A grand ceremony was held at the Princess Huyen Tran Temple in the central city of Hue on February 7 (the eighth day of the first lunar month) to pray for peace for the nation and happiness for the people.

In a peaceful atmosphere, dozens of thousands of Buddhist followers and tourists practiced traditional Buddhist rituals praying for favourable weather conditions, bumper crops and prosperous country.

The ceremony also aimed to inspire patriotism and cultural appreciation in the spiritual life of Vietnamese people.

Similar events will take place on the ninth and fifteenth days of the first lunar month, said Venerable Thich Giac Dao, deputy head of the Executive Board of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s Thua Thien-Hue chapter.

In addition to praying rituals, there will be a wide range of cultural activities such as chess competitions, martial art performances, calligraphic displays, dances, painting and flower arranging contests, he added.-VNA