Ten of Vietnam’s records have been recognized as Asian ones, announced the General Director of Vietnam Guinness Book Centre (Vietbooks) Le Tran Truong An on May 21.
The ten records include:
1. Dong Pagoda is the biggest bronze pagoda atop Yen Tu mountain in the northern province of Quang Ninh, about 1,068m above sea level. Restored in 2006, the pagoda, 3.35m high, 3.6m wide and 4.6m long, and weighs about 70 tonnes in total. Each tile alone weighs about 4kg, the four pillars of the pagoda weigh about 1 tonne each, and the bell and bronze plaque weigh over 250kg.
2. The two longest lobbies with 500 Arhat statutes in Bai Dinh Pagoda in the northern province of Ninh Binh are 3,400 meters long and covered by structures made with 10,000 cubic metres of wood. Each unique Arhat statue is 2-2.5m high and weighs 2-2.5 tonnes with different characteristics. Getting off the ground in 2005, the lobbies were built by 100 artisans and 700 workers.
3. The 100-tonne bronze gold-inlaid statute of Sakyamuni is the biggest of its kind in Asia. The 10m high statute is located at Bai Dinh Pagoda. 4. The fourth record is the biggest Jesus Christ statute, on the top of Tao Phung Mountain in the southern coastal city of Vung Tau. Construction of the statue began in 1974 and was completed in 1994. It is 25m high with the arm span being measured at 18.4m.
5. Noteworthy is a little blind boy named Bui Ngoc Thinh, 12, from the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa, who has mastered many musical instruments, including the two-cord fiddle, organ, guitar and drums. Thinh has composed three songs, namely “Cho ta” (For myself), “Uoc mo” (Dream), and “Tung Tang” (Playing).
6. The sixth record goes to Con Dao (Poulo Condor) prison relic site, also known as the “tiger cages”, in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau. It is recognized as the largest prison in Asia, and was regarded as hell on earth during the period of French colonialism and then American imperialism, with eight main chambers and dozens of auxiliary ones. Each chamber is 10,000-25,000sq.m, used to jail tens of thousands of prisoners who were brave soldiers fighting for national independence.
7. Thien Duong (Paradise) cave in UNESCO-recognized Phong Nha-Ke Bang national park in the central province of Quang Binh is named the longest dry cave. Located about 360m above sea level, Thien Duong cave has a total length of 31.4km.
8. Cu Chi Tunnels, dug in 1948, consist of more than 250km of underground tunnels. It is recognized as the longest tunnel complex in Asia. This deep underground complex has a complicated system which connects underground shelters to the entrances of other tunnels.
9. The flower-made statue of the Buddhist goddess at Linh Phuoc Pagoda in the Central Highland city of Da Lat is known as the biggest of its kind in Asia. More than 3 tonnes of fresh flowers were used to create the 15.5-m high statue in early 2010.
10. A huge book of poetry weighing 120kg with 300 pages presented to Truc Lam Pagoda on Yen Tu Mountain in Quang Ninh province is recognized as the biggest of its kind in Asia. The book includes 143 poems by Prof. Dr. Hoang Quang Thuan, which are rewritten in Vietnamese calligraphic style by Tran Quoc An
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