Hanoi (VNA) – Bhutanese Queen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck and Nguyen Thi Minh Nguyet, spouse of State President Luong Cuong, paid a visit to Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi on August 19 to offer incense and discover the nearly 1,500-year-old spiritual landmark.
Most Venerable Thich Thanh Nha, abbot of the pagoda, briefed the guests on the history and unique architecture of Tran Quoc Pagoda, regarded as the oldest in Thang Long–Hanoi and recognised by international media as one of the world’s most beautiful Buddhist sites.
The abbot also introduced the sacred Bodhi tree in the courtyard, propagated from the original Bodhi tree in Bodhgaya, India, under which the Buddha attained enlightenment. The tree was presented to President Ho Chi Minh by Indian President Rajendra Prasad during his 1959 state visit to Vietnam.
To mark the occasion, Most Venerable Thich Thanh Nha presented the Queen and the First Lady with prayer beads and artistically crafted Bodhi leaves.
Queen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck underlined that while Bhutan and Vietnam are geographically distant and culturally different, both countries share a strong commitment to Buddhist values of peace, wisdom, compassion, and tolerance. She expressed her honour at visiting the ancient pagoda and her hope for future exchanges, including visits by Vietnamese monks to Bhutan.
As a token of friendship, the Queen offered the pagoda a hand-painted portrait of the Buddha and traditional Bhutanese incense.
The First Lady and the Queen then attended a Buddhist prayer ceremony at the main hall of Tran Quoc Pagoda./.
