2. Our next stop was the Thien Mu pagoda. This 7 story pagoda is 70 feet tall and was built in 1844. Each of its stories is dedicated to a manushi Buddha (a Buddha that appeared in human form).
The site includes a building that houses a 2 ton bell that can be heard six miles away.
Three Buddhas stand guard of the main building; the Buddha of the Past, the historical Buddha, and the Buddha of the Future.
Oh yeah, Greg found a cache here.
3. Our next stop was the tomb of the second emperor- Tu Duc who as described to us many times as the Strongest Emperor - physically, mentally, and sexually. It was designed by Tu Duc himself before his death.
The enormous expense of the tomb and the forced labour used in its construction spawned a coup plot that was discovered and suppressed. Tu Duc lived a life of imperial luxury and carnal excess, with 104 wives and countless concubines (though no offspring). Where his remains were buried (along with great treasures) is not known. To keep it secret from grave robbers, all 200 servants who buried Tu Duc were beheaded.
4. Our fourth stop was a nun monastery where we had a nice vegetarian lunch and a delightful Q&A session with a nun who has been there for 42 years since age 12. She frankly answered questions about her daily life, her beliefs, the role of the monastery, and more.
5. We then headed to the tomb of Khai Dinh.
Khai Dinh was the penultimate emperor of Vietnam, from 1916 to 1925, and widely seen as a puppet of the French. As each emperor had to outdo his predecessor, this overly flamboyant tomb took 11 years to construct.
The walls and ceiling are decorated with murals of the Four Seasons, Eight Precious Objects and the Eight Immortals. Under a gold-speckled concrete canopy is a gilt bronze statue of Khai Dinh, who is presumed to have been homosexual, though he did produce one heir. His remains are interred 60 ft. below the statue.
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