Among successive mountains of the immense North-Eastern region, the famous Yen Tu mount is 1000 meters high, like a tower. The feudal dynasties recognized Yen Tu as a beautiful landscape of Vietnam. It is also a Buddhist center of the old kingdom Dai Viet (Đại Việt) and the origin of the Buddhist branch Truc Lam.
Yen Tu festival starts from lunar January 9 and lasts for three months in spring. The first night of the festival is animated with cultural events as "mua bai bong" (dance of flowers - an old style of dance dated from Tran dynasty), "mua luc cung hoa dang" (dance to offer the lanterns - an activity which harmonizes Buddhism and the Hue Court music).
After solemn ceremonies in Trinh pagoda, at the foot of Yen Tu mount, it is the religious pilgrimage towards Dong pagoda at the top of mount with thousands of participants who separate from the world returning to the monumental nature. The mount's top resembles to the sky's door. The pilgrims, after having offered incenses, have the high feeling as if planning in the sky. Thus an old proverb says: "Tram nam tich duc, tu hanh. Chua di Yen Tu, chua thanh qua tu". (Effort of following the religious dogmas without coming to Yen Tu is not yet perfect).
