Keo Pagoda Festival recognized as national intangible cultural heritage

Addressing the ceremony, at the Keo Pagoda Historical Relic Site, Deputy-Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Dang Thi Bich Lien emphasized the festival’s typical historical and cultural values. She asked Thai Binh province to complete soon the project of protecting and developing this historical relic site. She also requested the management board of the site and Vu Thu district’s authorities to roll out measures to ensure order, safety and environmental protection at the site as well as to boost information dissemination on the festival values and its unique beauty.

At the ceremony. (Photo: dantri.com.vn)

Keo Pagoda, also known as Than Quang Pagoda, consists of two architectural structures: one worshipping Buddha and one dedicated to god Duong Khong Lo. Despite being upgraded many times, the nearly 400-year-old Keo Pagoda still maintains its unique architecture and features. 

In commemoration of the great merits of Duong Khong Lo and other contributors to the building of Keo Pagoda, Keo Pagoda annually hosts two festivals, the spring one which falls on the fourth day of the first month of the lunar calendar and the autumn one taking place from the tenth to the fifteenth day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar.

The on-going Keo Pagoda autumn festival this year, including an epic artistic program performed by 200 artists recaptures the story of Buddhist monk Duong Khong Le. This year’s festival will end on November 3.

With the newly-recognized heritage badge, Thai Binh province now is home to six festivals recognized as national intangible cultural heritages. These festivals are hosted by Tran Temple, Tien La Temple, Dong Bang Temple, A Sao Temple, Long Khe Temple and Keo Pagoda.

Source: VNA/Thethaovanhoa