deputy Head of the Gia Lai Provincial Buddhist Executive Committee). Born in Pleiku mountain town and ordained at the pagoda at the age of six, after years of overseas study culminating in graduating first in his class with a Master's degree in Buddhist Fine Arts and Pagoda Architecture in Taiwan, the Senior Venerable devoted himself to returning home and personally designing every curved eave, column order, and liturgical layout for his ancestral temple.
Alongside Bửu Minh Pagoda amidst the northern Biển Hồ tea hills, the revival and architectural rise of Minh Thành Pagoda in the southern urban district have created two distinctive poles of Buddhist architecture in Gia Lai province, safeguarding traditional roots while opening new artistic horizons for highland monasteries.
IIIMasterwork of Fokienia Woodcarving and Classical Stupa Ensemble
The architectural complex of Minh Thành Pagoda unfolds across roughly 2 hectares, symmetrically planned along a sacred axis extending from the triple gate across the forecourt with Liên Trì Pond, ascending into the two-story main hall at the center, and continuing to the inner monastic quarters behind. The first feature that captivates architectural scholars is the multi-tiered curved yin-yang tile roof system inspired by classical Lý and Trần dynasty Vietnamese pagodas, blended with the bracket sets (đấu củng) and timber verandas of Japanese and Chinese temple architecture.
The 16-meter-high main hall comprises two levels: the ground floor is the Hall of Great Compassion (Đại Bi Điện) used as a lecture hall and practice space for lay Buddhists, while the upper floor is the Grand Hall (Đại Hùng Bửu Điện). To enter the Grand Hall, worshippers pass through a monumental six-panel main doorway crafted from solid Afzelia wood (gỗ gõ) standing 6 meters tall and 40 centimeters thick, carved in high relief with the mighty Four Heavenly Kings alongside lotus and dragon-cloud motifs. Looking overhead, the entire vaulted ceiling of the main hall is a magnificent work of Fokienia wood (gỗ pơ-mu) joinery assembled entirely by hand in concentric geometric rings following the Mandala cosmogram, diffusing a gentle natural wood fragrance throughout all four seasons.
Standing to the left of the main hall, the 9-story stupa has a structural body height of 70 meters (some sources record 72 meters including the metal finial spire at the apex), painted in refined reddish-brown and gold tones. The lower four floors are open for veneration, while the upper levels enshrine the Tripitaka canons and relics of Shakyamuni Buddha.
The upper level of the 16-meter main hall is laid out on a Mandala plan featuring a ceiling carved entirely from Central Highlands Fokienia wood and a 6-panel solid Afzelia wood doorway standing 6 meters tall and 40 cm thick carved with the Four Heavenly Kings.
At the heart of the sanctuary sits a 6-meter, 16-tonne bronze statue of Vairocana Buddha on a lotus throne, surrounded by four 8-meter statues of Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara, 18 jackfruit-wood Arhat statues, and over 3,000 small Buddha niches lining the timber walls.
At the center of the forecourt lies Liên Trì Pond planted with lotuses and Podocarpus pines, enshrining at its center a monolithic white marble statue of Amitabha Buddha standing 7.5 meters tall and weighing 40 tonnes on a lotus pedestal.
In front of Liên Trì Pond stands a bronze incense burner 4 meters tall weighing over 4 tonnes. Flanking the forecourt symmetrically are the Bell Tower (housing a 2-tonne great bronze bell) and the Patriarch Tower honoring founder Most Venerable Thích Giác Đạo.
Beyond impressing visitors with the monumental scale of its bronze and stone statues, Minh Thành Pagoda also devotes meticulous care to its East Asian Zen-inspired garden landscape. Weeping willows casting reflections upon Liên Trì Pond, sculpted ancient Podocarpus trees bordering flagstone paths, and blue-stone relief friezes depicting scenes from the life of the Buddha along the stairways create a unified work of Buddhist art from macro layout down to the smallest detail.
IVThe Lie of the Land and Orientation
The following reading is an interpretation by the archive through the lens of traditional landform feng shui based on the actual hill topography and architectural layout in Hội Phú ward, and is not drawn from stele inscriptions or official documents of the pagoda.
On the topographic map of central Gia Lai province at coordinates 13.97015 degrees North latitude and 108.00795 degrees East longitude, Minh Thành Pagoda rests on the gentle slope of a red basalt hill in Hội Phú ward (the southwestern sector of former Pleiku city). The higher hill ridge to the west and northwest serves as a sturdy rear backing (hậu chẩm) supporting the two-hectare compound, while the terrain steps down gradually toward the east and southeast facing the Hội Phú stream valley, forming the classical monastic configuration of high behind and low in front, sitting against the mountain to welcome vital qi.
The primary axis of the main hall and triple gate opens toward the East (slightly inclined Southeast), receiving the warm morning yang qi of the highland plateau. To temper the natural downward slope of the hillside and prevent the energy field from draining rapidly toward Nguyễn Viết Xuân Street, the architect skillfully placed the circular Liên Trì Pond right at the center of the forecourt as an inner water-gathering bright hall (minh đường), paired with the 40-tonne white stone Amitabha Buddha statue and the 4-tonne bronze incense burner acting as a protective front screen (tiền án) anchoring the central axis. On the left (north) rise the 70-meter 9-story Relic Stupa and the Bell Tower forming an auspicious Azure Dragon, while on the right (south) stand the Patriarch Tower and monastic wings creating a balanced White Tiger, enabling the entire sanctuary to gather qi directly into the Mandala node (huyệt) of the Grand Hall.
VMonastic Practice and Annual Buddhist Observances
Inheriting the legacy of a Buddhist institute since its founding in 1964, Minh Thành Pagoda today is not only a celebrated pilgrimage landmark but also a major center of monastic study and Dharma propagation in Gia Lai province. On the ground floor of the main hall (Hall of Great Compassion), the monastery regularly hosts Eight Precepts retreats, scheduled Dharma lectures, and summer youth retreats for young people across the mountain town.
On major annual Buddhist holy days, tens of thousands of lay devotees and residents from across the Central Highlands together with travelers from afar gather in the courtyard beside Liên Trì Pond and at the foot of the Relic Stupa to participate in solemn traditional ceremonies.
| Lunar Date | Liturgical Occasion | Principal Rituals and Activities |
|---|---|---|
| 1st to 15th of the 1st Lunar Month | New Year Peace Prayers and First Full Moon | Celebration of Maitreya Buddha's festival on Lunar New Year's Day, opening of the Medicine Buddha Seven-Jewel Altar praying for national peace, and First Full Moon rites. |
| 15th of the 4th Lunar Month | Buddha's Birthday (Vesak) | Erection of the Vesak ceremonial platform beside Liên Trì Pond, Bathing of the Baby Buddha ritual, floral float processions, and Dharma talks on the life of Shakyamuni Buddha. |
| 15th of the 7th Lunar Month | Vu Lan Filial Piety Festival and Robe Offering | Chanting of the Ullambana Sutra, rose-pinning ceremony honoring parents, Kathina/Dharma robe offering, and requiem prayers for all departed souls. |
| 15th of the 8th Lunar Month | Lantern Festival and Mid-Autumn Celebration | Lantern processions, Buddhist cultural performances, and presentation of educational scholarships and gifts to children across Gia Lai province. |
| 17th of the 11th Lunar Month | Amitabha Buddha's Festival Day and Lantern Night | Chanting of the Amitabha Sutra, circumambulation around the white stone Amitabha Buddha statue beside Liên Trì Pond, and lighting thousands of lotus lanterns for world peace. |
| Annual Memorial Day | Memorial of Founding Patriarch Thích Giác Đạo | Venerable monks, nuns, and disciples perform the midday offering, circumambulate the Patriarch Tower, and commemorate the founding merits of Most Venerable Thích Giác Đạo. |
An exploration of Buddhist heritage on the Gia Lai plateau becomes even more complete when you combine paying homage at Minh Thành Pagoda inside the mountain town with a visit to Bửu Minh Pagoda amidst the Biển Hồ tea hills about 12 kilometers to the north, experiencing the rich diversity of Central Highlands temple architecture from 1936 to the present.
VILocation And How To Get There
- Address
- Số 348 đường Nguyễn Viết Xuân, phường Hội Phú (phường Hội Phú cũ, thành phố Pleiku cũ), tỉnh Gia Lai
- Getting there
- Minh Thành Pagoda is located at 348 Nguyễn Viết Xuân Street, Hội Phú ward, Gia Lai province (formerly part of Pleiku city). From the Hoa Lư junction or Đại Đoàn Kết Square in central Pleiku, follow Lê Duẩn Street or Nguyễn Tất Thành Street south, then turn onto Nguyễn Viết Xuân Street and proceed for about 1.5 kilometers until you see the triple gate and the 9-story Relic Stupa rising prominently on the hillside.
- Coordinates
- 13.97015, 108.00795
Minh Thành Pagoda is a serene place of monastic study and practice for monks and lay devotees, so when visiting to pay homage, you should wear modest, respectful clothing (avoiding shorts, short skirts, or sleeveless tops inside the temple grounds). When ascending the stairs into the Grand Hall or the open levels of the Relic Stupa, please remove your footwear at the designated areas, maintain silence, refrain from touching the wooden and bronze statues, and strictly observe all signs restricting photography or filming in the inner monastic quarters.
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?Quick Questions
When was Minh Thành Pagoda in Gia Lai built and who founded it?
Minh Thành Pagoda was founded in the Giáp Thìn year (1964) by Most Venerable Thích Giác Đạo on a 2-hectare hillside plot, originally serving as the Minh Thành Buddhist Institute. Beginning in 1997, Senior Venerable Thích Tâm Mãn (the first Vietnamese Buddhist monk to graduate valedictorian with a Master's degree in Buddhist Fine Arts and Pagoda Architecture in Taiwan) personally designed and directed a grand reconstruction lasting over a decade to create the architectural complex seen today.
What makes the architecture of the main hall at Minh Thành Pagoda unique?
The 16-meter-high main hall comprises two stories (the Hall of Great Compassion on the ground floor and the Grand Hall above) laid out upon a Mandala cosmic diagram resembling a blooming lotus. The entire vaulted ceiling of the main hall is carved and mortised by hand from Central Highlands Fokienia wood (gỗ pơ-mu), while the main doorway consists of six solid Afzelia wood panels standing 6 meters tall and 40 centimeters thick carved in relief with the Four Heavenly Kings.
Which statues are enshrined inside the Grand Hall of Minh Thành Pagoda?
At the center of the Grand Hall sits a bronze statue of Vairocana Buddha (the Dharmakaya Buddha) standing 6 meters tall and weighing 16 tonnes on a lotus throne. Surrounding it are four 8-meter statues of Thousand-Armed, Thousand-Eyed Avalokitesvara at the four corners, eighteen statues of the Eighteen Arhats carved from gilded jackfruit wood (each 1.3 meters tall and weighing nearly 300 kg), and over 3,000 small Buddha niches (Ten Thousand Buddhas) lining the wooden walls.
How tall is the Relic Stupa at Minh Thành Pagoda and how many stories does it have?
The Relic Stupa standing to the left of the main hall has a 9-story structure with a body height of 70 meters (some sources record 72 meters including the metal spire at the apex). It is one of the tallest and most majestic Buddhist stupas in the Central Highlands, enshrining the Tripitaka canons and relics of Shakyamuni Buddha on its upper levels.
How is the administrative address of Minh Thành Pagoda recorded after July 1, 2025?
Pursuant to Resolution No. 1664/NQ-UBTVQH15 dated June 16, 2025 of the National Assembly Standing Committee on the rearrangement of commune-level administrative units in Gia Lai province, Hội Phú ward, Trà Bá ward, and Chi Lăng ward (of former Pleiku city) were merged to form the new Hội Phú ward. Accordingly, the pagoda's current address is 348 Nguyễn Viết Xuân Street, Hội Phú ward, Gia Lai province.