Attending the festival opening ceremony

The festival jointly held by Le Thuy district authorities of the pagoda and the management board saw the participation of Chairman of Quang Binh provincial People’s Committee Nguyễn Hữu Hoài, Senior Venerable General Secretary of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) cum Chairman of the Executive Committee of the VBS Chapter in the province Thích Đức Thiện, and large numbers of local state officials, Buddhist followers and visitors from localities.

The pagoda, also known as Kinh Thien, Tram or Quan temple, has a history of over 700 years and used to receive a visit by King-Monk Trần Nhân Tông. It’s one of oldest Buddhist places in the province and has been classified as a national historic relic since 2015. In 2016 the pagoda received a relic of Buddha Shakyamuni from the Buddhist Sangha of Myanmar. Currently the pagoda has an area of 10 thousand square meters.

The pagoda’s annual festival featured many traditional and Buddhist rituals as well as cultural activities, such as water procession, prayers for peace and prosperity, release of living creatures to the nature, folk games, etc.

This is the third annual festival ever held. On occasion of the event a Buddhist recitation hall located within Hoang Phuc pagoda was inaugurated in presence of Buddhist dignitaries, local authorities and sponsors.     

Ribbon-cutting ceremony for inauguration of Buddhist recitation hall

PTT