Vu Thu district in the northern province of Thai Binh held a ceremony on October 29 to begin Keo Pagoda festival and receive a certificate recognising it as national intangible cultural heritage.
Buddhist offerings - a ritual of Keo Pagoda festival
(Source: VNA)
The festival is held
annually from the 10th to 15th day of the ninth lunar month to honour Zen
Master Khong Lo (1016-1094) – founder of the Keo Pagoda.
It features religious rituals and communal activities such as Buddhist
offerings, palanquin parades, love duet singing on boats, and folk games.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Dang Thi
Bich Lien asked Thai Binh province to complete a project to preserve and
develop the festival.
The relic site management board and Vu Thu district authorities were asked to
ensure safety and order for the festival and promote its values to visitors.
Keo pagoda was founded in 1061. After it was swept away by a flood in 1611, the
pagoda was rebuilt in 1632 and most of its architectural features, including 17
structures with 128 rooms, remain until today. In 2012, it was recognised as a
national special relic site.
In addition to the autumn festival, another spring festival takes place here
annually on the 4th day of the first lunar month.
The pagoda attracts more than 2,500 visitors to Thai Binh every year.-
Source: VNA
Hoa Binh province has carried out multiple programmes and initiatives to revive its cultural heritage which has gradually fallen into oblivion through the ebbs and flows of history.
The most prominent and defining feature in the prehistoric era of Hoa Binh is the Hoa Binh Culture. The Culture was first discovered in Hoa Binh. The significant prehistoric culture represents not only Vietnam but also Southeast Asia and southern China. Through excavations of cave sites in the limestone regions of Hoa Binh, French archaeologist M. Colani introduced the world to a "Stone Age in Hoa Binh province – Northern Vietnam" in 1927. On January 30, 1932, the First Congress of Far Eastern Prehistorians, held in Hanoi, officially recognised the Hoa Binh Culture.
Known as the "Land of Epic History”, Hoa Binh province, the gateway to Vietnam’s northwest, boasts a strategic location and a unique cultural tapestry woven by its ethnic minority communities.
The People's Committee of Luong Son District recently held a ceremony to receive the certificate recognizing Sau Communal House in Thanh Cao Commune as a provincial-level historical and cultural site.
Recognising the importance of cultural heritage preservation in protecting and promoting the value system of Vietnamese culture, and serving socio-economic development in the new period, Party committees and local administrations in Hoa Binh province have identified it as a key task in the cultural development strategy. The province has been making efforts in mobilising resources, creating consensus among people and engaging ethnic communities in preserving and promoting cultural identity.
Hoa Binh province has captured growing attention both domestically and internationally for its distinctive cultural heritage and rich history. Most notably, it has been renowned for its famous Hoa Binh culture, considered the cradle of ancient Vietnamese civilisation. Looking ahead to significant milestones in 2025 and the 140th anniversary of province establishment in 2026, Hoa Binh Newspaper presents a comprehensive overview of the province's development across economic, social, cultural, tourism, and security domains.
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