Going to the first spring festival of the year
Anh Son Pagoda located in Hoa Son commune (Anh Son) was renovated not long ago but has attracted a large number of people and tourists from all over to visit and worship, especially in the early days of Spring Giap Thin 2024.
Ms. Tran Thi Van in Tuong Son commune (Anh Son) said: “In recent years, at the beginning of the new year, we often go to Anh Son pagoda to pray for peace and luck. During this time, the pagoda welcomes many visitors to visit and pray for peace.”
Not only the people in Anh Son district, Anh Son pagoda also attracts many tourists from Do Luong, Tan Ky and Con Cuong districts to worship. During the Lunar New Year of Giap Thin alone, the pagoda attracted hundreds of people and tourists.
Hoang Muoi Temple (Hung Nguyen) is one of the relics that attracts a lot of tourists to visit and pray for peace and fortune. Every day, thousands of tourists come here, and during the recent Lunar New Year holiday alone, there were more than 33,000 visitors. Not only visitors from the province, Hoang Muoi Temple also attracts a large number of visitors from outside the province, mainly tourists from the northern provinces.
Ms. Trinh Thi Hien - a tourist from Thanh Hoa province said: "Hoang Muoi Temple is famous for its sacredness, so every year at the beginning of Spring, my friends and I rent a car to come here to pray for good luck and prosperity in business. Because the temple is very sacred, the number of people joining our group has increased every year, and every time we come here, the temple is always crowded and bustling."
Coming from Hai Duong province, every year at the beginning of spring, Ms. Nguyen Phuong Nhung arranges her time, traveling hundreds of kilometers to Nghe An to offer incense at Hoang Muoi Temple. For Ms. Nhung, Hoang Muoi Temple is truly an ideal spiritual tourist destination, with beautiful, sacred scenery, and warm and hospitable people. That has created a great attraction for tourists from near and far.
Not only Anh Son Pagoda and Hoang Muoi Temple, but many temples, pagodas and relics in the province also attract many tourists. Dai Tue Pagoda (Nam Dan), Co Am Pagoda (Dien Chau), Diec Pagoda, Quang Trung Temple (Vinh City), Con Temple (Hoang Mai Town), Qua Son Temple (Do Luong) ... are places that are often visited by many tourists.
In particular, Truong Bon National Historical Relic Site (Do Luong) is also a pilgrimage site chosen by many tourists in the first days of the year. According to Mr. Phan Trong Loc - Director of the relic site, at the beginning of the year, thousands of tourists come every day to offer incense to commemorate the heroes and martyrs resting at Truong Bon and pray for a peaceful and happy life.
“Tourists coming to Truong Bon come from many provinces and cities across the country, with different ages, including many young people,” said Mr. Phan Trong Loc.
Positive changes
The weather at the beginning of spring this year is beautiful, favorable for visiting and worshiping historical sites, most spiritual tourist attractions are always crowded and bustling. Compared to previous years, although the number of tourists is larger, the organization of reception and ceremonies still ensures order, environmental hygiene and clean, beautiful landscapes.
Notably, the Hoang Muoi Temple has undergone many significant changes. There are no shops selling offerings, paper offerings, or services for writing down petitions or shaking lottery tickets in the temple grounds. There are also no more scenes of jostling and pushing each other when offering incense and offerings; outside, there is no longer a situation of "overcharging" for parking for cars and motorbikes.
Therefore, Ms. Trinh Thi Hien (a tourist from Thanh Hoa province) shared that she felt really secure and satisfied when returning to visit Hoang Muoi temple on the occasion of the Spring of Giap Thin.
Present at some temples and pagodas, we noticed that the management board of the relic sites has organized parking areas, has signs indicating each service area, and arranged reasonable locations for burning votive papers. At the same time, coordinate with local authorities to ensure good security, order, fire and explosion prevention, and increase propaganda on the loudspeaker system so that people are aware of maintaining public hygiene; keeping quiet in sacred places.
It is strictly forbidden to take advantage of freedom of belief activities to commit superstitious acts, gambling, fraud; do not place money, burn incense at the base of trees, throw trash in designated bins and places...
Another noteworthy thing is that in most temples, pagodas, and historical sites, the situation of tourists placing coins on altars, Buddha's hands, or tree roots is no longer widespread and common as in previous years. Most people have been conscious of making offerings to the donation box, demonstrating civility and politeness in a sacred and dignified place.
These are practical actions, contributing to making ritual activities at temples and pagodas truly become a spiritual and cultural activity of the Vietnamese people.
Nghe An is a land with many historical and cultural relics with hundreds of tangible cultural heritages such as communal houses, pagodas, temples, shrines, landscapes and scenic spots. Therefore, the development of spiritual tourism has been identified by the province as a type of tourism that contributes significantly to making tourism a key economic sector.
In order to attract tourists to spiritual tourist destinations, in recent times, the province has devoted many resources as well as promoted socialized resources to carry out the work of preserving, embellishing, and effectively promoting the cultural and historical values of relics and scenic spots in the area. From there, gradually meeting the needs of worship and spiritual life of local people and tourists from near and far, especially on the occasion of welcoming the New Year.
“Since the end of December 2023, the Department of Tourism has issued an official dispatch on ensuring security and safety for tourists, preserving the tourism environment during Tet, including spiritual tourism destinations. The official dispatch requires tourist areas and destinations, including temples and pagodas, to arrange convenient reception areas with a system of scientific signs and signs, suitable for the landscape and aesthetics. At the same time, promote propaganda and guidance for tourists to comply with legal regulations in tourism activities, and comply with the code of conduct for civilized tourism.”
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MR. NGUYEN MANH CUONG - DIRECTOR OF NGHE AN DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM
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