Thousands of tourists and pilgrims flocked to the opening ceremony of thisyear’s Spring Yen Tu Pagoda Festival in the northern coastal province of QuangNinh on Feb. 23, the tenth day of the first lunar month.
Prominent thosepresent at the ceremony were Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan and the ViceChairman of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s Executive Council, Most VenerableThich Thanh Tu.
Buddhist dignitaries, monks, nuns, followers and visitorsjoined together in offering incense to King Tran Nhan Tong, who reigned over thecountry from 1279 to 1293.
Yen Tu has so far welcomed over 250,000visitors since the first day of the lunar year and its festival will last threemonths during spring.
Yen Tu mountain is located about 50km from Ha LongCity. The route of the pilgrimage, which winds from the foot of the mountain toits highest peak, is almost 30km. Dong Pagoda, which sits atop the mountain’shighest peak, is more than a kilometre above sea level.
The area’sbeautiful natural landscape and awe-inspiring scenery, along with surroundingancient pagodas and hermitages, are said to have been the reason that King TranNhan Tong passed the throne to his son so that he could devote his life livingas a Buddhist monk at Yen Tu mountain. Whilst there, he founded the Truc Lammeditation sect, which has led to Yen Tu being recognised as the country’sleading centre for Buddhism./.
Prominent thosepresent at the ceremony were Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan and the ViceChairman of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s Executive Council, Most VenerableThich Thanh Tu.
Buddhist dignitaries, monks, nuns, followers and visitorsjoined together in offering incense to King Tran Nhan Tong, who reigned over thecountry from 1279 to 1293.
Yen Tu has so far welcomed over 250,000visitors since the first day of the lunar year and its festival will last threemonths during spring.
Yen Tu mountain is located about 50km from Ha LongCity. The route of the pilgrimage, which winds from the foot of the mountain toits highest peak, is almost 30km. Dong Pagoda, which sits atop the mountain’shighest peak, is more than a kilometre above sea level.
The area’sbeautiful natural landscape and awe-inspiring scenery, along with surroundingancient pagodas and hermitages, are said to have been the reason that King TranNhan Tong passed the throne to his son so that he could devote his life livingas a Buddhist monk at Yen Tu mountain. Whilst there, he founded the Truc Lammeditation sect, which has led to Yen Tu being recognised as the country’sleading centre for Buddhism./.
