Da Lat Beyond Flowers

Large white sitting Buddha above garden and steps.

The Vạn Hạnh Buddha is here seen still pristine white - it has since been gilded. It sits 21 metres (65 feet) tall looking south over the city of Đà Lạt

Head and shoulders of Van Hanh Buddha with circular lights behind.

Maybe the neon halo gives this Buddha reassurance at night
- to a westerner it is not immediately prepossessing Although it is probably most famous for its flowers there is much more to Đà Lạt than plant life. The parks, waterfalls and countryside have already had pages to themselves. On this page are some examples of statues, sculptures and monuments by which humans have introduced their culture to the area, both in religious and secular terms; and in addition to those conventional objects plants can also sometimes be drafted in to serve as cultural 'objects'. So this page might be called a rag-bag or more politely discursive as it wanders from Buddhas to elephants, and from stone plants to dragons. A side view of the Van Hanh Buddha showing the monastery buildings.

A side view of the Van Hanh Buddha showing the monastery buildings.

Buddha over trees on high ground with houses and fields below.

Left, the Vạn Hạnh Buddha looks out over the northern suburbs of Đà Lạt City, and right, the monastery buildings behind the statue

The Linh Sơn Pagoda is in the northern suburbs of Đà Lạt and features these two beasts defending their pillars, and the pagoda Side view of female Buddha.

A few minutes drive from the giant male Vạn Hạnh Buddha the above female... Open courtyard with figures covering their heads.

The forecourt of Trúc Lâm, a Chan Monastery. It's hot - the woman needs to cover her head with her jacket Steps leading to portal and Buddha figure beyond.

Steps leading to portal and Buddha figure beyond.

...Buddha stands modestly in her ground,
above seen from the entrance gate In a forecourt an aparent granite ball turns on water; people peering at it.

Visitors fascinated by the spherical granite ball forming a fountain in front of the
entrance to the Trúc Lâm Monastery Two birds of prey, wings and beaks open on columns with lake in background.

Two birds of prey, wings and beaks open on columns with lake in background.

A pair of bronze birds top columns in the Golden Valley Park Go to another page.

Brightly cloured dragon head, body just visible, has white Buddha on it.

This very splendid dragon is in suburban Đà Lạt and supports a female Buddha similar to the one seen higher up the page Han on a elephant sculpture.

Sculpted Elephants at the Elephant Waterfall... Go to another page.

Elephant standing below with its trunk resting on the walkway.

...and a real elephant in Golden valley being used for rides Intent wood carver with profusion of chisels laid out beside him.

Buddhas being produced just near the entrance to the Love Valley Go to another page.

Park

And some natural sculptures: a stone plant in a pot... Sand-bed with a score of stone plants.

...stone plants in their nursery... In a clearing on a stone bed a dozen or so vertical curving thick tenticle-like plants.

...unknown plants - looking sociable but mysterious... Pagoda's name Vuon Lan shown on a bank by purple plants.

...plants being used as a signpost to a pagoda Grass-like plant surrounded by sea of purple plants in the shape of Vietnam.

And here, in Love Valley Go to another page.

, the plants form a map of Vietnam Trailers... The upper courtyard of the Thay Pagoda.

The next page of this section moves from the modernity of Đà Lạt to the Thầy pagoda near Hà Nội, which has been there for about 800 years.

Mother, son and social worker by houses.

The next page of the Mosaic Section is 'Conscience and Consciousness'.
Or go to the contents of the Mosaic Section. line

Đà Lạt Sculptures and Statues