At an altitude of 986m, with fresh, cool air and stunning scenery, Ba Den Mountain is known as the "premier sacred mountain" and the "roof of the Southern region". Its natural beauty, coupled with thoughtful development and investment, has transformed Ba Den Mountain into a must-see and captivating tourist destination for both domestic and international visitors to Tay Ninh Province.

Ba Den Mountain appears through the clouds. Photo: Sun Group’s Files

At an altitude of 986m, with fresh, cool air and stunning scenery, Ba Den Mountain is known as the "premier sacred mountain" and the "roof of the Southern region". Its natural beauty, coupled with thoughtful development and investment, has transformed Ba Den Mountain into a must-see and captivating tourist destination for both domestic and international visitors to Tay Ninh Province.

Upon reaching the summit of Ba Den Mountain, beyond taking in the breathtaking scenery that resembles a celestial paradise, visitors can admire unique architecture and artistic creations, from temples and statues to waterfalls and pathways. They can also listen to tour guides recount the mystical legends surrounding Ba Den Mountain.

Sunset on the peak of Ba Den Mountain. Photo: Nguyen Thang/VNP

Legend has it that lady Thien Huong was a beautiful and virtuous maiden. In her village lived a young man named Le Si Triet, orphaned and raised by the monk Tri Tan. He was skilled in both literature and martial arts and held deep admiration for her. Once, while Thien Huong went to the mountain pagoda to pray, she was ambushed by a gang of thugs. In that perilous moment, Le Si Triet rushed forward, fought them off, and rescued her. To express their gratitude, Thien Huong's parents promised her hand in marriage to Le Si Triet. However, amidst the chaos of war, before they could wed, Le Si Triet had to join the army.

While Le Si Triet was away serving, Thien Huong, during another visit to the mountain pagoda to pray to Buddha, was again accosted by the same group of evildoers who intended to humiliate her. To preserve her chastity, she leaped into a ravine and died. One night, she appeared to the monk Tri Tan in the form of a dark-skinned woman and recounted her entire ordeal. After hearing her story, the monk awoke and sent people to find her body, which they brought back for burial. Subsequently, the local people erected a shrine to her on the mountain. From then on, Mot (One) Mountain was called Ba Den (Black Virgin) Mountain.

The 2024 Vesak celebration held at Ba Den Mountain offers Buddhists and visitors nationwide a chance to explore the mystical Buddhist world. Photo: Sun Group’s Files

The second time she appeared in a dream was when Lord Nguyen Anh was pursued by the Tay Son army and sought refuge on Ba Den Mountain. That night, she appeared in his dream, showing him a path to escape. When Nguyen Anh ascended the throne, in remembrance of how Thien Huong had guided him to safety on the mountain, he bestowed upon her the title of Linh Son Thanh Mau (Holy Mother of Linh Son) and commissioned a black bronze statue of her for the people to venerate and worship.

The Ba Den Mountain scenic complex spans approximately 24km  and comprises three mountains: Heo (Pig) Mountain, Phung (Phoenix) Mountain, and Ba Den Mountain. Scattered from the foot to the summit is an architectural ensemble of shrines, temples, pagodas, and towers. Among these, the Ba Den Pagoda (Linh Son Tien Thach Tu), also known as the Upper Pagoda, stands out as the location of the black bronze statue of Ba Den. Additionally, several other pagodas are situated on the mountain, namely Phat Pagoda with a reclining Buddha statue and Hang Pagoda (Linh Son An Phuoc Tu).

Intertwined with the pagoda system are numerous caves that have been renovated by monks, nuns, and devotees into places of worship, such as Thanh Long Cave and Ong Ho Cave In January 2024, the Buddhist Sangha of Tay Ninh Province organized the enshrinement ceremony of the Bodhisattva Maitreya statue, adding another highlight to the Ba Den Mountain tourist area. The Bodhisattva Maitreya statue is 36m high, with a maximum width of 45m and a surface area of 4,651m, weighing 5,112tons. The statue was created using a unique method unprecedented in Vietnam: assembled from 6,688 natural sandstone blocks inspired by terraced rice fields.

To date, the Ba Den Mountain tourist area holds several Guinness World Records, including: Ba Den Station as the "World's Largest Cable Car Station"; the Tay Bo Da Son Buddha Lady statue with two records: "Asia's Tallest Bronze Buddha Lady Statue Located on a Mountain Peak" and "Vietnam's Tallest Bronze Buddha Lady Statue Located on a Mountain Peak"; the "World's Largest Sandstone Bodhisattva Maitreya Statue"; and the "Artificial Waterfall at the Highest Altitude in Asia”.

Ba Pagoda is the oldest one in the pagoda system on Ba Den Mountain. Photo: Sun Group’s Files

The 2024 Vesak celebration held at Ba Den Mountain offers Buddhists and visitors nationwide a chance to explore the mystical Buddhist world. Photo: Sun Group’s Files

 

With its natural beauty and profound historical and cultural relics, Ba Den Mountain was recognized as a national level historical and scenic site in January 1989. Sun Group and Tay Ninh Province have collaborated and invested in developing Ba Den Mountain into a popular tourist destination. For many years, the Ba Den Mountain tourist area - the "roof of the Southern region" - has been consistently chosen as the venue for unique spiritual festivals and numerous cultural and artistic events, attracting many domestic and international visitors for sightseeing. 

Story: Thong Thien

Photos: Nguyen Thang, Le Minh/VNP & Files

Translated by Hong Hanh