VHO - Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong has just signed Official Dispatch No. 4839/BVHTTDL-DSVH to the People's Committee of Phu Tho province requesting the direction of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Phu Tho, the People's Committee of Lam Thao district and related units to implement solutions to protect, preserve, renovate and restore relics and artifacts at Xuan Lung Pagoda - Pho Quang Pagoda (Xuan Lung commune, Lam Thao district, Phu Tho), including the National Treasure Stone Buddha Altar (Lotus Stone Pedestal).

The dispatch stated that, regarding the fire at Xuan Lung Pagoda on October 23, which damaged many valuable relics and antiques at the nearly 800-year-old pagoda, on October 24, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism sent a working delegation including the Department of Cultural Heritage, the National Museum of History, the Institute for Monuments Conservation in coordination with the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Phu Tho province, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Lam Thao district, and the People's Committee of Xuan Lung commune to inspect the scene of the fire at the national relic Xuan Lung Pagoda, Xuan Lung commune, Lam Thao district, Phu Tho province.

Based on the report of the working group and the actual situation of the fire at Xuan Lung Pagoda, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has the following opinion: Xuan Lung Pagoda (also known as Pho Quang Pagoda) was ranked as a National Monument by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) in Decision No. 92-VHTT/QD dated July 10, 1980, including the following items: Tam Bao, ground plan in the shape of the letter "Cong"; bell tower (29m from Tam Bao); Ancestor house.

The pagoda also preserves many valuable artifacts, including the stone Buddha altar recognized as a National Treasure in 2021 (Decision No. 2198/QD-QD-TTg dated December 25, 2021 of the Prime Minister).

The project to restore and embellish Xuan Lung Pagoda relic was approved in principle by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Official Dispatch No. 3044/BVHTTDL-DSVH dated August 30, 2012, and assessed in Official Dispatch No. 2883/BVHTTDL-DSVH dated July 20, 2015.

On April 21, 2016, the People's Committee of Phu Tho province issued Decision No. 909/QD-UBND approving the Investment Project to restore and embellish Pho Quang Pagoda. The agency of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Department of Cultural Heritage, appraised the Construction Drawing Design in Official Dispatch No. 727/DSVH-DT dated October 26, 2020.

According to the assessment of the working group on the fire, in terms of architecture: Tam Bao building has a "Cong" shaped ground plan, closed gable walls built with That bricks, and a fish-scale tiled roof. The beams, rafters, and wooden doors were completely burned.

The outer wall has cracks, the surface is not damaged, but the inner wall is damaged, especially the Tube and the Back Palace.

The entire column surface was burned. The beams, rafters, roof trusses, and door systems were completely burned. The foundation was broken and damaged. The structure was very weak and could no longer bear the load.

Regarding the system of artifacts, including: National Treasures: Stone Buddhist altar, system of clay statues, system of wooden statues.

In which, the National Treasure Stone Buddhist Altar: The entire surface of the altar is covered with black smoke; the lotus platform has two broken corners on the left (both upper and lower lotus petals), the right side has a large crack; the body and base of the altar are chipped and split in some places; some places are also chemically altered.

Most of the clay statues were severely damaged, with the gilded layer completely lost; parts were broken; some statues fell against the wall; the surface of some statues was soft. The wooden statues were completely burned and carbonized.

With the above-mentioned status of the relic, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism proposed that the People's Committee of Phu Tho province assign functional agencies and local authorities to implement a number of measures.

In particular, urgent measures are to promptly assess and conclude the cause of the fire to clarify responsibilities; strengthen the protection and preservation of other relics in the province. Continue to assess, count, and protect as much as possible the structures and components of the remaining relics.

For building architecture: Covering the building, be careful not to stretch the canvas directly over the architecture because the structure is already very weak.

For the National Treasure of the Stone Buddhist Altar, immediately take measures to inventory the fallen and broken pieces of the altar; number, code and have solutions to safely preserve all these broken pieces; clean up all the pieces of tiles and broken bricks that have fallen above the altar; fabricate a hard frame to cover the entire altar (note that there is space for air circulation, avoiding the phenomenon of heat and humidity in the frame).

For the worship statue system: Do not move the artifacts. For fallen artifacts, carefully reposition the artifacts. Fabricate a steel mesh frame with a hard roof above to protect the artifacts, ensure ventilation for the artifacts, and avoid causing heat and humidity.

The Ministry recommends that urgent measures should be proposed soon, considering their suitability and synchronization with long-term preservation and restoration solutions in the future.

Regarding long-term measures, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recommends that for the National Treasure of the Stone Buddhist Altar and the system of artifacts, it is necessary to scientifically, carefully and thoroughly research and evaluate the material structure to propose solutions for preservation and restoration (consulting and obtaining opinions from experts with relevant expertise).

At the same time, propose solutions to restore and renovate relics to ensure compliance with the provisions of the law on cultural heritage, in accordance with the wishes of the people and local authorities.