Celebrations for the spring festival began with a religious ceremony that saw more than 100 Buddhist dignitaries, monks, nuns and followers joining in to offer incense to King Tran Nhan Tong, who ruled the country from 1279 until 1293 and later renounced the throne for a devout life as a Buddhist.

Over 100 local actors and actresses took part in a traditional lion and dragon dance performance. A traditional operetta drama titled ‘Spirit of the Country’ was also presented by actors of the Quang Ninh Troupe.

The Yen Tu Pagoda Spring Festival is one of the biggest festivals in the country, lasting from Lunar New Year until the end of March.

According to organizers of the festival, since the beginning of the year, Yen Tu Pagoda has welcomed over 30,000 visitors. Uong Bi City has taken measures to ensure that there is adequate safety and security, smooth traffic flow and clean hygiene conditions during the festival duration.

Yen Tu Mountain is located about 50 km from Ha Long City. The long winding pilgrimage route from the foot of the mountain to the highest peak is almost 30 km in distance. The Dong Pagoda, which sits atop the mountain’s highest peak, is more than a kilometre above sea level.