Da Nang (VNA) – The Quan The Am (the Goddess of Mercy) festival kicked off at Ngu Hanh Son (the Marble Mountain) in the central coastal city of Da Nang on April 2 (the 17th day of the second lunar month).

Chairwoman of the People’s Committee of Ngu Hanh Son district Nguyen Thi Anh Thi said this is an annual cultural, religious and spiritual festival held at Quan The Am pagoda.

The event is meant to preserve and promote the ethnic culture and traditional values, she said, adding that it creates an opportunity for the tourism sector to attract more domestic and foreign tourists.

A wide range of activities are held at the festival including a sutra reading ceremony, a photo exhibition on Indian Buddhism, a visit to the Buddhist cultural museum, an incense offering festival to commemorate Princess Huyen Tran, and a traditional boat racing festival.

In 2000, the Quan The Am festival was ranked one of the 15 biggest festivals nationwide. The festival has attracted a lot of Buddhist monks, nuns and followers across the country.

Quan The Am Pagoda, built in 1957, is located at the foot of the Kim Son (Metal Mountain) in the Ngu Hanh Son (Five Element Mountains), which boasts wonderful natural landscapes with several ancient pagodas, mysterious caves and picturesque scenery.-VNA
VNA