Red river delta

The Huong Pagoda Festival, the longest of its kind in Vietnam, opened on January 27 in Hanoi’s outlying district of My Duc. Coming to the festival, which will last for three months until April 23, visitors can sightsee pagodas, temples and caves, and join Buddhist ceremonies. The pagoda has seen thousands of visitors over the past few days. Despite the rainy cold weather, many waited through Thursday night until the festival officially opened at 12 am on Friday. A visitor, Nguyen Tuan Anh, 38, said that he joined a group of over 10 friends to go to the pagoda at 8 pm on January 26. They took a trip along the Yen River and visited some sites through the night. The Huong Tich Cavern displays the autograph of the defacto ruler of north Vietnam Lord Trinh Sam from 1770, describing the cavern as the most beautiful cave in the country. … [Read more...] about Hanoi longest spring festival opens

This year, the Lunar New Year comes earlier, with the joy from the country’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The typical features of Tet include “banh chung”, red couplets, apricot blossoms, and peach blossoms, which are present along streets everywhere. For those who are far from home, the Lunar New Year is an opportunity to return and reunite with family members, visit parents, relatives and friends, and wish each other a peaceful, healthy and happy New Year. As for expats living in Vietnam and tourists in the country during this occasion, the traditional Lunar New Year is a unique holiday, giving them truly memorable experiences. The Tet atmosphere seems more bustling this year as the country has reopened its borders to welcome international visitors since last March. The Lunar New Year is fast approaching. Some may feel nostalgic about many things from the old year, but it is time to temporarily put aside such thoughts and welcome a New Year with … [Read more...] about Vietnamese Tet inspires foreigners

Lying on Sao mountain and standing 200m above the sea level, Hang Sao pagoda is located in Sao village, Tan Lap commune, Luc Yen district, northern Yen Bai province. Locals call it Sao pagoda, after the name of a hamlet in Nhan Muc village. The facility derives its name from the birds that build their nests inside the cave. Legend has it that the cave was discovered in the reign of the sixth Hung King who, finding the beauty of the landscape, decided to bury the remains of his mother inside the cave. A king of the early Le dynasty named it the “herb fragrance cave.” Hang Sao pagoda rests on the Phu Sa Phin mountain range which was form about 540 million years ago. It is one of the beautiful and sacred pagodas in Yen Ban. Hang Sao Pagoda was first built by Tay locals in the 13th-14th century to worship Buddha. History goes that a local young lady named Vu Thi Ngoc Anh was placed in charge of military logistics by a Le king. She directed Tay locals to reclaim waste land, taught … [Read more...] about Hang Sao – a unique cave pagoda in Yen Bai

Vietnamese people erect a Neu tree in front of their house to show off their land holdings and mark the border of their house. The bamboo pole was stripped of its leaves, except for a tuft at the top. The decoration on the Neu trees varies between regions and periods. On the top of the bamboo tree, they often hang a snatch of pineapple leaves, chicken feathers and a circle of New Year cards made of bamboo and do (poonah) paper. According to cultural researchers, the circle of bamboo cards symbolizes happiness and chicken feathers represent holy birds with powers that can help the family. The pole is also believed to ward off ghosts and demons from entering the community during Tet. It also seeks to show the way to ancestors who want to return home for the lunar New Year holiday. As legend goes, the Tet pole erecting tradition is originated from the Buddhism. Legend has it that long time ago, devils occupied the land of humans. Seeing humans’ suffering, the Buddha helped them … [Read more...] about Neu pole wards off evil spirits, welcomes blessings