The Star said there is a Vietnamese saying that goes: “You may be charitable and lead a religious life for a hundred years, but if you haven’t made it to Yen Tu, you haven’t reached the highest religious bliss”.

It praised Yen Tu, the Buddhist capital of Vietnam, for its beautiful landscapes, historical relics and ancient pagodas.

“For pilgrims taking the stairs up Yen Tu Mountain to the Dong Pagoda at its peak, the climb has been likened to a stairway to the heavens”, the writer added.

Also on the list of 8 places for Buddhist pilgrimages worldwide  are Lumbini in Nepal, Bodh Gaya in India, Potala Palace in Tibet, Anuradhapura in Srilanka, Shwedagon Pagoda in Myanmar, Luang Prabang in Laos and Doi Suthep in Thailand.

Yen Tu mountain is located about 50km from Ha Long city. The pilgrimage route, winding from the foot of the mountain to its highest peak, is almost 30km. Dong Pagoda, which sits atop the mountain peak, is more than a kilometre above sea level. 

The area’s beautiful natural landscape and awe-inspiring scenery, along with surrounding ancient pagodas and hermitages, are said to have been the reason that King Tran Nhan Tong passed the throne to his son, so that he could devote his life living as a Buddhist monk at Yen Tu Mountain. Whilst there, he founded the Truc Lam Zen Buddhist sect, which has led to Yen Tu being recognized as the country’s leading center for Buddhism./.

Source: http://www.quangninh.gov.vn/