HUONG PAGODA FESTIVAL

The beautiful verse describes scenic spot of Huong Pagoda, designated by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage site, which makes one can’t help having the feeling that is one were lost in a world offairies. Huong Son attracts visitors not only with its wonderful landscape, but also with its sense of philosophy embodied inside its splendid caves, of which Huong Tich and Tuyet Son are the most impressive.

Objects of worship: Phat ba Quan Am -Avalokitesvara (Goddess of Mercy)
Time: The 6th day of the first lunar month
Destination: Huong Son Commune, My Duc District, Ha Tay Province
Characteristics: Buddhist services, sightseeing

Visitors are bewitched by the beauty of thesecases which look half real and half unreal. That explains the reason why thecold weather cannot keep thousands of pilgrims and tourists away fromthe Huong Pagoda Festival, the nation’s longest and most elaborateannual festival.

Oficially occuring from the 15^th day to the 20^thday of the second lunar month, Huong Pagoda Festival mainly consists ofsightseeing trips to pagodas, temples and caves as well as visitingceremonies to ask favours from Lord Buddha. Situated approximately 60kilometers southwest from Ha Noi, Huong Son boasts quite a few pagodasbuilt in the Posterior Le Dynasty. Annually, a vast number of pilgrimshave been flocking to the northern province of Ha Noi’s My Duc Districtfor the three-month Huong Pagoda Festival, enjoying the beauty of theHuong Son limestone mountains at a time when apricot trees are in bloomand pay tribute to Buddha, specifically to Avalokitasvara, one ofBuddha's disciples.

Legendhas it that the festival is held to worship a princess named Dieu Thienwho incarnated Avalokitasvara and attained enlightenment there. As theprincess was born on the 19th day of the second lunar month, that dateis now observed by all Vietnamese Buddhists as a saint day. The shrinein which she practised her religion was discovered in the 15th centuryby three monks. The pilgrimage to Huong Son dwindled to a trickleduring the war years and the temples and shrines were left vacant..In 1770, Lord Trinh Sam wrote five Chinese characters to describe HuongTich Cavern: Nam Thien De Nhat Dong (the most beautiful cave inVietnam). The Huong Pagoda Festival started during the Le-TrinhDynasty. In 1958, after the restoration of peace in NorthVietnam, the Government and President Ho Chi Minh personally gaveinstructions for the repair of the pagodas and temples and therestoration of the festival. Annually, visitors to the festivalto enjoy the beauty of the Huong Son limestone mountains at a time whenapricot trees are in bloom and pay tribute to Buddha, specifically toAvalokitasvara, one of Buddha's disciples.

Accordingto the legend, a pilgrimage to Huong Pagoda in the spring will bringhealth, prosperity, good luck and happiness. And whether you believe inthe story or not, there's no disputing that a trip like this offers aperfect chance to get closer to both nature and Vietnamese tradition.

A meaningful pilgrimage

Thefestival is a traditional Vietnamese Buddhist celebration, heldsimultaneously in three locations: Huong Tich, Tuyet Son, and Long Van.The festival is most crowded from the 15th - 20th day of the 2nd monthof the lunar calendar as this period marks the the main festival.However, since the first day of the lunar New Year, thousands oftourists and pilgrims have flocked to the sacred land to tour and prayfor a prosperous and happy year. Spring is the idea time forbothVietnamese and foreigners come to Huong Son. Heading there, youhave chances to live in a boisterous atmosphere of a spring festivalamidst beautiful landscape. They seem to be free from all tiredness andsorrow and come to pay respect to the compassionate Buddha.

Unlikemany other festivals, the Huong Pagoda Festival does not centre aroundtraditional games, but rather romantic trips to caves, pagodas andtemples and participation in ceremonies to beseech favours from LordBuddha. The Venerable Thich Minh Hien rang the bell to officially openthe festival at the Huong Pagoda, on the sixth day of the first lunarmonth. The opening ceremony began at the Thien Tru Pagoda with pilgrimsand tourists invited to take part in the incense offering ceremony. Inorder to warning up the festival’s lively ambience in the chillyweather, the traditional raditional songs and dances took place beforeand after the ceremony. Visitors attending Huong pagoda festivalusually make some wishes and when they are worshipping Buddha’s in thepagoda, they pray for their wishes to come true. The visitors bringofferings with them from home, including boiled chickens, boiled pigs'heads and steamed sticky rice. After prayers, each person will take asmall portion of the offering (called loc) which is then carried home for their family. Loc isa sacred and precious thing as it is believed to bring good luck tothose who eat it. In addition, cultural activities and sportingcontests are also held on the occasion of Huong Pagoda Festival: boatracing, climbing, folk song singing, etc. These festive activities takeplace throughout the festival.

Apilgrimage to the Huong Pagoda Festival cannot only be for religiousreasons, but to see the numerous natural shapes that are typical of thelandscape and the buildings that are valuable artifacts of the nation.When you make a pilgrimage to Huong Pagoda you are in the middle ofnature at its best, with a gorgeous river, caves, andmountains.Therefore, people of different ages all so interested in theHuong Pagoda Festival...

“This immense area with wonderful features 
 Makes one wonder whether it is fairyland 
                                   Huong Son itself is fairyland 
                                                 Which is seen in this earthly world"