Flower boat parade on the Perfume River to celebrate Buddha's birthday

Flower lanterns on the Perfume River at Hue Festival 2022

On May 11, Venerable Thich Khe Chon, Head of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Thua Thien Hue province, said that this year's Buddha's birthday week will not have flower cars on the streets like every year, instead there will be 32 flower boats from affiliated units and pagodas participating in the parade on the Huong River.

On the night of April 13th of the lunar calendar, after attending the opening ceremony at Ly Tu Trong Park on the banks of the Huong River, 32 flower boats will parade to Phu Xuan Bridge, cross Truong Tien Bridge to Dap Da, circle straight to Thien Mu Pagoda, cross Nguyen Hoang Bridge, return to Da Vien Bridge and return to Ly Tu Trong Park.

On the evening of the 14th day of the 4th lunar month, flower boats will gather on the Dong Ba River in front of Dieu De Pagoda, where the Buddha bathing ceremony takes place. The flower boat procession will parade from the Dong Ba River to the Huong River, passing Dong Ba Market, Truong Tien Bridge and arriving at Da Vien Park.

On the night of April 15th of the lunar calendar, 32 flower boats will pass through the landmarks of Phu Xuan Bridge, Truong Tien Bridge, Da Dam, Dong Ba Market, Thien Mu Pagoda, Da Vien Bridge, and Phu Xuan Bridge.

Lanterns are released on the Perfume River.

During the week of celebrating Buddha's birthday, the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Thua Thien Hue province organized many activities such as lighting 7 giant pink lotus flowers on the Perfume River, releasing flower lanterns on the Perfume River, bathing Buddha ceremony, carrying Buddha from Dieu De Pagoda to Tu Dam Pagoda, and performing arts offerings. After the flower lantern release program on the river, the Organizing Committee will arrange for forces to collect flowers after the ceremony to protect the environment.

Thua Thien Hue is considered the cradle of Buddhism. It was here that Zen master Thiet Dieu Lieu Quan (1667-1742) founded the Lam Te - Lieu Quan Zen sect in Dang Trong (the second Zen sect after the Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen sect). Today, Thua Thien Hue has hundreds of pagodas with tens of thousands of monks and nuns practicing.

Buddha's Birthday is a major holiday held annually on the 15th day of the 4th lunar month to commemorate the birth of Buddha. Since 1999, Buddha's Birthday on April 15 (lunar calendar) has been recognized by the United Nations as a world cultural and spiritual festival.

TH (according to VnExpress)

Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/dieu-hanh-thuyen-hoa-tren-song-huong-mung-dai-le-phat-dan-381384.html