The statue will visit Phat Tich Pagoda in Phat Tich commune, Tien Du district, Bac Ninh province from May 16-25.

The central city of Da Nang and the southern city of Vung Tau were the first places to welcome the Buddha statue. The statue is now in HCM City before going to the southern province of Dong Thap and then the northern province of Bac Ninh.

The statue is 4.5 tonnes in weight, over 4m in height, and was cut from a huge block of jade, which was discovered in Canada in 2000.

The jade Buddha statue has become a masterpiece of Buddhist iconography in the world.

PV