Ethnic colors in the Quan The Am Festival in Da Nang

Việt Nam•19/03/2025

The Quan The Am Festival is one of Da Nang 's major cultural and religious events, attracting a large number of domestic and international tourists. With its diverse activities, the festival is not only a place for people to worship and pray for peace, but also an opportunity to promote the unique cultural values of the Ngu Hanh Son region.

Sắc màu dân tộc trong Lễ hội Quán Thế Âm ở Đà Nẵng The Quan The Am Festival took place in a joyful atmosphere, celebrating the cultural events commemorating the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Da Nang City Party Committee and the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Da Nang City.

The Quan The Am Festival, with its centuries-old history, is the culmination of Buddhist cultural values and the unique cultural heritage of the Ngu Hanh Son (Ngu Hanh Son) area in Da Nang. Along with the Ngu Hanh Son Scenic Area (a special national monument) and the Ma Nhai (documentary heritage) included in the Memory of the World Programme for the Asia-Pacific region, the festival has become a cultural and religious symbol for the local people.

The 2025 festival will take place over four days (from March 16th to 19th), corresponding to the 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th days of the second lunar month of the Year of the Snake (2015), encompassing both ceremonial and festive activities. This is the third year the festival has been organized on a city-wide scale, bringing together many unique cultural, artistic, sporting , and religious programs.

Sắc màu dân tộc trong Lễ hội Quán Thế Âm ở Đà Nẵng Flower float parade at the Quan The Am Festival.

According to Tran Chi Cuong, Vice Chairman of the Da Nang City People's Committee: “With its distinctive and unique features, the Quan The Am Festival is the culmination of Buddhist culture and the cultural heritage of Ngu Hanh Son, demonstrating a harmonious blend of religion and nation. The festival is an attractive destination not only for domestic tourists but also an opportunity for international visitors to experience and explore the spiritual and cultural values of Vietnamese Buddhism; and to engage in cultural exchange with nations in the Asia-Pacific region.”

The highlight of this year's festival is the Ceremony honoring Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, held on the morning of March 18th (corresponding to the 19th day of the 2nd lunar month). This is the main ceremony of the event, attracting a large number of monks, nuns, Buddhists, and visitors from all over. Notably, two new activities are being organized for the first time: a peace walk with over 300 representatives from agencies, organizations, and consulates in Da Nang, and a seminar on "The Influence of Buddhism on the Ma Nhai Documentary Heritage at the Ngu Hanh Son Scenic Area." These are practical activities that contribute to promoting the value and elevating the Avalokiteshvara Festival – a national intangible cultural heritage.

Sắc màu dân tộc trong Lễ hội Quán Thế Âm ở Đà Nẵng The Quan The Am Festival at Ngu Hanh Son in 2025 will feature a rich and diverse range of cultural, artistic, sporting, and religious activities.

During the festival, numerous cultural, artistic, sporting, and folk game activities are organized, creating a vibrant and joyful atmosphere. A highlight is the Bài Chòi Singing Festival in Zone V – a distinctive folk performance art form of Central Vietnam, recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The witty and relatable call-and-response songs vividly reflect the working life, marital affection, and community spirit, delighting listeners and immersing them in a rich folk culture.

Participating in the Quan The Am Festival for the first time and experiencing Bai Choi (a traditional Vietnamese folk game), Mr. Dong Vu Tien Nghia (a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City) shared: “The atmosphere here is both solemn and lively, giving a very special feeling. I really enjoyed the Bai Choi game; it was fun, meaningful, and helped me understand more about the beauty of folk culture. This made me love Vietnamese cultural traditions even more.”

Sắc màu dân tộc trong Lễ hội Quán Thế Âm ở Đà Nẵng The Marble Mountains (Ngũ Hành Sơn) are one of the national-level historical and cultural relics, closely associated with the spiritual, cultural, and historical values of the nation.

In addition, the tug-of-war competition and the art photography exhibition "Quan Am - Festival Season" were also important highlights, attracting a large number of locals and tourists. The works displayed in the exhibition vividly depicted the spiritual and cultural beauty of the festival and the Ngu Hanh Son region.

With its profound cultural and spiritual values and a series of unique activities, the Quan The Am Ngu Hanh Son Festival 2025 continues to affirm the appeal of a major cultural and religious event, contributing to promoting the image of Da Nang to friends both domestically and internationally.

Sắc màu dân tộc trong Lễ hội Quán Thế Âm ở Đà Nẵng The Quan The Am Festival is the culmination of the values of Buddhist culture and the unique cultural heritage of the Ngu Hanh Son region.