On Saturday, the Vu Lan Festival, which is known as Buddhist Mother’s Day in Viet Nam, opened in front of the Am Phu (Hell) Cave, the longest and most mysterious at the Da Nang-based Marble Mountains Tourist Area.

This year’s festival is attracting the participation of a large number of Buddhist followers

The 2-day event feature a number of solemn Buddhist traditional rituals, including a solemn ritual to pray for the peace of martyrs’ souls at the Cave, lighting flower garlands to pray for peace and safety throughout the year, and listening to the legend of Muc Kieu Lien, a man who created an altar to pray to Buddha for the salvation of his mom.

Besides, there are a wide range of fascinating cultural and sporting activities such as calligraphy, an exhibition featuring arts photos and sculptures, a tea ceremony, and vegetarian cuisine.

Within the framework of the festival, some support activities are also organised, including a ceremony to congratulate local senior citizens on their longevity, and giving scholarships to poor studious pupils.

The Vu Lan Festival, which is imbued with national cultural identity, is a special occasion for people to express their love for and gratitude to their parents, especially their mothers.

According to Most Venerable Thich Hue Vinh, the Head of the Ngu Hanh Son District Buddhist Sangha, this is the 3^rd time the Vu Lan Festival has been held at the Marble Mountains Tourist Area.

The Vu Lan Festival takes place every year on the 15^th day of the 7^th lunar month. This year, it falls on 15 August, and the moon itself will be an extra-large ‘supermoon’.

The tradition tea ceremony space at the festival showcases the beauty of traditional culture.

Here is the calligraphy booth at the festival, featuring writings inspiring people to do good deeds, especially show filial affection towards their parents.

A large number of Vietnamese people usually flock to pagodas to observe the Vu Lan Festival, where they expressed their gratefulness and appreciation toward their parents, especially their mothers.

Visitors usually burn incense to pray for peace to their parents and family on the event. Also, they receive a pink, red or white plastic rose to pin on their shirts, with the first two colours indicating that the mothers of the wearers are alive, whereas the remaining means their moms have passed away.