On the morning of February 9, at Tam Chuc Pagoda, located in the Tam Chuc National Tourism Area in Kim Bang Town, Ha Nam Province, the Tam Chuc Spring Festival commenced with a unique water procession ritual, attracting large crowds of locals and visitors.

A sacred tradition at one of the world's largest pagodas

Tam Chuc Pagoda, one of the largest Buddhist temples in the world, has long been a popular pilgrimage site for Buddhists and tourists during the Lunar New Year.

The Tam Chuc Spring Festival begins with the water procession ceremony, symbolizing prayers for national peace, favorable weather, and prosperity.

In 2025, Tam Chuc Pagoda hosts its seventh Spring Festival. Following the ceremonial drum beats, over 200 boats, both large and small, set off from Thuy Dinh Wharf toward the sacred banyan tree site in the middle of Tam Chuc Lake, near the ancient Tam Chuc communal house, to collect holy water.

Upon reaching the center of the lake, the boats circled the sacred tree before performing the water collection ritual.

The holy water, drawn from the designated area marked by the banyan tree, was then poured into ceramic urns for ceremonial use.

Once the boats returned to shore, the ceremonial water was respectfully transferred to three processional carts and carried to the temple halls and Ngoc Pagoda.

The procession solemnly brought the sacred water to the Tam The Hall, where prayers were offered for national peace, good weather, and a bountiful harvest.

Preserving a sacred heritage

Venerable Thich Minh Quang, Deputy Abbot of Tam Chuc Pagoda, emphasized that reviving the Tam Chuc Festival on the 12th day of the first lunar month is a long-cherished aspiration of the local people and Buddhist community.

The event plays a crucial role in preserving and promoting traditional cultural values, while also enhancing the spiritual tourism appeal of Tam Chuc Pagoda.

Each processional cart carrying the sacred water weighed nearly one ton, requiring around 30 people to pull the cart over one kilometer to the Tam The Hall.

Since the carts have no engines, additional manpower was needed to push and pull them up steep inclines.

At the Tam The Hall, officials and Buddhist leaders performed the ceremonial offering of the sacred water, followed by a solemn incense-lighting and prayer ritual.

The festival attracted a large number of visitors and Buddhist devotees, many of whom joined the procession and participated in the incense-offering ceremony.

During the opening ceremony, Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Thanh presented the awards for "Asia’s Leading Emerging Tourist Destination" and "Special Achievement" to leaders of Ha Nam Province, recognizing the significant cultural and tourism value of Tam Chuc Pagoda.

Trong Tung & Pham Hai