Nationwide, tens of thousands of monks, nuns, Buddhist followers and
tourists have flocked to pagodas and Spring festivals at the beginning
of the new year, wishing for peace, good weather, happiness and
prosperity for all people.
The Bai Dinh pagoda festival opened on
the sixth day of the lunar year, or Jan. 28 in the modern calendar, in
Gia Sinh commune, Gia Vien district, in the northern province of
Ninh Binh.
Most Venerable Thich Thanh Nhieu, head of Bai Dinh
pagoda, said that going to the pagoda at the beginning of the new year
is a spiritual cultural tradition of the Vietnamese people. From the
first day of the new year, thousands of visitors went to offer incense
and enjoy the pagoda’s atmosphere.
The ancient Bai
Dinh pagoda on Dinh mountain dates back 1,000 years ago and the
renovated one, with construction starting in 2003, is one of largest
pagodas in Southeast Asia . Its treasures include 12 national records,
including a 30-tonne bronze bell, a 150-tonne Buddha bronze statue and
500 Arhat statues.
On the same day, a festival to celebrate the
uprising of the Trung Sisters against Chinese rule 1,972 years ago was
organised at a temple dedicated to the sisters in Hanoi ’s outskirts
district of Me Linh.
The three-day festival aims to commemorate
the two national heroines, inspire national pride and educate younger
generations about patriotic traditions.
According to the
Vietnamese historical account, Trung Trac and her younger sister Trung
Nhi, rode elephants to lead the troops in battle and defeated Chinese
troops coming from the north, gaining independence for the country after
more than two centuries of domination by the foreign feudal invaders.
The revolt was briefly successful and Trung Trac
established herself as ruler of an independent state, becoming the first
royal leader and also the first female leader in the country’s history.
She chose Me Linh as a new capital.
Also on the
sixth day of the lunar year, the Huong Tich pagoda festival opened in
Thien Loc commune, Can Loc district in the central province of Ha
Tinh .
The spring festival has attracted 200,000 visitors since
the first day of the new year, doubling numbers at last year’s festival.
On this occasion, Ha Tinh inaugurated a 900m cable car
transport system, which includes 25 eight-seat cabins. It takes visitor
only eight minutes for a round trip./.
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