Taking place from February 12-19, the annualfestival aims to commemorate the 683th death anniversary of monk Huyen Quang,who was the third founder of the Truc Lam Zen sect.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vice Chairmanof the provincial People’s Committee Luong Van Cau highlighted the historical significanceof the national heritage site Con Son-Kiep Bac and the great contributions ofthe Truc Lam Zen sect and monk Huyen Quang to the national construction anddefence.
Also at the ceremony, Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh and local officials cuta ribbon to inaugurate a nine-storey octagonal tower “Cuu Pham Lien Hoa” in thesite, which is 10.3metre in height.
The work contributes to preserving and upholding the cultural values of the relicsite.
Earlier the same day, a water procession from ConSon Lake to Con Son pagoda drew the participation of hundreds of people. As animportant ritual in the Con Son-Kiep Bac festival, it aimed to praise the unityof the community and pray for bumper crop.
Covering a total area of eight hectares in ChiLinh district, the Con Son-Kiep Bac historical site is entwined with the lifeand cause of general Tran Hung Dao, the Supreme Commander of Vietnam during theTran Dynasty. It was also where UNESCO’s Great Man of Culture of the World,Nguyen Trai (1380-1442), one of Vietnam’s most famous poets and writers, lived.
The site was a defence line built at the end ofthe 14th century to protect the Thang Long Imperial Citadel. It witnessedimportant battles between the Tran Dynasty army and the Yuan-Mongol invaders inthe 14th and 15th centuries.
Con Son, surrounded by pine trees, saw the pure and upright life of Nguyen Trai(1380-1442), one of Vietnam’s most famous poets and writers.
Con Son-Kiep Bac was recognised as a nationalheritage site in 1962 and a special national heritage site in 2012. TheMinistry of Culture, Sports and Tourism named the Spring Festival a nationalintangible cultural heritage one year later.-VNA