The Yen Tu spring festival in the northern province of Quang Ninh is scheduled to kick off on January 31, the 10th day of the Lunar New Year, after enduring three years of disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yen Tu spring festival will reopen after three-year hiatus caused by COVID-19.
The Executive Board of the Buddhist Sangha in Quang Ninh province announced on January 13 that nearly 5,000 monks, nuns, Buddhists, and pilgrims would attend the religious event.
The festival will take place from the 10th day of the first lunar month and is set to last until the end of the third lunar month.
Numerous activities will be organised at the opening ceremony, including traditional rituals and art performances.
A night lantern festival, a ceremony held to pray for national peace and prosperity, lion dances, martial arts performances, and folk games will all be held during the festival.
Most notably, a painting exhibition showcasing the majestic beauty of the complex of Yen Tu Monuments and Landscapes will serve as the highlight of the festival.
The Yen Tu spring festival is held annually in order to honour the great value of Yen Tu mountain, the origin of the Truc Lam Zen sect, and the contributions made by King-Monk Tran Nhan Tong.
King Tran Nhan Tong founded the first Vietnamese School of Buddhism called “Thien Tong”, also known as Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen, on the 1,068m-high Yen Tu Mountain. The 20,000ha site is widely considered to be the capital of Vietnamese Buddhism.
The Yen Tu scenic site was officially listed as a special national relic site in September 2012, and attracts millions of visitors each year.