A groundbreaking ceremony of the country’s fourth largest pagoda named Phat Quang Son will take place in the northern province of Lang Son May 15-17, Hoang Van Pao, director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has said.

The provincial People’s Committee will coordinate with Vietnam Buddhist Shangha Central Executive Council to host the event.

Construction of Phat Quang Son, the first pagoda built in the country’s borderland, is expected to cost about VND600 billion (US$32 million), donated by businesses, benefactors, domestic Buddhist followers and oversea Vietnamese.

The pagoda’s total planned area is 21 hectares in Ha Nan Mountain root, close to Tan Thanh Border Gate and behind Saigon – Lang Son trading center.

According to Monk Thich Thien Nhon, deputy chairman and general secretary of the executive council, after being built, Phat Quang Son Pagoda would become the country’s largest Buddhist cultural tourism center.

Lang Son Province annually receives about two millions of visitors with 70 percent of them being domestic travelers, bringing a total turnover of up to VND600-900 billion (US$47 million).

After the pagoda construction is completed, the number of visitors might rocket by three to four times compared to the current number.

Source: SGGP