Honoring Saint Tran, spreading the value of Con Son - Kiep Bac World Heritage

VHO - On the evening of October 12, at Kiep Bac relic site, Tran Hung Dao ward, Hai Phong city, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man attended the ceremony to commemorate the 725th death anniversary of National Hero Tran Hung Dao and beat the drum to open the Con Son-Kiep Bac Autumn Festival 2025.

Also attending the ceremony were Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh and leaders of relevant departments, ministries and branches. On behalf of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Deputy Minister Trinh Thi Thuy attended the ceremony.

Delegates offered incense in memory of National Hero Tran Hung Dao

725 years ago, on August 20, Canh Ty year (1300), Hung Dao Dai Vuong Tran Quoc Tuan passed away in Van Kiep. To show gratitude for the merits of the national hero, a genius military man, with both intelligence and bravery, who led the army and people of Dai Viet to defeat the Yuan-Mongol invaders three times, King Tran Anh Tong posthumously awarded him the titles of Grand Master, Grand Duke, and Great King Hung Dao.

The people honored him as the Nine Heavenly Martial Emperor Duc Thanh Tran. While he was still alive, the people built Sinh Tu on the foundation of the old Royal Palace in Van Kiep to worship him; after his death, King Tran ordered the people to build a temple, which is now Kiep Bac Temple.

To this day, the treasure of heritage with profound humanistic meaning that Hung Dao Dai Vuong left behind over the centuries still retains its value. Each place name and each immortal piece of literature bears his outstanding mark, becoming the immortal pride of many generations of Vietnamese people.

From Dong Bo Dau, Ham Tu, Tay Ket, Chuong Duong, Van Kiep to Bach Dang Giang, the heroic spirit of Dong A still echoes the glorious spirit of three victories over the Yuan-Mongol army.

From the political and military ideology of “leniency and the people's strength”, “using the short to rule the long, using the few to fight the many, using the weak to defeat the strong”; to the profound philosophies of life in the Essentials of Military Strategy, The Secret Book of Van Kiep Sect, Proclamation to the Soldiers... all are crystallized from the character of an immortal supreme god; a person who contributed to preserving “the country and rivers forever firmly in the golden cup”.

Mr. Le Ngoc Chau - Chairman of Hai Phong City People's Committee spoke at the festival

Mr. Le Ngoc Chau - Chairman of Hai Phong City People's Committee said that from July 2025, at the 47th session, UNESCO honored the Con Son - Kiep Bac Monuments and Landscape Complex along with Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem as World Cultural Heritage.

The relic complex has demonstrated the strong bond between the State, Religion and the People, demonstrating the everlasting vitality and depth of Vietnamese culture over the centuries.

In particular, Hai Phong is marked with five "precious gems" including: Con Son Pagoda - Truc Lam meditation center, bearing the traces of Patriarch Phap Loa and Huyen Quang; Thanh Mai Pagoda - built during the Tran Dynasty on Phat Tich Mountain, associated with the career of two Truc Lam Patriarchs; Kiep Bac Temple - a space to worship Saint Tran, symbolizing wisdom, courage and national governance;

Nham Duong Pagoda - Cao Dong ancestral temple - is a place that preserves evidence of continuous residence of ancient Vietnamese people; and Kinh Chu Cave - known as "Nam Thien De Luc Dong" with 47 stone stele, an "outdoor documentary museum"; a place that preserves the writings of many famous people reflecting the history, culture and beliefs of the nation over nearly 7 centuries, from the Tran Dynasty to the Nguyen Dynasty.

Art program at the opening ceremony

At this year's Con Son - Kiep Bac Autumn Festival, Hai Phong respectfully announces the city's heritages that have been recognized by UNESCO so that people, tourists from all over the world and international friends can have more journeys to explore and experience the unique cultural and historical identity of Hai Phong city - where the quintessence of heritage converges.

The 2025 Con Son - Kiep Bac Autumn Festival was held after the successful First Hai Phong City Party Congress. The festival took place from October 1, with the largest scale ever, the festival space was expanded; the organization ensured both solemnity, following traditional rituals, and modernity, professionalism, and friendliness to tourists.

The ceremony is fully performed with rituals, recreating the unique historical and cultural values ​​of the heritage site; the festival is rich with many in-depth activities, associated with cultural experiences - tourism - cuisine - craft villages.

Immediately after the ceremony was a special art program "Hai Phong - The quintessence of heritage land".

The Culture - Tourism and Trade Promotion Week is the highlight, aiming to introduce OCOP products, typical craft villages, along with unique culinary spaces and launch 03 new tours; including:

Tour 1: “A journey - 5 world heritage destinations” - connecting Con Son Pagoda - Thanh Mai Pagoda - Kiep Bac Temple - Nham Duong Pagoda - Kinh Chu Cave tells the story of the formation, development and integration of the Truc Lam Zen sect and the worship of Saint Tran of the Vietnamese people.

Tour 2: With the theme "Following the footsteps of the Three Patriarchs of Truc Lam" - exploring the depth of practice - study - practice in Con Son, Thanh Mai, bringing visitors closer to the pure Vietnamese spirit of Truc Lam Buddhism through architecture, landscape, books and rituals.

Tour 3: With the theme "Discovering Con Son and Kiep Bac heritage" - taking visitors through a series of experiences rich in heritage values ​​in a closed circle, enjoying selected culinary products - craft villages, and folk art spaces.

Art program at the opening ceremony

These programs help visitors get closer to the historical, cultural and spiritual essence of the heritage area.

Entering the 2026 - 2030 term, Hai Phong is facing great opportunities but also many difficulties and challenges.

Promoting the cultural - revolutionary - heroic tradition; with the aspiration to rise, the city aims to become the leading economic center of the country; a strategic trading hub of the region and the world; a large seaport city, a pioneer in industrialization, digital transformation, green transformation and innovation; a pioneer in "building a model of Socialism associated with socialist people" in accordance with the direction of General Secretary To Lam, towards a Hai Phong that is comprehensively developed, sustainable and worth living...

On the morning of October 13, the festival will have a performance called "Assembling troops on Luc Dau River" - a highlight recreating the "Dong A heroic spirit" with dozens of "warships" draped in flags and banners, starting at 9 a.m. and ending around 10 a.m.

On the evening of October 13 (from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.), the "Peace Prayer Ceremony and Lantern Festival" will take place, along with the following activities in the Con Son - Kiep Bac Culture, Tourism and Trade Promotion Week 2025, which will last until October 19.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/ton-vinh-duc-thanh-tran-lan-toa-gia-tri-di-san-the-gioi-con-son-kiep-bac-174315.html