VietNamNet Bridge – A flag hoisting ceremony and exhibition of calligraphy and painting kicked off the annual Quan The Am (Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva) Festival in Da Nang’s Ngu Hanh Son District on Tuesday.

Heed my call: Locals come to pray for peace and prosperity at the Quan The Am Pagoda in Da Nang.

A prayer ceremony was also held at the Quan The Am Pagoda at the foot of the Kim Son Mountain – the largest of the Marble Mountains. 

Earlier in the morning, a Buddhism lecture and meditation session, martial arts performance and bai choi (a card game) was held at Da Pagoda in Su Van Hanh Street, beside the Quan The Am Pagoda.   

The festival’s organising committee also opened the Buddhist Culture Museum at Quan The Am Pagoda with an exhibition of more than 500 antiques.

Art troupes from Japan, Myanmar, Thailand and India will also join the festival from March 14-16, while boat-racing, folk games and a run for peace will also be held.

The main festival, which falls on March 16 (the 19th of second lunar month) will feature the procession of an image of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, and a prayer for a year of peace, prosperity and happiness for the nation. 

Tourists will be able to explore the stone sculptures of the 400-year-old Non Nuoc stone village – a piece of national intangible heritage – in the district.

The festival draws about 10,000 residents and tourists each year.

Culture: A painting exhibition at the Quan The Am Pagoda. Flying proudly: A flag of annual Quan The Am (Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva) Festival is hoisted at the top of the Kim Son Mountain in Da Nang City.  Pen is mightier than the sword: A calligraphy demonstration in the main hall of the Quan The Am Pagoda.

VNS