Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan on April 17 rang a bell in the Tran Temple to officially open the traditional festival commemorating Saint Quy Minh Dai Vuong held in Trang An–Bai Dinh tourist complex in Ninh Binh province.
Quy Minh Dai Vuong is worshipped across Ninh Binh province for his contributions to defending the country during the reign of the 18th Hung King. Legend has him as one of three generals in Vietnamese history to be apotheosised. The others are Saint Tan Vien and Saint Cao Son.
Alongside thousands of visitors and locals, Vice President Doan joined in a fish-releasing ceremony, a water procession and an incense offering to pray for the peace and prosperity of the nation and for favourable weather conditions, bumper crops and happiness among the people.
Those in attendance were also offered a chance to take free ferryboat rides to contemplate the imposing and picturesque scenery of the Trang An–Bai Dinh complex.
In recent years, the Ninh Binh provincial authorities have placed the festival within its tourism promotion scheme in a bid to gain assistance from international friends to help Trang An scenic landscape complex win the title of ‘natural wonder of the world’.