Attending the three-day festival were local authorities’ representatives, venerables, monks, nuns, Buddhists and tourists inside and outside the locality.

The Buddhist event included preaches on Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, a well-known and venerated Buddhist figure and prayers for peace, prosperity and happiness. Apart from the solemn Buddhist rituals, visitors to the festival had the opportunity to enjoy cultural performances and traditional games such as a folk music performance of bai choi (a card game in which players sitting in a hut simultaneously play and sing), martial art performances, traditional boat race…

The Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Festival was held for the first time in 1960 on occasion of the inauguration of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara statue in Hoa Nghiem cave of the Marble Mountains. The festival not only helps preserve and uphold national cultural values, but also promotes the beauty of local custom and landscapes.

Vũ Văn Thước