The Con Son-Kiep Bac Spring Festival opened at Con Son-Kiep Bac special national relic site in Chi Linh city, the northern province of Hai Duong on February 6, along with a ceremony to commemorate the 689th death anniversary of Huyen Quang - the third progenitor of the Truc Lam Zen sect.
A view of the Kiep Bac Temple at the Con Son-Kiep Bac special national relic site. (Photo: VNA)
Hai Duong (VNA) – The ConSon-Kiep Bac Spring Festival opened at Con Son-Kiep Bac special national relicsite in Chi Linh city, the northern province of Hai Duong on February 6, alongwith a ceremony to commemorate the 689th death anniversary of HuyenQuang - the third progenitor of the Truc Lam Zen Buddhism sect.
Opening the festival, Chairman of thePeople’s Committee of Hai Duong Trieu The Hung said that from the 14thcentury, Con Son has become one of the major Buddhism centres of theTruc Lam Zen Buddhismsect of Vietnamese people.
In every Spring, Con Son pagoda hasreceived a large number of visitors who came to pay tribute to Zen Master HuyenQuang.
Huyen Quang, whose real name is Ly Dao Tai,was born in 1254, originally from Van Tu village, now in Thai Baocommune, GiaBinh district. Bac Ninh province. He was a talented intellectual andfamousfor his poetry and literature. He obtained his doctorate at the age of21, and then followed Buddhism. Together with Monk King TranNhan Tong, he wrote Buddhism scriptures, popularised Buddhism across thecountry and became the third progenitor of the Truc Lam Zen sect. Hespent hislast days and died at Con Son pagoda.
A drum performance at the opening of the festival. (Photo: VNA)
The Con Son – Kiep Bac was recognised as anational heritage site in 1962 and a special national heritage site in 2012. In2013, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism named the Spring Festival inCon Son Pagoda and the Autumn Festival in Kiep Bac Temple as nationalintangible cultural heritages.
Currently, Hai Duong, Quang Ninh and BacGiang provinces are working together to promote the value of the Con Son-KiepBac special national relic site, and finalising dossiers for the Yen Tu-VinhNghiem-Con Son-Kiep Bac landscape and relic complex to seek for UNESCOrecognition as a world heritage site.
This year, the festival features rituals such as incenseoffering in Con Son Pagoda, a water procession ceremony, and a worship offeringceremony on Ngu Nhac mountain. Folk games and a number of cultural and tourismactivities are also held at the festival./.
A heaven-earth sacrificing ritual was held on March 4 at Ngu Nhac Mountain in Con Son – Kiep Bac special national relic site in the northern province of Hai Duong.
The special national relic site Con Son – Kiep Bac in Chi Linh city, the northern province of Hai Duong, welcomed about 120,000 visitors from September 13 to 18 during its autumn festival, up about 40 percent year on year.
The northern province of Hai Duong has signed a Memorandum of Understanding on expanding cooperation with the neighbouring province of Bac Giang during the period from 2020 to 2025.
The Con Son - Kiep Bac relic site in Chi Linh city, Hai Duong province, is viewed as an important cultural and spiritual location in the mind of every Vietnamese. The wealth of tangible and intangible cultural values is expressed through festivals and is why it attracts tens of thousands of visitors every year.
This is the first time since the adoption of the Convention that a country has served two consecutive terms on the Committee. The outcome shows the trust and recognition that member states have given Vietnam for its efforts and achievements in carrying out and promoting the Convention, as well as for its active role, strong standing, and growing credibility at UNESCO.
Quang Duc pottery is known for its wide range of forms, including wine bottles, jars, lime pots, vases, plant pots, incense burners and candle stands. Decorative motifs are equally rich, featuring mythical creatures, pastoral scenes, floral patterns, deer, peacocks, bats and more.
Vietnam’s cinematic appeal lies in its diverse settings, from terraced mountains and limestone karsts to bustling markets and ancient towns. Its mix of ethnic vibes, buzzing street life, and old traditions gives directors a goldmine for storytelling.
The Vietnamese team will gather on June 26 in Ba Ria-Vung Tau, where they will train until July 14 before departing for Indonesia for the ASEAN U23 Championship 2025, which runs from July 15 to 29. Vietnam will face Laos on July 19 and Cambodia on July 22 in the group stage.
The exhibition showcases more than 100 valuable documents and artifacts, divided into two main parts: “Journalist Nguyen Ai Quoc – Ho Chi Minh” and “President Ho Chi Minh – Founder and Mentor of Vietnamese Revolutionary Press.” This is an opportunity to recall the late leader’s journalism journey and affirm his exceptional role in founding and guiding the revolutionary press in Vietnam.
For the first time, the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) has granted Vietnam hosting rights for the two championships, including the Asian women’s solo category, which debuts this year as an officially recognised event.
Eight teams will join the tournament, divided into two groups. Group A features Vietnam, the Philippines, Sichuan Club (China), and Australia, while Group B consists of Vietnam U21, Korabelka Club (Russia), Taiwan (China), and U21 Thailand.
Despite strong home support and high expectations, Vietnam were unable to overcome the defending champions, who secured their third consecutive win over Vietnam in a regional final, following previous victories in 2014 and 2023.
The event, part of Vietnam’s cultural diplomacy strategy through 2030, was jointly organised by the Vietnamese Embassy in Venezuela and USM’s Faculty of International Relations. It attracted thousands of students from universities across Venezuela.
For the first time, Vietnamese audiences will have the opportunity to experience the ballet masterpiece "Don Quixote" in its original version by renowned choreographer Marius Petipa.
The contest carried deep meaning as it was the first time the life of Vietnamese women abroad had been highlighted as the central theme, said poet and writer Nguyen Quang Thieu, Chairman of the Vietnam Writers’ Association.
The event formed part of Vietnam’s ongoing campaign to seek UNESCO World Heritage status for the complex at the 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, scheduled to take place in Paris in July.
Creative cultural festivals are fast emerging as a new catalyst for tourism development in Vietnam, as localities increasingly invest in these vibrant events on a more systematic and larger scale.
This marks the first time Vietnam has hosted a continental-level Muay event which will feature competitions across 28 weight categories in combat and eight performance categories.
Coming to the Vietnamese booth, visitors had the chance to take part in a bamboo dance, a workshop on painting woven bamboo or rattan, or quizzes about Vietnam.
These are impressive achievements, not only showing the efforts and prowess of Vietnamese paddlers but also serving as proof of the sports sector’s strategic and systematic investment.
The cultural event in Canberra not only fostered cultural exchanges between Vietnam and Australia but also contributed to promoting Vietnam’s image internationally
A view of the Kiep Bac Temple at the Con Son-Kiep Bac special national relic site. (Photo: VNA) 
A drum performance at the opening of the festival. (Photo: VNA) 
