Amidst the bustling atmosphere of the 2026 Perfume Pagoda Tourism Festival, the stream of pilgrims still stretches from Yen stream ferry wharf to the places of worship in the Perfume Pagoda complex. This year, the festival is organized with the theme "Safety - Friendliness - Quality", not only aiming to attract tourists but also towards building a more civilized and orderly destination image. From service management to people's ritual awareness, many changes are gradually becoming clear.
According to Lao Dong's records in the Den Trinh area, there is no longer the scene of small change being scattered throughout the altar, stone pedestals or placed in the middle of fruits and offerings like in previous years. Donation boxes are arranged in many convenient locations for people and tourists to proactively donate money, both expressing sincerity and preserving the solemnity of the place of worship.
The worship space is more compact, the altars no longer mix small change with incense, flowers, and offerings. Mr. Nguyen Dinh Bac (Hai Duong) said that this year his family prepared offerings from home, including incense, flowers and a few ripe fruits.
I think the most important thing when going to the festival is sincerity. Donation money should be put into the box neatly, spreading it out is sometimes both offensive and difficult to manage," he said.
Ms. Quynh Hoa (Hanoi) shared that instead of buying a high tray full of offerings, she only bought a little more incense and flowers in the area outside the temple. "In recent years, I see that people are also more streamlined. No need for large trays, just enough rituals, showing respect is enough," she said.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Ai - a Buddhist with many years of meritorious service at Trinh Temple said that the offering tray for the altar of gods, saints, Mother Goddesses... usually includes basic offerings such as incense, fresh flowers, ripe fruit, betel and areca fruit trays, sticky rice, tea, wine, water and nameplates.
Flowers can be roses, chrysanthemums, lotus flowers; fruits are fresh five-fruit trays; accompanied by incense, candles or lamps. For betel and areca, just a bunch of betel and a plate of areca fruit is enough.
Offerings can be vegetarian offerings or savory offerings depending on conditions and wishes. Vegetarian offerings include offerings, sticky rice and sweet soup; savory offerings can be boiled chicken, spring rolls, white wine. However, savory offerings are only placed at the Community Hall, not at the Buddha altar or the main sacred place of worship.
No one is forced to prepare elaborately, needing a high tray full of offerings or enough vegetarian and savory offerings. The important thing is still sincerity. Many people and Buddhists can also prepare offerings from home to save money, or send a drop of donation oil," Ms. Ai shared.
Outside Den Trinh, there are still many stalls selling incense, flowers, votive paper, petitions with different prices, from tens of thousands of VND to hundreds of thousands of VND, even some offering trays are introduced with prices up to millions of VND. Some small traders said they have been reminded to sell at the right price, not to tout or "inflate prices" too high.
Mr. Vuong Trong Dao, Vice Chairman of Huong Son Commune People's Committee, emphasized that the Festival Organizing Committee sets a goal to embellish the landscape, relic space and strictly manage service activities, eateries, and business premises.
The locality is determined not to allow re-encroachment after clearance, and at the same time requests business households to list prices and sell at the correct prices that have been publicly announced, in order to gradually build a civilized festival image, limit offensive situations and reduce commercialization in the spiritual space," Mr. Dao said.
Reality shows that, along with limiting the spreading of small change, the trend of simplifying offerings is gradually becoming popular. Many families actively prepare offerings from home to save costs and avoid dependence on on-site services. Some young people also expressed the view of not burning too much votive paper, limiting waste and reducing environmental impact.
The situation of no longer having "rain of small change" not only helps maintain the aesthetics of relics but also reduces pressure on sanitation and collection of donation money.
Representatives of the Organizing Committee said that they will continue to strengthen propaganda and remind tourists to practice a civilized lifestyle in places of worship, and at the same time maintain inspection of business activities, ensuring consumer rights.
