Promoting resources from Buddhist heritage

Quang Ninh is the homeland of the Tran Dynasty, the birthplace of the Truc Lam Zen sect in Yen Tu with traces of many famous pagodas remaining. In addition, the Buddhist map of the Mining Region also has hundreds of relics and scenic spots such as pagodas such as Loi Am, Long Tien, Cai Bau, Ba Vang... These may not be the oldest, most ancient or most majestic pagodas in the country, but many of them are prominent highlights on the tourism map, heritage economy of the province and the country in general.

Giai Oan Stream is located on the pilgrimage route at Yen Tu relic and scenic area.

Quang Ninh has the advantage of natural terrain "leaning on the mountain, facing the sea" creating a landscape that attracts tourists. The pagodas are also often in two groups, one is located on the mountain in the middle of a large, pristine ecosystem and the other is located on the coast where the sound of waves hitting the shore all year round.

Therefore, tourists who go sightseeing and worship Buddha can experience the scenery in the middle of the green mountains and forests or look far away, feel the saltiness and freedom of the sea. Typically, at Ngoa Van Pagoda, Yen Tu Pagoda, Loi Am Pagoda, the pilgrimage route is the forest path, passing through rows of old trees, small ancient pagodas, nestled in the green of the forest, making it more mysterious, quiet, and sacred. Or at Cai Bau Pagoda, Truc Lam Co To Pagoda, Dao Tran, the immense space of the sea and sky is the special feature that attracts more tourists.

Exploiting the potential of this heritage, Quang Ninh has made major decisions over the past years. One of them is to concentrate resources, especially mobilizing non-budgetary resources to preserve, renovate and restore relics, thereby creating a spacious and sustainable appearance for a series of Buddhist relics in the area. Moreover, many pagodas have been expanded in terms of campus to create a "green, clean, beautiful" space, investing in a diverse service system, meeting the needs of many types of visitors, including foreign and Vietnamese visitors, from ordinary visitors to high-end visitors.

The infrastructure system connecting socio -economic development in general and heritage tourism in particular has also been invested synchronously from the strategic traffic system with all types (roads, highways, airports, international passenger ports, etc.) to the electricity, road and cable systems at many Buddhist sites. The tourist routes associated with Buddhist relics have also developed in the direction of connecting and attracting tourists to visit a majestic sea and island area, while experiencing the spiritual culture and high-class resorts in the area.

Tourists visit Cai Bau Pagoda (Van Don Special Zone) - the pagoda was built on the mountain and faces Bai Tu Long Bay.

In recent years, Quang Ninh has paid great attention to state management of heritage, including ensuring a healthy business environment at pagodas, especially during the spring festival season, which welcomes the largest number of visitors of the year. Quang Ninh has also been considered a bright spot in organizing and managing festivals for many years, with solemn rituals, joyful and healthy festivals with a variety of cultural and sports activities; ensuring security and order, traffic safety, environmental sanitation, minimizing gambling, pickpocketing, begging, panhandling, and offensive food business...

Although not much, the Buddhist heritage in the area has also attracted a number of businesses to invest seriously, meticulously, and carefully, creating healthy cultural spaces, closely connected with the core values ​​of the heritage, and being an ideal resort for tourists. Through models and products, businesses have contributed to spreading the image and Buddhist heritage of Quang Ninh to tourists from all over the world.

A model that has created its own brand is Truc Lam Cultural Center invested by Tung Lam Development Joint Stock Company at the foot of Yen Tu Mountain. The project is designed and built from traditional materials, the quiet space carries Vietnamese culture; the experiences are also creative, carefully invested in the direction of balancing the body - mind - spirit of tourists. Many local workers from here have directly participated in tourism activities, spreading indigenous cultural values ​​and enriching their homeland.

Bell tower and gong tower at Truc Lam Co To Pagoda.

It can be said that accompanying the province in preserving and effectively exploiting the economic values ​​of Buddhist heritage, we must also mention the role of the Quang Ninh Buddhist Sangha. The Sangha has made many contributions to restoring, spreading and illuminating the Truc Lam Yen Tu Buddhist sect in recent years. This includes the restoration and construction of many new pagodas, including those in remote areas, border islands such as Xa Tac Temple - Pagoda, Hai Ha Temple - Pagoda, Truc Lam Co To Pagoda, Truc Lam Dao Tran Pagoda... With many meaningful activities, the Sangha also contributes to spreading the image and value of Quang Ninh Buddhist heritage throughout the country and the world, such as: VESAK Festival in 2008, the annual ceremony to commemorate the Nirvana of King Tran Nhan Tong, the ceremony to welcome the relics of Buddha Shakyamuni in 2025 and many other humanitarian and social welfare activities.

Spiritual cultural tourism can be said to be one of the strengths of Quang Ninh. In particular, pagodas regularly attract millions of tourists and Buddhists to visit and worship every year, making an important contribution to the local socio-economic development process. Not only that, these Buddhist heritages also create a unique brand for the image of Quang Ninh tourism on the national tourism map.

Looking more broadly in the Asian region, there are also many famous pagodas in Thailand, Japan, China, India... which are major tourist destinations, becoming symbols of the land and locality with heritage. Quang Ninh has many pagodas located in the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son and Kiep Bac Monuments and Landscape Complex, which was recently recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage. This is an opportunity for the province's Buddhist tourist destinations associated with this heritage complex to continue to reach the international level more strongly in the future.

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/phat-huy-nguon-tai-nguyen-van-hoa-tu-di-san-phat-giao-3378100.html