The Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism has declared the Tay Phuong Pagoda Traditional Festival in Thach Xa Commune, Thach That District, Hanoi, as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The Vietnamese folk art of puppetry is usually performed at the Tay Phuong Pagoda Festival. Photo: Khanh Huy/ The Hanoi Times

Held annually from the beginning of the lunar year, the festival culminates on the 6th day of the 3rd lunar month and continues until the end of the month. This vibrant celebration has long been regarded as a cultural and religious event, with rituals honoring Heaven and Earth, traditional Buddhist practices, and folk games.

The as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage enables the Tay Phuong Pagoda to promote tourism and share its historical significance with the wider community.

In addition to this new distinction, Tay Phuong Pagoda was previously designated a special national relic by the Prime Minister in July 2022 for its remarkable cultural and historical value.

Located about 30 km from downtown Hanoi, Tay Phuong Pagoda, also known as Sung Phuc Pagoda, is the second oldest pagoda in Vietnam after Dau Pagoda with more than 1750 years of history in Bac Ninh Province.

Travelers flock to the Tay Phuong Pagoda Festival. Photo: Khanh Huy/ The Hanoi Times

Tay Phuong Pagoda was built in 1632 under the reign of King Le Than Tong and underwent complete renovation in 1794 when it took the name “Tay Phuong Ancient Pagoda” under the Tay Son Dynasty.

According to local historians, the famous religious tourist attraction consists of three one-story structures built in descending order on a hill that is said to resemble a buffalo.

It is a very special architecture with double-tiered roofs according to Buddhist and Confucian ideas, and the three structures symbolize the three forces that govern the world.

The highlight of the pagoda is the 72 magnificent wooden Buddha statues displayed in the main hall.

Being a cultural heritage, the pagoda is also an ideal destination for tourists to discover the cultural values and typical scenery of a peaceful village in northern Vietnam.