The inaugural ceremony for the upgraded Tung Van Pagoda in Vinh Phuc province’s Vinh Tuong district and its two gemstone Buddha statues was held on October 1 as one of the cultural events celebrating the 1,000 th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.

The statues of the Buddha Shakyamuni and the Buddhist Bodhisattva were made from a 20-tonne blue stone block found in Van Chan district of the northern mountainous Yen Bai province.

To celebrate the event, many significant programmes have been implemented at the pagoda, including exhibitions of Buddhist cultural calligraphy, village paintings, a talk on the art of drinking tea and practices of Buddhist rituals.

On the October 1 night, 5,000 candles will be lighted up in the surrounding of the pagoda to worship for peace world and happy people.

The Tung Van Pagoda is the largest ancient pagoda in Vinh Tuong district which was built 327 years ago under the reign of Kinh Le Huy Tong. The pagoda was recognised as a national cultural heritage in 1964.

Earlier on September 30, the People’s Committees of Hanoi and Ninh Binh province jointly held an art programme entitled “Hoa Lu-Thang Long-Hanoi” to celebrate the capital city’s millennium anniversary./.