BUDDHIST SANCTUARY OF DÔNG DUONG
This Cham monastic complex, now in ruins, was recognized as a national monument by the Vietnamese government in 2019.
The city of Dông Duong, now in Quang Nam province, was the capital of the Cham kingdom from 860 (6th dynasty), built under the reign of King Indravarman. It belonged to the Buddhist part of the kingdom, while the sanctuary of My Son was dedicated to Hinduism. It was destroyed by the Vietnamese king Lê Hoan (founder of the earlier Lê dynasty, 980-1009) in 982. See the remains of the Buddhist monastery, consecrated by King Indravarman II. The royal stele dates from 875. An epitaph reveals that the sanctuary was built in honor of Laksemindra - Lokesvara, the goddess who protected the king, in the guise of Avalokiteshvara (Quan Âm). The Dong Duong complex was almost totally destroyed by war and the elements. Today, the complex lies in ruins, but is still worth a visit for its historical legacy. Think of it as the largest Buddhist monastery in Southeast Asia at the time, with a multitude of pagodas, towers and cult buildings. A trace of this prestigious past was found at Dông Duong in 1978, in the form of a 111 cm high statue with gold-encrusted gemstone eyes. Many of the objects discovered at Dông Duong are on display at the Dà Nang Cham Museum, including some superb Buddha statues. In 2019, the Dong Duong monastic complex was recognized as a national monument by the Vietnamese government.
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