Kien Giang has more than 237,000 Khmer ethnic people living, accounting for about 13% of the province's population.

In recent years, the province has paid special attention to investing in and renovating pagodas; implementing policies well, creating favorable conditions for monks, nuns, and followers to study and practice; maintaining and promoting traditional Khmer festivals to serve the spiritual life of the people, strengthening the great national unity bloc.

Ensuring religious needs

Soc Xoai Pagoda is a National Historical Relic, located in Soc Son town, Hon Dat district, and is the headquarters of the Khmer Southern Buddhist College of Kien Giang province.

The pagoda is a place of study for more than 200 monks each year; a place of religious and cultural activities for nearly 1,000 Khmer Buddhists in and outside Hon Dat district.

Venerable Danh Phan, Deputy Head of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Kien Giang Province and Vice President of the Association of Patriotic Buddhist Monks and Monks in the province, said that Soc Xoai Pagoda was established in the late 18th century.

Through 19 generations of abbots, the pagoda has not only been a center for religious, spiritual and cultural activities for monks and Khmer people, but also a place to nurture revolutionary cadres in the struggles against French colonialism and American imperialism to save the country. In addition, the pagoda has been a school to teach writing and an educational center for local Khmer people.

In recent years, the pagoda has invested in a set of pentatonic musical instruments; the pagoda's facilities and grounds have been restored and embellished to meet the pagoda's activities and the religious activities of the people.

The pagoda's activities have received attention and support from local authorities; there has been exchange and coordination with relevant agencies to effectively carry out propaganda and education work on the Party's guidelines and policies and the State's laws to the Khmer people.

Most recently, on March 26, the pagoda held the inauguration ceremony of the Sangha residence with a total of 28 rooms, with a construction cost of more than 4.3 billion VND.

Venerable Danh Phan said that Soc Xoai Pagoda teaches Balinese, Sanskrit, including Khmer, and the Buddha's precepts. The pagoda also coordinates to open an Intermediate Law Class, teaching monks and students to understand the State's policies and laws, especially religious laws, and not to violate the law.

In addition to teaching literacy, cultural and legal knowledge, Soc Xoai Pagoda also preserves and maintains national cultural identity through organizing art programs and fashion shows, helping local Khmer youth understand and respect traditional cultural values, thereby correctly understanding the meaning of festivals and preserving national cultural values.

Ms. Thi Xam, Soc Son town, Hon Dat district, said that her family often goes to Soc Xoai pagoda, participates in traditional festivals such as Chol Chnam Thmay, Sene Dolta, Ok Om Bok and listens to monks preach. Ms. Xam was very excited when the pagoda completed the construction of the Sangha house, helping Khmer children to study better.

"Most Khmer male teenagers are sent to pagodas by their families to study, helping them understand and apply Vietnamese laws correctly in their lives, not breaking the law, living in solidarity, and being useful to their families and society," Ms. Xam shared.

Promoting traditional Khmer cultural values

Venerable Danh Dong, Head of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Kien Giang Province and Chairman of the Provincial Association of Patriotic Monks and Monks, said that the Executive Committee Office located at Lang Cat Pagoda has been degraded in recent years.

However, because the pagoda is a national historical relic, the restoration and embellishment work has encountered many difficulties. In the face of this situation, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, together with the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions of the province, and related units have enthusiastically supported the Office to be repaired since the beginning of 2025. Up to now, the project has been accepted and completed, ensuring operation before the traditional Khmer New Year Chol Chnam Thmay 2025 in mid-April.

According to Venerable Danh Dong, in the development history of the Khmer ethnic community in the Mekong Delta, Buddhism plays an important role in spiritual life.

In particular, Khmer Theravada Buddhist temples can also be considered as communal temples of the village or commune. In daily life, community cultural festivals or family activities such as funerals, weddings, house building, etc. always have the direct participation or guidance of monks in the temple.

“The government always facilitates the organization of traditional Khmer festivals. On holidays and Tet, local authorities and organizations visit and congratulate monks, nuns, and Khmer people in pagodas and provide material and spiritual support to the people.

The movement “All people unite to build a cultural life” in the Khmer ethnic minority region is increasingly going into depth. Every year, the number of Khmer families meeting cultural standards is high, the landscape and environment are built clean and beautiful; traditional cultural values, good customs and practices of each locality are preserved and promoted,” said Venerable Danh Dong.

Director of the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions of Kien Giang province Danh Phuc said that Kien Giang has 15/75 Khmer pagodas equipped with sound and musical instruments to serve the cultural activities of the people.

There are 24 Khmer pagodas with ngo boats participating in traditional sports activities. Hamlets and neighborhoods in ethnic minority areas have community cultural activity houses.

The above cultural institutions have been effective in the process of building new rural areas in the Khmer ethnic minority area.

The province currently has 8/76 Khmer pagodas and towers ranked as Historical and Cultural Relics.

Khmer Buddhist pagodas in the province have been renovated and decorated, typically: Tong Quan, Cai Ban, Lang Cat, Soc Xoai, Xeo Can...

Many Khmer pagodas still preserve the five-tone orchestra and ancient documents written on palm leaves.

The organization of teaching and learning Khmer in pagodas is still well maintained, contributing to improving the life, spirit and role of Khmer people in community building and national development./.

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/kien-giang-phat-giao-nam-tong-khmer-giu-gin-net-van-hoa-trong-tung-phum-soc-post1023464.vnp