The sacred land, the thriving land

Yen Tu Mountain belongs to the bow-shaped Dong Trieu Mountain Range, embracing the northeastern region. Its eastern side is in Quang Ninh province and its western side covers Yen Dung, Luc Nam, Luc Ngan and Son Dong districts (Bac Giang province). 

View of the procession of the statues of three founders of Truc Lam Zen Buddhist sect from Vinh Nghiem Pagoda (Yen Dung) to Thuong Pagoda in Tay Yen Tu (Son Dong district).

From ancient times, people have mainly known the eastern side while the western side, with its position as a geo-cultural area, has just been awakened, discovered and visited in about ten recent years, especially since the provincial road 293 from Bac Giang city to Dong Thong (Son Dong district) was completed.

The provincial road 293 is worthy of being a "spiritual path" by connecting many temples, pagodas, historical and cultural relics in the past and at present. It starts with Vinh Nghiem Pagoda (Yen Dung district), about 20km from Bac Giang city. Vinh Nghiem Pagoda is the connecting point of three Buddhist centers: Thang Long - Vinh Nghiem - Yen Tu, following two intersections: Vinh Nghiem - Dong Yen Tu (Eastern Yen Tu) and Vinh Nghiem - Tay Yen Tu (Western Yen Tu).

In the middle of the "spiritual path" is the complex of relics of Suoi Mo Temple, which worships Princess Que My Nuong, integrated with the belief of Mother Goddess Worship.

And the last section is the cluster of Trinh, Ha and Thuong - Kim Quy Pagodas in Tuan Mau commune (Son Dong district). From Trinh Pagoda, we can see Dong - Yen Tu Pagoda in the clouds. On the second day of the Lunar New Year 2019, the Tay Yen Tu cable car route was officially put into operation. So it takes only 7 minutes from Ha Pagoda to Thuong Pagoda. Then we must walk for nearly 1km to reach Dong Pagoda.

Statues of three founders of Truc Lam Zen Buddhist sect sit in Thuong Pagoda in Tay Yen Tu.

The road 293 also connects with many cultural and spiritual destinations of the ancient land of Luc Ngan such as Tran Hung Dao Temple, Than Canh Phuc Temple, Am Vu Pagoda... and many beautiful landscapes like Dong Cao grass hill and Khe Ro primitive forest, Khuon Than lake, Cam Son lake, Nuoc Vang stream, Ba Tia waterfall…

The ancient sacred land is now the "thriving land" with many types of economies growing strongly. It can be seen that the "spiritual path" has awakened the whole vast sacred land and activated economic, cultural and social fields; connected the mountainous areas with lowland and urban areas; and promoted the development of Bac Giang tourism so that it can be integrated into Yen Tu tourism.

Solution to regional tourism connectivity

The Buddhist space of the ancient Truc Lam Zen sect spread to both the eastern and western slopes of Yen Tu Mountain. Bac Giang is investing heavily in the Tay Yen Tu spiritual tourism area. 

Competition at the provincial stick-pushing championship 2019, organized within the framework of the Tay Yen Tu Culture-Tourism Week.

Along with building a "spiritual path", a series of relic sites, temples and pagodas have been restored. In particular, the highlight is the 13.8 ha Tay Yen Tu spiritual-ecological tourist area, which has received an investment of more than 300 billion VND (12.9 million USD).

In 2018, for the first time, the province organized a conference to attract investment in tourism development, drawing a total registered capital of over 35 trillion VND (1.5 billion USD). 

The province has focused on building three tourism products, namely culture - spirituality; history - culture; and eco-resort. This is considered an important "key" to create a breakthrough in the local tourism industry.

The organization of the Culture-Tourism Week, themed "Exploring the sacred land of Tay Yen Tu" 2019, is the opening activity for the promotion and introduction of Bac Giang’s cultural - spiritual and historical – cultural tourism products. 

It confirms the position of Bac Giang tourism as a safe, civilized, friendly and hospitable destination, contributing to the overall development of tourism in Yen Tu region.

Well preparing for Tay Yen Tu Cultural Tourism Week

(BGO) – The Vice Chairman of the Bac Giang provincial People’s Committee Le Anh Duong and leaders of some departments, Son Dong People’s Committee on January 2 paid a field trip to inspect the execution progress of construction projects in Tay Yen Tu spiritual and ecological tourism site. 

 

Tay Yen Tu Tourism and Culture Week to be held

(BGO) - On December 3, the People's Committee of Bac Giang province held a meeting to implement the plan and agree on some contents to prepare for the opening ceremony of the Spring Festival 2019 and the Culture and Tourism Week entitled "Discovering the sacred land of Tay Yen Tu". Le Anh Duong, Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee and head of the organizing committee of the festival, chaired the meeting.

 

Mysterious ancient tea in Tay Yen Tu

(BGO) – The Khe Ro Natural Reserve in An Lac commune (Son Dong district, Bac Giang province) has been seemed to be fully discovered by humans. But the natural mountains and forests always hide interesting things. If we have a chance, we will know a very small part of the secret of the high mountain and thick forest. Only from a piece of information that seems to be vague, we immediately set off, beginning a journey to find the ancient tea still existing in the Tay Yen Tu primitive forest.

 

Tay Yen Tu festival, Bac Giang Culture and Tourism Week slated for early 2019

(BGO) – Le Anh Duong, Vice Chairman of the Bac Giang provincial People’s Committee (PPC) on November 6 chaired a meeting to implement the preparation for the Bac Giang Culture and Tourism Week, Tay Yen Tu festival in 2019  as well as the idea of musical film production about Bac Giang proposed by Muoi Duyen enterprise. 

 

Treasure of Tay Yen Tu

(BGO) – The west of Yen Tu mountain range (Tay Yen Tu), with layers of cultural, historical and religious relics and works, has surprised many people whenever they visit it. Those relics and works, placed in the unique and diverse primeval forest, have created a treasure of the heaven and earth.

 

Tran Duc