The Tam To Truc Lam statues feature the first patriarch – King-Monk Tran Nhan Tong; the second, Phap Loa; and the third, Huyen Quang. Among them, the statue of King-Monk Tran Nhan Tong, is 0.85 meters high and weighs about 60 kilograms.

The statues of Tam To Truc Lam at Vinh Nghiem Pagoda.

It is carved in a single piece depicting the King-Monk meditating on a square wooden pedestal in a relaxed posture, with the body draped in a nine-part robe.

According to researchers, the Tam To Truc Lam statues at Vinh Nghiem Pagoda are made from jackfruit wood which remain intact, with no other statues that duplicate their posture, robes, decorations, or appearance. They are painted in dark red and yellow. They are original, one-of-a-kind artifacts that remain in perfect condition.

The statues have a clear origin and date, closely linked to the Truc Lam Buddhist Zen sect founded by King-Monk Tran Nhan Tong, and succeeded by Phap Loa and Huyen Quang.

They are famous artistic works of great aesthetic value, representing a particular artistic trend and style, and a historical period.

Vinh Nghiem Pagoda is the birthplace of the Truc Lam Zen sect, founded by the first patriarch King-Monk Tran Nhan Tong, and passed down to the second and third patriarchs, Phap Loa and Huyen Quang. The sect continues to thrive today.

In 2016, Vinh Nghiem Pagoda was recognised as a special national historical site. The Buddhist Sutra-carved woodblocks were listed by UNESCO as a World Documentary Heritage in the Memory of the World Programme in 2012.

The Vinh Nghiem Pagoda Festival has been named by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism as part of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

The recognition of the Tam To Truc Lam statues as a national treasure holds great significance, helping to affirm the value of the Truc Lam Buddhist Zen sect and the position of Vinh Nghiem Pagoda special national relic site in the journey of disseminating Buddhism by King-Monk Tran Nhan Tong on the western slopes of Yen Tu mountain.

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