Abstract

Buddhism and its ideas of tolerance hold great signi'cance in Vietnam’s cultural history. The position and in(uence of Buddhism have been evident since its introduction, especially under the Ly-Tran dynasties, a crucial period in shaping Vietnamese cultural identity during the era of national independence and autonomy. Buddhism in Thanh Hoa has received limited scholarly attention because of the scarcity of surviving materials. This article clari'es aspects of Buddhist in(uence on social life in the historical and cultural context of Ai Chau (Thanh Hoa) at that time, based on historical sources and extant inscriptions. It provides a fuller understanding of a distinctive historical and cultural period of Thanh Hoa under the Ly-Tran dynasties.

Keywords: Buddhism, cultural heritage, inscriptions, preservation and value promotion, Thanh Hoa.