Keo Hahn Thien Pagoda Festival

Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT)
80 Quan Su Street
Hoan Kiem District
Hanoi, Vietnam
Phone: 011 84 4 942 2070
Email: icdvnat@hn.vnn.vn

The Keo Pagoda Festival celebrates and honors Buddhist monk Duong Khong Lo, for whom the Pagoda was built in the 17th century. Believers hold that the monk, originally a fisherman, knew magic and once came to the capital to cure King Ly Thanh Tong, so he was honored as the teacher of princes. It lasts three days, the first day beginning with a procession and followed by a boat race and a competition of literary recitation in the afternoon, and a trumpet and drum competition in the evening. On the second day, Khong Lo's birthday is celebrated with an ornate procession including a red and white horse pulling a carriage, accompanied by eight flag bearers and 42 men carrying bat but luu bo, a classical Vietnamese weapon. On the third day, the ceremonies continue in a more entertaining manner with more traditional games such as duck catching, rice cooking competition, firecrackers hurling contest.

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