Places outside Ha Long in Quang Ninh Province

Under the Ly Dynasty, Yen Tu held Phu Van Pagoda with An Ky Sinh as its warden. However, Yen Tu only really became a centre of Buddhism when King Tran Nhan Tong surrendered his throne to establish a Buddhist sect called Truc Lam Zen. He ordered the construction of close to 100 buildings of various sizes on Yen Tu Mountain. After his death, his successor, Phap Loa Dong Kien Cuong (1284-1330), ordered the building of 800 pagodas, shrines and towers throughout the country.

During the Le and Nguyen dynasties, Yen Tu became the focal point of Vietnamese Buddhism and was often subject to restoration. Consequently, Yen Tu conjugates different styles from various historic periods, visible in the many different designs and decorations that ornate its constructions

How to get Dong Pagoda

Get to Hoa Yen Pagoda at the altitude of 534m by the cable car system and will see on this peak two 700-year-old frangipane trees, and then continue by the cable car system to An Ky Sinh. The bronze statue of King - Monk Tran Nhan Tong (138 tonnes in weight, 15m in height) is placed here. This is the largest bronze statue in Asia in 2014.

Besides, you can choose climbing up stairs leading to Dong Pagoda. There you will feel like walking on clouds. If the weather is agreeable, from this summit you can admire the dramatic landscape of the northeast of Viet Nam.

Yen Tu Festival

In spring, Yen Tu attracts a large number of visitors going on pilgrimage and sightseeing. Especially when Yen Tu Festival begins on the 10th day of the first lunar month and lasts until the end of third lunar month.

The temple was built at the beginning of the 19th century, and included three main areas: the lower temple (Den Ha), the middle temple (Den Trung) and the upper temple (Den Thuong). In the lower temple, people observe the cult of the mother (Mau), while the upper temple is sacred to the cult of Tran Quoc Tang. Formerly, in the main temple, people observed the worship of Hoang Cau, a regional hero, but it was later changed to honour the third son of Tran Hung Dao, who was very heroic in the defence of the border in the Cua Suot area.

This unique temple is sacred to the cult of the whole family of Tran Hung Dao. There are 34 statues and statuettes, elaborately and meticulously carved, and with striking engravings depicting various scenes. These statues are of: Tran Hung Dao, his wife (Thanh Mau), the two princesses (Tran Hung Dao's daughters), Tran Quoc Tang, Tran Anh Tong, Tran Khanh Du, Yet Kieu, Da Tuong, Pham Ngu Lao, Le Phu Tran and Do Khac Chung.

The Cua Ong Temple's annual festival begins on the second day of the first lunar month and lasts three months in spring.

In the 14th century the Quynh Lam Pagoda became an even more important Buddhist centre with the activities of the monk Phap Loa Dong Kien Cuong: a member of the second generation of the Truc Lam Buddhist sect. It was the centre for sacred books and for preaching Buddhism, as well as a training-site for future pagoda wardens. Many associations, famous in Vietnamese literature and history, were organized here.

The ritual festivities of the Quynh Lam Pagoda are held from the first to the fourth day of the second lunar month, but the festive atmosphere lasts through spring. Buddhist faithful flock here from all corners of the country.