But Thap Pagoda Festival

26/04/2019 15:24

(BNP) – The traditional festival of But Thap pagoda is held annually on the 23rd  and 24th of March (in the lunar calendar) at But Thap pagoda, in Thuan Thanh district, Bac Ninh province. It has contributed a lot to preserving and promoting the national cultural identity.

A ritual at But Thap Pagoda (Source: Internet).

Activities in But Thap festival are organized with traditional rituals, which are suitable for contemporary life. The religious ceremony consists of Buddha worshiping ceremony, incense offering ceremony, ancestor-worshiping ceremony,... The festival includes cultural activities such as singing Quan ho on dragon boats; singing chèo, mass cultural exchanges, folk games, and sports competition activities, namely, Chinese chess, Vietnamese draw-and-discard card game, table tennis, badminton,... These activities not only attract local inhabitants but also the participation of many arts and sports delegations in the neighboring provinces.

But Thap pagoda was ranked by the Prime Minister as a National Historical and Cultural Heritage Site in 2013. The pagoda was built in the 17th century, during the late Le Dynasty. It was built according to "Noi Cong Ngoai Quoc" architectural style and includes 10 buildings spread over 100m, from the three-entrance gate to the bell-tower and back house. Two towers, 10m high Ton Duc and 13m high Bao Nghiem, are made of white rock, making the pagoda seem higher, more majestic and peaceful. The pagoda keeps some remains of the 17th century such as statues, valuable donations, Nine-Story Lotus Tower, Tuyet Son Statue, Bao Nghiem Tower, Tay Thien Dong Do Lich Dai To Statue, etc. Especially Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Statue with 1,000 arms and 1,000 eyes, made in 1656 and symbolizing the reverence of both religion and beauty, has been ranked National Treasure since 2012.