Opening Ceremony of Ngoa Van Spring Festival 2026

On February 25th (the 9th day of the 12th lunar month of the Year of the Horse 2026), the Ngoa Van Spring Festival officially opened with many diverse activities. Although an annual event, this year's festival is larger in scale as UNESCO has recognized the temples, pagodas, and hermitages in the Ngoa Van area, part of the Yen Tu-Vinh Nghiem-Con Son-Kiep Bac heritage complex, as a World Heritage site.

The procession on the opening day of the festival. (Photo: PV)

Ngoa Van, where Emperor Tran Nhan Tong spent his final days practicing asceticism and attained enlightenment, has been recognized as a World Heritage Site, an important part of the Yen Tu-Vinh Nghiem-Con Son-Kiep Bac heritage complex, on July 12, 2025. This site affirms its outstanding global historical value and preserves the "Engagement in Worldly Affairs" philosophy of the Truc Lam Zen sect of Vietnam.

The festival is one of many practical activities expressing reverence for Emperor Tran Nhan Tong and other ancestors, while also showcasing the cultural beauty in the customs and traditions of the Vietnamese people. The festival lasts from February 25th to March 3rd, 2026 (from the 9th to the 15th day of the first lunar month of the Year of the Horse 2026).

The festival will take place from February 25th to March 3rd, 2026 (from the 9th to the 15th day of the first lunar month of the Year of the Horse).

Accordingly, the Ha Long Bay-Yen Tu World Heritage Management Board, the Quang Ninh provincial government, and the Vietnam Buddhist Association, Quang Ninh Provincial Buddhist Executive Board, officially opened the Ngoa Van Festival 2026 with rituals of offering incense to commemorate the merits of the Buddhist Emperor and ancestors; cultural and artistic activities, poetry, songs, and prayers for national peace and prosperity...

The festival space also features many other attractive activities such as: the incense offering ceremony at Ngoa Van Pagoda, a ritual praying for national peace and prosperity; enjoying tea at the Bamboo House accompanied by the choral performance of "Ngoa Van Song"; immersing oneself in a meditative "healing" atmosphere amidst the clouds on the summit of Ban Co Mountain in Bao Dai...

Delegates attending the opening ceremony.

The opening day activities of the Ngoa Van festival take place in a fairly large area. The festival itself is held at the Ngoa Van Bamboo House, a unique design made from bamboo and thatched roof, providing shelter for over 2,000 attendees; the incense offering ceremony takes place at the Ngoa Van Temple and Shrine area, where Emperor Tran Nhan Tong attained nirvana.

Ngoa Van is considered a "healing" place where people can experience tranquility, the sound of temple bells echoing amidst the ancient forest and the floating sea of ​​clouds, helping to cast aside worries.

Visiting Ngoa Van during the festival season, people can also experience a combination of traditional spirituality and modern cultural tourism trends, meditation for healing, and enjoying the pristine landscape, providing a complete journey at Truc Lam.

One of the processions during the opening ceremony of the festival.

The Ngoa Van Spring Festival 2026 is an opportunity for each participant to reconnect with the roots of Truc Lam Buddhism, to find peace and tranquility while enjoying the majestic natural scenery and gaining a deeper understanding of the history, culture, and spirituality of their ancestors, in order to build a more beautiful life in the present.

LE ANH-QUANG THO

Source: https://nhandan.vn/khai-mac-le-hoi-xuan-ngoa-van-2026-post944718.html