Thousands of people flocked to the north-eastern province of Quang Ninh to participate in the Yen Tu spring festival, which began on January 31, the 10th day of the Lunar New Year.
The festival resumes after a three-year hiatus caused by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ten days ahead of the festival, the Yen Tu spiritual relic complex had received more than 150,000 arrivals, equal to 80% of the figure from 2018 and 90% of the figure from 2019.
The festival is scheduled to last until the end of the third lunar month, with around one million monks, nuns, Buddhists, and pilgrims expected to attend the religious event, according to the Quang Ninh Buddhist Sangha.
A wide range of activities will get underway during the festival, including a lantern night, dragon and unicorn dances, as well as folk games.
An incense offering ceremony to pray for peace, along with a painting and a photo exhibition showcasing the majestic beauty of the Yen Tu complex will be the main highlights of the festival.
The Yen Tu spring festival is held annually in order to honour the great value of Yen Tu mountain, the origins of the Truc Lam Zen sect, and the contributions made by King-Monk Trần Nhân Tông.
King Trần Nhân Tông founded the first Vietnamese School of Buddhism called “Thien Tong”, also known as Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen, on the 1,068m-high Yen Tu Mountain. The 20,000ha site is widely considered to be the capital of Vietnamese Buddhism.
Yen Tu was officially listed as a special national relic site in September 2012, and typically attracts millions of visitors each year.
Source: english.vov.vn
