For Quang Ngai people, going to pagodas at the beginning of the year has long become an indispensable cultural beauty during Tet days. After the moment of reunion with family, many people choose to go to the Buddha's gate to send wishes for peace, health and luck for the whole year.
The journey of sightseeing and lighting incense at the beginning of spring is not only a spiritual belief, but also a moment for each person to calm down, turn to goodness and start a new year with a peaceful and positive attitude. That habit has contributed to creating a solemn and warm spring atmosphere at pagodas throughout the locality every Tet holiday.
At Minh Duc Pagoda located in Thien Ma Cultural Area during Tet days, it attracts tens of thousands of people to pray for peace. The pagoda is built on an area of nearly 90 hectares in the Ngang mountain area, Tinh Khe commune, Quang Ngai province. The project started in 2018 by Venerable Thich Tam Vi as the investor. The main hall has an area of about 10,800 m2, 37 m high, creating a spiritual architectural complex of the region's largest scale.
The Thien Ma spiritual cultural area and Minh Duc pagoda project were approved by the province at the end of 2017 with a total budget of more than 1,000 billion VND. To date, the Long Hoa Vien area and Maitreya Buddha statue have been completed, contributing to shaping the face of a new spiritual - tourist destination of Quang Ngai.
The special highlight of Minh Duc Pagoda is the 125m high Quan Am Buddha statue - the tallest in Vietnam, surpassing the statues at Ba Den Mountain (Tay Ninh) 72m high and Linh An Pagoda (Da Lat City) 71m high. This project has also become the tallest Quan Am Buddha statue in Southeast Asia, and is also in the group of the tallest Quan Am Buddha statues in the world.
Ms. Tran Thi Linh (Truong Quang Trong ward) shared: During Tet, Minh Duc Pagoda is very crowded, but everyone walks lightly, speaks softly. I pray for family peace, stable work, and less worries in the new year. Just standing here for a moment also feels relieved. Going to the pagoda at the beginning of the year has become a habit for me, as a way to start the new year with peace of mind.
With a convenient location on the tourist route connecting famous destinations of Quang Ngai such as My Khe beach, Ba Lang, Ly Son island... Thien Ma Cultural Area is expected to contribute to promoting strong local tourism development.
Also during Tet, at Kim Lien Pagoda in An Hoa village, Truong Giang commune, Quang Ngai province, the number of people coming to worship Buddha in the first two days of the year also increased. Because the pagoda is located near National Highway 24B, functional forces have arranged personnel to regulate traffic, limit congestion and ensure security and order.
Kim Lien Pagoda is not only a place for monks and nuns to study, but also a space for cultural and spiritual activities, contributing to preserving and spreading traditional Buddhist values in the locality.
