The Keo Pagoda Autumn Festival 2025 opened

On the morning of October 30, the opening ceremony of the 2025 Autumn Festival was held at the Keo Pagoda Special National Relic Complex (Vu Tien commune).

Provincial leaders offer incense at the opening ceremony of the Keo Pagoda Autumn Festival 2025.

Comrade Tran Quoc Toan, Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, offers incense at the opening ceremony of the Keo Pagoda Autumn Festival 2025.

Comrade Nguyen Khac Than, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, offers incense at the opening ceremony of the Keo Pagoda Autumn Festival 2025.

The opening ceremony drew the attendance of comrades: Tran Quoc Toan, Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee; Nguyen Khac Than, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Members of the Provincial Party Committee’s Standing Board, leaders of the Provincial People's Council and the Provincial People's Committee; representatives of departments, branches, sectors, organizations, localities in the province, and a large number of people and tourists from all over the country.

Provincial leaders and delegates attend the opening ceremony.

The 2025 Keo Pagoda Autumn Festival is held for 6 days (from October 30 to November 4, or September 10-15 in the lunar calendar). The festival includes a lot of unique cultural and religious activities to commemorate Zen Master Khong Lo - the national preceptor of the Ly Dynasty, who had great contributions in spreading Buddhism and saving people, liberating the world. The ceremony was solemnly organized with palanquin processions, sacrifices, and incense offerings in memory of Zen Master Khong Lo. The festival took place enthusiastically with such traditional folk games as boat-racing, trumpet and drum competitions, tug of war, cockfighting, wrestling, human chess, and Cheo performances...

Keo Pagoda, whose Chinese name is Than Quang Tu, was built in 1632 under the Later Le Dynasty, on the foundation of an old pagoda founded by Zen Master Khong Lo in the 11th century. After more than 500 years, Keo Pagoda still retains almost intact its ancient wooden architecture system consisting of more than 150 large and small rooms, arranged harmoniously in the style of "internal and external architecture" with such typical works as the three-door gate, bell tower, Buddha hall, Ancestor's house, corridor, pond and ancient tree garden. In particular, Keo Pagoda's bell tower is 11.04m high, with three overlapping roofs, and considered a masterpiece of ancient Vietnamese wooden architecture.

Comrade Tran Quoc Toan, Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, presents flowers to congratulate the Organizing Committee of the Keo Pagoda Autumn Festival 2025.

Over time, Keo Pagoda has not only been a center of religious and spiritual activities for the people of the Red River Delta, but also a famous cultural and tourism destination of Hung Yen province and the whole country. In 2012, Keo Pagoda was ranked as a special national relic. In 2017, Keo Pagoda Festival was recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

At the opening ceremony, Comrade Nguyen Khac Than, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee performed the drum-beating ceremony to open the festival. Within the framework of the opening ceremony, an art program was held with the theme "Than Quang Light" with a lot of unique cultural and artistic performances.

Comrade Nguyen Khac Than, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, beats the drum to open the Keo Pagoda Autumn Festival 2025.

Before that, the provincial leaders held an incense-offering ceremony to commemorate the merits of Zen Master Khong Lo.

The Keo Pagoda Autumn Festival and the Keo Pagoda Spring Festival are not only the occasions for people and tourists from all over to commemorate the merits of Zen Master Khong Lo, but also important cultural activities that contribute to preserving and promoting the value of national cultural heritage, boosting the development of spiritual tourism, promoting the image of Hung Yen homeland - a land of "spiritual land and talented people", rich in cultural traditions and love of learning.

The opening drum performance at the opening ceremony of the Keo Pagoda Autumn Festival 2025.