Construction ‘genie’ moves pagoda
VietNamNet - The three-door pagoda gate weighing more than 100 tons moved slowly to the cheers of hundreds of people as Nguyen Cam Luy, dubbed the “Lamp Genie”, completed his 201st project.
Located on Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Boulevard, the highway that connects Tan Son Nhat Airport with HCM centre, Vinh Nghiem pagoda is an important historic and cultural relic. The City’s plan to widen the road, however, required moving the 100-ton gate 4 meters back.
Local citizens came to witness the move at dawn May 13 and by midday there were as many as 500 spectators.
Mr “Lamp Genie”, despite being well prepared, had butterflies in his stomach, he said, continuously wiping the sweat from his brow in the scorching midday sun.
“I am very aware that this is a crucial event for Vinh Nghiem Pagoda. But I’m confident with what I am doing”, he said to VietNamNet before the delicate procedure.
At 10.15am, when the preparations were finished, two workers put tension on the main pulleys and the three-door gate, 7m in height, 12m wide and 100 tons total weight began to move slowly.
By 12.00, the gate’s 4m journey was over. Relieved workers shook hands with one another and a group of students from the HCM City Architecture University were amazed at the skills of Nguyen Cam Luy, a farmer with no degrees whose education never reached past the 4th grade.
Luy and his workers will soon take on another project to relocate Vo Tanh Mausoleum.
Shortly after the successful move, the ‘genie’ joined an online forum with VietNamNet’s readers.
Mr Nguyen Cam Luy (called the “Lamp Genie” by the folks), aged 55, was born into a farming family in Long Khanh A commune, Hong Ngu suburban district, Dong Thap Province. He stopped his formal schooling at grade 4. However, by the age of 21, he had become a skilled construction worker with daring construction ideas. The relocation of the three-door gate of Vinh Nghiem pagoda is his 201st such accomplishment.
Viet Nam Net, 09:14' May16, 2005 (GMT+7)
