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The annual festival commemorates the death anniversary of monk Huyen Quang, who was the third founder of the Truc Lam Zen sect and died in 1334.

Also on the occasion, the provincial People’s Committee announced the Decision by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc that recognises the Con Son Tu Phuc Tu Bi stele in Con Son Pagoda as a national treasure.

The Con Son Tu Phuc Tu Bi stele dates back to the Le Trung Hung Dynasty (16th -18th century) under the reign of Hoang Dinh (Le Kinh Tong) (1601-1619). It is a precious material about literature, history and fine art, especially for studying the history of Con Son Pagoda.

Prior to the opening ceremony of the festival, there was a ceremonial water-carrying parade from Con Son Pagoda to Con Son Lake staged by hundreds of people, where monks and nuns offered incense.

The festival, which willl run until March 10, will also feature a variety of cultural and sporting activities such as incense offerings, worship rituals at Ngu Nhac Mountain, folk games, a wrestling contest, and a cake making contest.

With its special values, Con Son – Kiep Bac was recognised as a national heritage site in 1962 and a special national heritage site in 2012. In 2013, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism named the Spring Festival in Con Son Pagoda and the Autumn Festival in Kiep Bac Temple as national intangible cultural heritages.