Sacred Fansipan Peak - Inspiration for a series of international photo contests

As the highest mountain in Indochina, each season and each moment, the sacred peak of Fansipan has a different charm. In particular, Fansipan also possesses a "collection" of moments that cannot be found anywhere else in the S-shaped strip of land. It could be the moment when snow covers the solemn spiritual complex, the moment when thousands of stars shine brightly in the sky or the sunset dyes the sea of ​​​​floating clouds yellow. All of these things have made the sacred peak of Fansipan a "muse", an endless source of inspiration for photographers.

Photo: Vu Ngoc Tuan

Recently, the Vietnamese Creativity & Honoring Contest was organized by Intel Semiconductor, with the theme revolving around the colorful life of Vietnamese people; from traditional values, society, people and landscapes, to humanistic values ​​through volunteer activities. Among the contest photos, surprisingly, many authors submitted works taken at the sacred Fansipan peak. Author Vu Ngoc Tuan chose the work "Dawn on the Roof of Indochina" as one of his entries this year. In the photo, the statue of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara appears compassionately, amidst the magical, picturesque landscape of Hoang Lien Son mountains and forests.

Photo: Nguyen Minh Tu

Young photographer Nguyen Minh Tu also chose to enter the contest with a photo of the sunrise at the sacred peak of Fansipan. The photo depicts the moment when the sunlight gradually clears the mist, the slanting rays of sunlight shine through the space, reflecting on the metal peak marking the 3143m peak, creating brilliant streaks of light. The author could not hide his impression of the beauty of the Roof of Indochina: “We were speechless before the precious scene. Very different from the sunrises we had witnessed. Not like the plateau, not like the sea, and certainly not like in the city. Sometimes there are moments that we can capture in frames, but human emotions can only be felt, deeply imprinted in the eyes and kept in the heart. It is impossible to forget but will always remember... the moment of sunrise on the top of Fansipan.”

Photo: Nguyen Minh Tu

The second entry about Fansipan, author Minh Tu chose the work "Looking at the sacred peak of Fansipan". He shared that over the past 7 years, thanks to the record-breaking cable car line thatSun Group inaugurated in Sa Pa, millions of tourists from all over the world have had the opportunity to admire the majestic beauty of the "Roof of Indochina". Now, the sacred peak of Fansipan has also become a place to come to worship and pray for peace before a spiritual complex that seems to have clung to the mountain, carved into the high mountains of Hoang Lien many years ago.

Photo: Nguyen Manh Cuong

The sacred Fansipan peak appears captivating with a snow-white landscape, in the work of photographer Nguyen Manh Cuong. The Fansipan spiritual complex with the shape of an ancient Vietnamese pagoda from the 15th-16th century appears like ancient film footage. The author shared the photo he took on the eve of Tet 2022, during a visit to Fansipan peak. Due to unusual weather phenomena, the snow was up to 60cm thick at that time, creating an extremely interesting natural scene. "Looking at the ancient Rhododendron tree stretching out in the wind and snow as if wanting to embrace and protect the pagodas on Fansipan peak creates a picture that is both vivid and close, warm in the cold winter weather of the border region," he said.

Photo: Nguyen Bao Long

Mr. Bao Long used to work at Sun World Fansipan Legend, and was also the one who recorded the most impressive moments of the sacred peak. He said that to record the amazing natural phenomena at the 3,143 m peak with unpredictable weather conditions, in addition to careful and elaborate preparation, luck is a prerequisite. The moment that he could not forget was the Buddha's light and the shimmering Milky Way at night. "Watching the beautiful mountains and rivers from the sacred peak, before the scenery of my homeland, I am truly proud. It is a joyful feeling and an endless joy," he said.

Photo: Le Viet Khanh

Previously in 2021, the work "Buddha Statue on the Roof of Indochina" by photographer Le Viet Khanh won 3rd prize in the Architecture category, Professional category in the world's leading prestigious black and white photography contest Monochrome Awards. In the photo, the Great Buddha statue appears majestic and mysterious in the drifting clouds. According to photographer Le Viet Khanh, it is not easy to "hunt" for that unique moment. The photo was taken by him on a cold winter morning, after a night of rain that lasted until early morning, so the strong wind and cold cut into the skin. Photo: Le Viet Khanh.

Photo: Le Viet Khanh

The Great Amitabha Buddha Statue in the White Clouds is also an endless source of inspiration for many photographers. This is the tallest bronze Buddha statue in Vietnam, 21.5m high, made up of thousands of 5mm thick bronze plates, with a total weight of 62 tons. The Great Buddha Statue was fabricated on site and covered with mechanical pressure techniques on an iron frame structure with a volume of nearly 1000m3, with relief decorative motifs bearing the breath of Tran Dynasty art.

Photo: Duong Quoc Hieu

Flowers bloom in all four seasons, the natural scenery changes every minute, making Fansipan appear in a myriad of forms in each entry. However, it is not difficult to realize that the beauty seems to have a common formula, which is the harmony between the overwhelming nature of the Northwest mountains and forests and the works meticulously created by human hands and minds. Fansipan is therefore the beauty of the mountains and rivers, of Vietnamese intelligence that photographers are proud to introduce to the world.