Master plan for preserving and developing the values of Yen Tu relic site

The seminar in Quang Ninh province (Source: baoquangninh.com.vn)

On December 2, Quang Ninh provincial Buddhist Church coordinated with the Vietnam Buddhism Academy to open a scientific seminar entitled “Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen Buddhism and the master plan for preserving and developing the values of Yen Tu relic site” at Trinh pagoda, Uong Bi city.

Addressing the seminar, participants affirmed the special importance of Yen Tu relic site in Quang Ninh provincial socio-economic development and the long-term strategy of investing, preserving and promoting the site’s values, recommending detailed plans to build Yen Tu into the Buddhist Centre-Vietnam Truc Lam Zen and an important destination on the Hanoi-Quang Ninh tourism route.

Speeches delivered at the seminar focused on Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen Buddhism’s characteristics, positive values in national industrialization, modernization and international integration, and the significance and vision of preserving and promoting Yen Tu relic site’s values.

According to Nguyen Van Doc, Chairman of Quang Ninh provincial People’s Committee, over the past years, efforts to preserve and promote the values of the relic have been undertaken. For example, Lan pagoda was rebuilt; Trinh pagoda was upgraded; a tower was restored; and the road to Hoa Yen pagoda and Giai Oan stream was repaired.

He also said that Quang Ninh province is completing the dossier to submit to UNESCO requesting recognition for Yen Tu as a World Cultural Heritage.

At the beginning of this year, a ceremony took place in Uong Bi City to announce the recognition of Yen Tu historical site’s new status as a Special National Relic.

Yen Tu mountain is located about 50km from Ha Long city. The pilgrimage route, winding from the foot of the mountain to its highest peak, is almost 30km. Dong pagoda, which sits atop the mountain peak, is more than a kilometre above sea level.

The area’s beautiful natural landscape and awe-inspiring scenery, along with surrounding ancient pagodas and hermitages, are said to have been the reason that King Tran Nhan Tong passed the throne to his son, so that he could devote his life to living as a Buddhist monk at Yen Tu Mountain. Whilst there, he founded the Truc Lam Zen Buddhist sect, which has led to Yen Tu being recognized as the country’s leading centre for Buddhism./.