Japanese arts troupe and Myanmarian Buddhists to participate in Quan The Am Festival
An arts troupe from Japan and a delegation of Theravada Buddhists from Myanmar will join the annual Quan The Am (Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva) Festival in Ngu Hanh Son District from 14-16 March.
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| Prayerful: A ceremony held at the Da Pagoda in Da Nang (Photo: VNS) |
According to the district’s Culture and Information Centre, the festival will include 'bai choi' (singing while acting as playing cards), a boat race on the Co Co River, a photo exhibition and calligraphy demonstration as well as folk games.
Artistes from Japan will present calligraphy skills and photos of pagodas and other Buddhist artifacts.
A Buddhism lecture and meditation session will take place at the Da Pagoda in Su Van Hanh Street, beside the Quan The Am Pagoda.
The opening ceremony is scheduled to take place at 7.00pm at Quan The Am Pagoda at the foot of the Kim Son Mountain on 14 March.
As planned, the country’s first Buddhist Culture Museum will be opened at the Quan The Am Pagoda with an exhibition of over 500 antiques.
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| Religious history: Tourists visit the Buddhist Culture Museum at the Quan The Am Pagoda (Photo: VNS) |
The museum, which covers over 500m2, will also have ancient documents, statues and sculptures on show.
The main festival, which falls on 16 March (19th days of the 2nd lunar month), will feature the procession of an image of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, and a prayer for a year of peace, prosperity and happiness for the nation.
It will also demonstrate stone sculptures of the 400-year-old Non Nuoc Stone Carving Village – the National intangible heritage recognition – in Ngu Hanh Son District.
A series of cultural activities including martial art performances, chess, a run for peace, a candle-lit flower release, drums and traditional dances will be held from morning to night during the 3-day festival.
The annual festival, which is one of the leading cultural events in the city each year, was recognised as one of 15 biggest cultural festivals in Viet Nam.
The festival draws around 10,000 residents and tourists each year. In 2014, the Thai Sangha delegation also joined the festival.
The festival will close with a gratitude ceremony on 16 March.
(Source: VNS/ DA NANG Today)