A statue of King Tran Nhan Tong

The 700th anniversary of the death of King Tran Nhan Tong, the third emperor of the Tran Dynasty and founder of the first school of Vietnamese Zen Buddhism, was celebrated in the northern province of Quang Ninh Thursday.

The king (1258-1308) reigned between 1278 and 1293.

In 1293, he abdicated in favor of his son and devoted the rest of his life to the practice of Buddhism.

Five years later, he became a monk and settled on Yen Tu mountain. When he was not meditating there, he traveled around the country barefoot, giving lectures and hosting seminars on Buddhist dharma.

He founded the Truc Lam (Bamboo forest) School of Zen.

Considered one of the nation’s most brilliant kings and philosophers, his influence has spanned seven centuries, and he remains an icon of traditional Vietnamese culture.

Source: VNA