The Marble Mountains carry 78 inscriptions carved into their cliffs and caves, written in Chinese characters and Vietnamese Nom script between the first half of the 17th century and the 20th. Their authors include Nguyen emperors, mandarins, senior monks and scholars.
In November 2022 UNESCO added them to its Memory of the World register for Asia and the Pacific, the first internationally recognised heritage in Da Nang. The largest groups, 20 each, are in Tang Chon and Hoa Nghiem caves on Thuy Son.
Inscriptions you can actually read
Our guides stop at the carved texts on Thuy Son and explain what they say and who wrote them.
★Marble Mountains, Lady Buddha & the Stone CarversThe Marble Mountains caves at the hour the light comes in, the Lady Buddha on Son Tra and a working Non Nuoc carving yard, with your own guide and car. · 5 hoursSee the tour →Marble Mountains, Lady Buddha & Hoi An by Lantern LightSon Tra, the Marble Mountains caves and a Non Nuoc carving yard in the morning, then Hoi An old town and a boat on the Thu Bon as the lanterns come on. · 10 hoursSee the tour →What are the Marble Mountains inscriptions?
In Vietnamese they are called ma nhai: texts carved directly into the living rock of cliffs and cave walls rather than onto separate stone slabs. The 78 at the Marble Mountains range from single lines to long compositions, and from the early 1600s to the 1900s.
Their content is varied. Some are poems about the landscape; some are dedications and records of donations to the pagodas; some name places in the mountains, adding to what the old geographies of the region record. Others preserve the history of Non Nuoc stone village and techniques of hand carving that are no longer common.
Why did UNESCO list them?
On 26 November 2022, at its ninth general meeting in Andong, South Korea, the Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific recognised the inscriptions as documentary heritage. Da Nang received the certificate on 1 March 2023 at the foot of the mountains.
At the ceremony, Vietnam’s culture ministry described them as valuable evidence of the economic and cultural exchange between Vietnam, China and Japan from the 17th to the 19th century. They record not only religion and poetry but the people, trade and places of the central coast over three centuries.
Where can you see them?
| Where | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Tang Chon cave, behind Linh Ung pagoda | One of the two largest groups, 20 inscriptions |
| Hoa Nghiem cave, before Huyen Khong | The other largest group, 20 inscriptions, and an old stone stele dated 1640 |
| Cave walls and cliff faces across Thuy Son | Characters cut into the rock beside paths and altars |
Both caves are on the loop described in the caves of the Marble Mountains and Tang Chon and Hoa Nghiem.
How are they being protected?
After the listing, the Da Nang Museum made full-size rubbings of all 78 inscriptions and worked with the national heritage authority on a plan to conserve them. Rubbings with translations have been shown to visitors, and the texts have been digitised so they can be studied without further wear on the rock.
Please do not touch the carved surfaces, and never make your own rubbings. Centuries of weather have already softened many characters.
Want someone to read the rock for you?
Our half day stops at the inscriptions on Thuy Son with a licensed local guide, then the caves timed for the light.
Marble Mountains, Lady Buddha & the Stone Carvers5 hoursSee the tour →Marble Mountains, Lady Buddha & Hoi An by Lantern Light10 hoursSee the tour →Marble Mountains inscriptions: quick answers
How many inscriptions are there at the Marble Mountains?
There are 78 inscriptions, carved in Chinese characters and Vietnamese Nom script into the cliffs and caves of the Marble Mountains.
When were the Marble Mountains inscriptions listed by UNESCO?
On 26 November 2022 they were added to the Memory of the World register for Asia and the Pacific. The certificate was presented in Da Nang on 1 March 2023.
Who wrote the Marble Mountains inscriptions?
Nguyen dynasty emperors, mandarins, senior monks and scholars, over a period from the first half of the 17th century to the 20th.
Where are the most inscriptions?
Tang Chon and Hoa Nghiem caves on Thuy Son hold the largest groups, 20 inscriptions each.
Read the mountain, not just climb it
Choose your group size and the price covers the day: pickup, private car, licensed guide, every ticket and water. Free to cancel until 3 days before.
★Marble Mountains, Lady Buddha & the Stone CarversThe Marble Mountains caves at the hour the light comes in, the Lady Buddha on Son Tra and a working Non Nuoc carving yard, with your own guide and car. · 5 hoursfrom$39/ person›
Choose your group size · price is the group totalSolo traveller$135BOOK →2 guests$140BOOK →3 guests$150BOOK →4 guests$155BOOK →See the full tour page →Marble Mountains, Lady Buddha & Hoi An by Lantern LightSon Tra, the Marble Mountains caves and a Non Nuoc carving yard in the morning, then Hoi An old town and a boat on the Thu Bon as the lanterns come on. · 10 hoursfrom$89/ person›
Choose your group size · price is the group totalSolo traveller$265BOOK →2 guests$295BOOK →3 guests$325BOOK →4 guests$355BOOK →See the full tour page →Facts on the inscriptions were checked against Vietnamese national press and the Da Nang city portal in September 2026.