Opening the festival, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Hai Duong Trieu The Hung said that from the 14th century, Con Son has become one of the major Buddhism centres of the Truc Lam Zen Buddhism sect of Vietnamese people.
In every Spring, Con Son pagoda has received a large number of visitors who came to pay tribute to Zen Master Huyen Quang.
Huyen Quang, whose real name is Ly Dao Tai, was born in 1254, originally from Van Tu village, now in Thai Bao commune, Gia Binh district. Bac Ninh province. He was a talented intellectual and famous for his poetry and literature. He obtained his doctorate at the age of 21, and then followed Buddhism. Together with Monk King Tran Nhan Tong, he wrote Buddhism scriptures, popularised Buddhism across the country and became the third progenitor of the Truc Lam Zen sect. He spent his last days and died at Con Son pagoda.
 |
| A drum performance at the opening of the festival. (Photo: VNA) |
The Con Son – Kiep Bac was recognised as a national heritage site in 1962 and a special national heritage site in 2012. In 2013, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism named the Spring Festival in Con Son Pagoda and the Autumn Festival in Kiep Bac Temple as national intangible cultural heritages.
Currently, Hai Duong, Quang Ninh and Bac Giang provinces are working together to promote the value of the Con Son-Kiep Bac special national relic site, and finalising dossiers for the Yen Tu-Vinh Nghiem-Con Son-Kiep Bac landscape and relic complex to seek for UNESCO recognition as a world heritage site.
This year, the festival features rituals such as incense offering in Con Son Pagoda, a water procession ceremony, and a worship offering ceremony on Ngu Nhac mountain. Folk games and a number of cultural and tourism activities are also held at the festival.
