In the survey program of some vestiges of Lý - Trần dynasty around Ý Yên area (Nam Định province), we studied in Phương Nhi mountain what lies on the range of mountain combine from Điệp Sơn range (Hà Nam province). Ngô Xá mountain is opposite where have ruins of famous Chương Sơn temple. Recently, Phương Nhi mountain is known by series architectural artifacts have art characteristics of Lý dynasty, prove they are products of a big size vestige need to research.
In the survey program of some vestiges of Lý - Trần dynasty around Ý Yên area (Nam Định province), we studied in Phương Nhi mountain what lies on the range of mountain combine from Điệp Sơn range (Hà Nam province). Ngô Xá mountain is opposite where have ruins of famous Chương Sơn temple. Recently, Phương Nhi mountain is known by series architectural artifacts have art characteristics of Lý dynasty, prove they are products of a big size vestige need to research.
Stone stele make dragon hole – characteristics of Lý dynasty at the foot of Ngô Xá mountain
In general, Phương Nhi mountain has 3 peaks, surface is a relative large, in there, the architectural materials focus mainly in central peak, we could realize the figure of an architectural surface. There are many holes digged by antiquity hunter, make the mountain’s surface is soiled. That digged process influent seriously to relic. Many archiectural base positions are open-cast with the rectangular brick ranges arrange tightly. Stealers take many rare objects and remain fragments are architectural parts or decorative pieces. They are materials and decorations of a large-scale architectural work.
Tile is hook-tile what single or couple lotus petal, follow the “criterion” of Lý dynasty. In addition, there are tube-tile fragments what have sign of decorative statue (married couples, bodhi-leaf decorates dragon, phoenix…etc). Tile covers with sapphire blue glaze what appears a lot.
Square brick be decorated skilfully with many petal layers of chrysanthemum and lotus pattern, be covered on brick surface. Rectangular brick types in dragon shaped…etc
That architectural material vestiges be unearthed
Remarkably, there is a lower mountain lies under of mountain top contain ruins of this architectural space, there are many fragments of 1/2, 1/3 of many worshiped stupa types with the height of 3, 5 or 7 floors. Beside the stupa, there isn’t any material or architectural decoration type. Although it is difficult for us to total up, but we realize the number of terra-cotta stupa is very big, distributes over mountain surface, and scattered down to the garden of many families in there. These worshiped stupas bearing the characteristic art of Lý dynasty, at the same time with the architectural ruins above.
The stupa grave is under the foot of Phương Nhi mountain
With the distribution of artifact types in that mountain top to show there is a roofed architecture work in there. But there is only terra-cotta worshiped stupa in next below mountain top. Thus, how are their relation with each other?
Survey in the foot of Phương Nghi mountain
Under the foot of Phương Nghi mountain, when we survey to realize many stupa graves of Lê – Nguyễn dynasties reflect the relation and long exist process of this relic, from up to now still hasn’t been verified?
Stupa grave of Nguyễn dynasty under the foot of Phương Nghi mountain
Before, when mention to Buddhism architecture of Lý dynasty, we know about famous Chương Sơn Stupa. But no many people know that, next to there is a big scale architecture community, which built at the same time. The survey result showed many problems that relate to arrangement and happenings of Buddhism architecture space of Lý dynasty where they wonder has only this Stupa or still many different others. And if the vestige community of Phương Nghi mountain be test by science data, these above suppositions need to be researched and studied more.
Nguyễn Văn Đoàn