Thousands of visitors flocked to the Phat Tich pagoda in the northern province of Bac Ninh for a local annual spring festival, held on January 31 (the fourth day of the first lunar month).
The Bell Tower on the Phat Tich mountain (source: VNA)
Bac Ninh (VNA) - Tens of thousands of visitors flocked to Phat Tich pagoda in the northern province of Bac Ninh for a local annual springfestival, held on January 31 (the fourth day of the first lunar month).
Nguyen Thi Hao, Vice Chairwoman of the Tien Du district People’s Committee and head of the organising board, said the locality has taken measures to ensure safety for the festival goers whileprotecting the environment.
The Phat Tich pagoda, a special national relic site locatedjust 25 kilometres northeast of Hanoi, was built in 1057 on a mountain calledLan Kha during the reign of King Ly Thanh Tong (1054-72). It was reduced toashes by French colonialists in 1948 and restored in 1987.
During the excavation of the pagoda from 1949-51,archaeologists found numerous old stone sculptures carved with flowers anddragons, bird goddess statues from the 17th century, and a piece engraved withthe head of a fairy, all of which are now on display at the National HistoryMuseum.
A giant Buddha Amitabha statue, 27 metres tall andweighing 3,000 tonnes, was installed outside on the Lan Kha Mountain in 2010.It was adapted from a similar structure from the Ly Dynasty.
The Phat Tich Pagoda is associated with Tu Thuc’smeeting with a fairy. As the legend goes, there were endless peonies on Lan KhaMountain and in the pagoda, leading a young woman to visit the pagoda one dayto see the flowers. She carelessly broke a tree branch and was fined by themonks, but a local scholar, Tu Thuc, was also visiting the pagoda and offeredhis coat to compensate for the broken branch. They became friends and continuedto meet at the pagoda. The woman ultimately invited Tu Thuc to visit her house,leading him to a peony forest and into a cave on the mountainside with animperial palace with high walls and stone footsteps. She revealed that she wasa fairy and they got married.
Every year, people visit the pagoda to take partin the peony festival, where they enjoy looking at the flowers, listening toquan ho (love duets) and poem recitations, and playing traditional games. Thefestival usually lasts two days.
The pagoda was recognised as a national relic site in 1962and a special national relic site in 2014.-VNA
State President Truong Tan Sang attended an inaugural ceremony for the Phat Tich Truc Lam Ban Gioc pagoda in Dam Thuy commune, the northern border province of Cao Bang, on December 15.
Thousands of visitors flocked to the Phat Tich pagoda in the northern province of Bac Ninh for its annual peony festival, held on February 22 (the fourth day of the first lunar month).
It is difficult to identify the architectural structures of palaces built under the Dynasties of Ly (1010-1225) and Tran (1225-1400) due to the lack of data, heard an international workshop on Feb.22
The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) held a requiem for martyrs who laid down their lives for national liberation and defence in the northern mountainous province of Cao Bang on April 18.
A celebration of the great national unity bloc and the 86th founding anniversary of the Vietnam Fatherland Front was held in Phat Tich commune of Tien Du district, Bac Ninh province, on November 13.
Vietnamese Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung and his Korean counterpart Chae Hwi Young co-chaired a Vietnam – Republic of Korea (RoK) dialogue on cultural industry cooperation in Seoul on August 11, as part of the ongoing state visit by Party General Secretary To Lam and his spouse.
Thailand led the game first with two sets 25 – 17 and 26–24. But Vietnam, fueled by smart tactics and home support, roared back to win the next three sets 25 – 17, 25 – 22, and 16–14, sealing a dramatic 3–2 victory.
Vietnam claimed a dominant 7-0 victory over Indonesia in their second Group A match at the 2025 AFF Women’s Championship at Lach Tray stadium in Hai Phong on August 9, moving one step closer to a spot in the semifinals.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and Secretary of the Central Military Commission To Lam attended the event in Hanoi, while Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man were present the event in Hue and in Ho Chi Minh City, respectively.
The World Police Band Concert - Vietnam 2025 is an important opportunity to enhance cultural and artistic exchanges and mutual understanding between Vietnam’s public security force and law enforcement agencies worldwide.
Young people are no longer seeing heritage as something distant. They are actively engaging with it, for example, photographing it, performing it, and making it part of their everyday creative expression.
Demonstrating their superior form, the Thai women’s team cruised to a straight-sets victory, winning 25–16, 25–16, and 25–21. With this result, Thailand remains unbeaten across both legs of the tournament so far.
According to the latest FIFA women’s rankings, Vietnam ranked sixth in Asia, behind Japan (8th globally), the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (10th), Australia (15th), China (16th) and the Republic of Korea (21st).
Accessible via //a80.hanoi.gov.vn and a mobile app, the platform serves as the official information hub for parades, cultural events, exhibitions, and public services. It offers real-time updates on schedules, traffic, security, healthcare, and live broadcasts, as well as behind-the-scenes stories and community-shared moments from across the country.
Vietnamese language is now officially taught at four high schools and is one of eight optional second foreign languages in the national university entrance exam of the RoK.
Coach Masahiko Okiyama asked his Vietnamese side to step up a gear after the break, and it took only three minutes to double their lead thanks to an individual effort from Y Za Luong, who finished crisply into the bottom corner.
More than 150 images on display highlight the National Assembly’s 80-year development and the performance of the HCM City delegation of NA deputies during the 2021–2026 term.
The festival aims to foster artistic and cultural exchange, while deepening international appreciation for national identity, societal values and the missions of law enforcement agencies, especially those of the Vietnamese People's Police and their counterparts around the globe.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism plans to display up to 150 posters at Ho Chi Minh Square in Vinh for the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution on August 19 and National Day on September 2.
The competition offers a meaningful cultural and educational platform, serving not only as a creative space for Vietnamese and international children living in Hanoi but also as a forum to inspire patriotism, a love for peace, environmental awareness, and the aspiration to build a humane and sustainable world.
Taking a journey to the Cham Museum — the modest building in Phan Rang –Thap Cham, Indian writer Ankita Mahabir said that the museum might not boast size but it brims with pride for the local community, featuring carefully preserved sandstone sculptures, portraits, and rare artifacts.
The Bell Tower on the Phat Tich mountain (source: VNA) 
