The festival is held annually to commemorate the legendary national hero Saint Quy Minh for his contributions to protecting the country under the reign of the 18th Hung King (408-258 BC).
Themed ‘Essence converging on the stone capital’, the festival featured a wide variety of rituals praying for peace, happiness and favourable weather conditions.
At the opening ceremony, the nation’s history was reproduced, particularly under feudal dynasties and resistance wars against invaders.
Delegates to the opening day joined an incense-offering ceremony at Tran Temple and a water procession ritual at Suoi Tien temple.
In addition, various cultural and sports activities are being held during the two-day event, including Quan Ho (love duet singing), ca tru (ceremonial singing), cheo (traditional opera), then singing and performance of gongs by ethnic people from Hoa Binh and Bac Kan provinces.
The Trang An landscape complex was recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2014.
