The first phase of the Ha (Lower) Pagoda at the site was inaugurated and a tree-planting festival in memory of Uncle Ho was launched on the occasion.

The opening ceremony was attended by Bùi Văn Hải – member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial People’s Council; Most Venerable Thích Thanh Nhiễu, Standing Vice Chairman of the executive council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha Central Committee; Venerable Thích Thanh Quyết, Vice Chairman of the executive council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha Central Committee and head of the management board of the Tay Yen Tu spiritual culture site; Thân Văn Khoa – Standing Vice Secretary of the provincial Party Committee; Nguyễn Văn Linh – Vice Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee; and other provincial officials. A large number of Buddhist followers and tens of thousands of visitors also came to the festival on an opening day.

Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyễn Văn Linh thanked the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha Central Committee, especially Venerable Thích Thanh Quyết, for their non-stop efforts to address difficulties and mobilize resources for building the tourism site. He called on authorities at all levels, Buddhist monks and followers, philanthropists, businesses and all people to continue donating to assist the tourism site construction.

After officials cut the ribbon to inaugurate phase I of Ha Pagoda, the Son Dong district People’s Committee opened the Tay Yen Tu spring festival.

In his speech, Chairman of the Son Dong People’s Committee Nguyễn Quang Ngạn noted Tay Yen Tu is home to a system of historical and cultural relic sites and scenic landscapes in the west side of Yen Tu Mountain, stretching from Son Dong through Luc Ngan and Luc Nam to Yen Dung districts. In the past, kings of the Ly and Tran dynasties chose Tay Yen Tu to build pagodas and practice Buddhism. The area was also located on the path to popularise Buddhism of King-Monk Tran Nhan Tong.

Through ups and downs of history, many precious cultural heritage values and architectural structures in the area have fallen into oblivion. To gradually revive, preserve and bring into play the values of local relic sites and landscapes while developing tourism sustainably, the provincial People’s Committee began building facilities in the tourism site in 2014, and the first phase of the construction has been completed.

The tourism site is envisioned to feature four pagodas (Trinh, Ha, Trung (Middle), and Thuong (Upper) Pagodas) which will be connected with Dong (Bronze) Pagoda on the peak of Yen Tu Mountain in Quang Ninh province. It will also be equipped with a synchronous system of technical infrastructure, service facilities, transport network and cable car lines.

The Tay Yen Tu spring festival, held for the first time this year, has a special significance in educating patriotism and national pride for locals and raise public awareness of preserving and promoting the nation’s cultural and historical tradition. 

This is part of efforts to connect Tay Yen Tu with Quang Ninh province’s Dong Yen Tu to turn them into a united complex, thus helping restore the old pilgrimage road in a common cultural space so that visitors can travel to Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen from Bac Giang.

Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyễn Văn Linh and Venerable Thích Thanh Quyết beat the drum and bell to kick off the festival. Many cultural and sports activities are being organized, including a drum performance, unicorn dancing, prayer for national peace, a cultural fair, sports competitions, and folk games. An exhibition promoting Bac Giang’s tourism and a cailuong(reformed opera) programme featuring a section of the “Vua Phat” drama also take place during the festival.

On the same day, the provincial People’s Committee launched a tree planting festival. The committee’s Vice Chairman Dương Văn Thái reviewed the organization of the tree planting festival following late President Ho Chi Minh’s teachings. He affirmed that the festival is a fine cultural tradition of people in the whole country and Bac Giang province in particular.

Tree planting and afforestation play an important role in protecting the environment and ensuring sustainable development and protecting locals’ life, he stressed.

He called on people from all walks of life to grow trees of all kinds in every village, along every street, in office precincts or on bare hills, and fight against deforestation, and illegal forest exploitation.

He asked local authorities, social-political organizations and departments to launch the tree planting festival in accordance with conditions of each locality, office and unit. The province aims to plant 6,000ha of forest and 7 million scattered trees in 2018.

After the ceremony, provincial leaders and delegates grew nearly 200 trees at Tay Yen Tu spiritual and ecological tourist complex.

Source: baobacgiang.com.vn