Van Ban bell - one of Vietnam's most ancient and biggest bronze bells

PSNews - The bell was discovered in 1958 on the Do Son coast near Hai Phong. The bell is an icon of the establishment of Buddhism in Vietnam under the Ly and Tran dynasties.

Van Ban bell - one of Vietnam's most ancient and biggest bronze bells -0

The bell of Van Ban Pagoda, one of Vietnam's most ancient and biggest bronze bells, is from the Dai Viet Civilization. The bell was discovered in 1958 on the Do Son coast near Hai Phong.  The bell is an icon of the establishment of Buddhism in Vietnam under the Ly and Tran dynasties.

The bell has cylinder form with enlarged mouth, grip has the forms of twin dragons with connected bodies typically for many bells related to Le dynasty period but the position and shape of the dragons look like the dragons in grip of the bell of Binh Lam pagoda in Vi Xuyen dictrict, Ha Giang province that has been referred to Tran dynasty period (the 13th-14th century).

Van Ban bell - one of Vietnam's most ancient and biggest bronze bells -0
Van Ban bell - one of Vietnam's most ancient and biggest bronze bells -1

The dragons have high rowers having the shape of mountain raw, raised heads with wide opened mouths showing even teeth and spiraling tongue in 3 circles. Top of bell’s grip were cast in the forms of lotus flower, the dragon’s bodies are thick with the ornaments of carp scales.

The inscription text in the bell is precious historical document for researching history, religion and society in time of Tran dynasty.

There have been decades the Van Ban bell is being proudly demonstrated in Tran dynasty sector in National Historic Museum as well as in many special exhibitions abroad. 

The bell is also being introduced in many historical research works on Vietnam home and abroad and it is worthily recognized as a state treasure by prime minister.

By Kim Khanh

Other News

Ta Xua named Asia's leading emerging tourism destination 2026

Ta Xua named Asia's leading emerging tourism destination 2026

In recent years, Ta Xua, dubbed "the paradise of clouds", has emerged as one of the mountainous destinations attracting strong interest from young travellers, particularly for its spectacular sea of clouds stretching across the mountains in the northwestern region.

Digital transformation key to preserving, promoting ethnic cultural values

Digital transformation key to preserving, promoting ethnic cultural values

Training local young people in filming, audio recording, digital storytelling, data preservation and responsible use of AI can help build a new generation of cultural custodians. This, in turn, can help transform cultural heritage into a resource for economic development while contributing to the country’s broader development.

Indigenous culture becomes tourism asset in northern highlands

Indigenous culture becomes tourism asset in northern highlands

With growing recognition of indigenous knowledge, customs and cultural values as unique assets, ethnic communities in the northern mountainous region are shifting from simply providing tourism services to becoming creators and owners of tourism products, confidently telling their own cultural stories

UNESCO ready to work with Vietnam to implement International Decade of Culture for Sustainable Development initiative: Representative

UNESCO ready to work with Vietnam to implement International Decade of Culture for Sustainable Development initiative: Representative

Jonathan Wallace Baker, UNESCO Representative to Vietnam, noted that the official proclamation of the 2027–2036 period as the "International Decade of Culture for Sustainable Development" comes at a particularly important moment. As the international community works to accelerate progress towards the 2030 Agenda while beginning to consider what comes after 2030, the Decade provides a ten-year framework to strengthen the place of culture in development.

Traditional culture finds new life in contemporary Vietnam

Traditional culture finds new life in contemporary Vietnam

Under Resolution 80-NQ/TW, dated January 7, 2026, November 24 was designated Vietnam Culture Day, to be observed annually. The occasion aims to give the public opportunities to participate in, create and enjoy cultural activities, helping spread positive values and foster pride in Vietnamese culture.

Vietnam prioritises MICE tourism as strategic product

Vietnam prioritises MICE tourism as strategic product

For the MICE tourism sector in both Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam, growth can no longer be driven merely by increasing the number of events; instead, the focus must shift to enhancing the value of each event and the competitiveness of each destination.

Potential of ethnic minority women's football

Potential of ethnic minority women's football

Women’s football movements in local communities have been quietly growing, but they’ve now built up enough momentum to inspire organisers to launch the first Vietnam Ethnic Minority Women’s Football – VTV Cup in 2026.

Phong Nha - Ke Bang named among Vietnam's 11 most beautiful destinations

Phong Nha - Ke Bang named among Vietnam's 11 most beautiful destinations

According to the magazine, boat trips into Phong Nha Cave and strolls through Paradise Cave (both family-friendly) offer a tantalising glimpse of their astonishing scale, but the real adventure lies deeper within the park, where cavers wade through underground rivers and weave among stalagmites.

Tourism seeks new growth momentum under Resolution 26

Tourism seeks new growth momentum under Resolution 26

Tourism effectiveness should be measured not only by visitor numbers and revenue, but also by spending, length of stay, repeat visits, job quality, visitor satisfaction and environmental carrying capacity, said experts.

Vietnam welcomes nearly 2 million international visitors in August, up 19.7% from July and 18.4% year-on-year. (Illustrative photo: VNA)

Vietnam tourism maintains strong growth, expands international markets

The National Statistics Office under the Ministry of Finance reported that Vietnam welcomed nearly 2 million international visitors in August, up 19.7% from July and 18.4% year-on-year. The figure represented 63.6% of the tourism sector’s full-year target of 25 million arrivals.

First ladies of Vietnam, Myanmar visit Van Phuc silk village

First ladies of Vietnam, Myanmar visit Van Phuc silk village

Ngo Phuong Ly, the spouse of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam, said the two countries share similarities in silk weaving and can enrich their cultural heritage through exchanges and experience sharing.