The Avalokitesvara Festival at Marble Mountains

Marble Mountains has long been regarded as a sacred land closely associated with the formation and development of Buddhism in Da Nang. In the spiritual life of the local people, particularly the fishing community, the image of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara has become a familiar symbol deeply embedded in folk consciousness. The people believe that She embodies compassion, always listening, protecting, and delivering sentient beings, especially those whose livelihood depends on the sea, with the aspiration for “favorable rain and wind, calm waves, and peaceful waters.”

That faith was further strengthened when, inside Quan Am Cave on Kim Son Mountain, a naturally formed stalactite statue of Avalokitesvara was discovered, bearing a mystical and wondrous beauty. From this discovery, Quan The Am Pagoda was built, becoming a spiritual gathering place for Buddhists and the local community. On the 19th day of the second lunar month in 1956, during the inauguration of the pagoda, Venerable Thich Phap Nhan organized the very first Avalokitesvara Festival, marking the origin of the Avalokitesvara Festival at Marble Mountains.

Throughout various historical periods, the festival has been increasingly expanded in scale, especially since 1991 when it has been held annually for three days on the 17th, 18th, and 19th days of the second lunar month. In 2000, the Avalokitesvara Festival at Marble Mountains was recognized as one of the 15 major national festivals. To this day, it has become a distinctive cultural and spiritual event, attracting a large number of Buddhists, local residents, and both domestic and international visitors, thereby contributing to affirming the unique cultural identity of Da Nang City.

The festival includes the following rituals: the Sutra Opening Ceremony and the Raising of the Banner and Flag; the Light Procession; the Avalokitesvara Dharma Platform Ceremony, Dharma teachings, and meditation retreats; the Main Ceremony (including the Anniversary of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, the Procession of the Avalokitesvara Statue, the Avalokitesvara Transformation Ceremony, and finally, the Flower Lantern Dharma Platform Offering). Interwoven with these Buddhist rituals are traditional ceremonies of the local community, such as the Spring Offering Ceremony, the Incense Offering in Commemoration of Princess Huyen Tran, and the Ancestral Worship Ceremony honoring the Stone Carving Master of Non Nuoc Marble Mountains.

• The Sutra Opening Ceremony and the Raising of the Banner and Flag are held on the 17th day to offer reverence to the Buddhas of the ten directions, the Bodhisattvas, and the Benevolent Deities, respectfully inviting their compassionate presence and blessings, with prayers for favorable weather, peace, and national prosperity. The ritual is conducted by the Chief Officiant (a venerable monk).
• The Light Procession (Torch Procession) is held on the evening of the 18th. Depending on the scale, the procession may be incorporated into the Avalokitesvara Transformation Palanquin Parade and pass along routes leading to the banks of the Co Co River for the release of flower lanterns. The procession gathers hundreds of participants, including monks, Buddhists, Dharma assemblies, and devotees from all directions, walking in pairs, with the palanquin at the center, accompanied by flower bearers, a musical band, lion–dragon dance troupes, and other symbolic performances. The Light Procession is held with the aspiration that illumination may guide all beings, so that when wisdom shines forth, the heart and morals remain pure, inspiring the performance of virtuous deeds.
• The Dharma Lectures on Avalokitesvara and the Nation are held throughout the three days of the festival, with the largest sessions taking place on the evening of the 18th and the afternoon of the 19th. In addition to the Dharma assemblies at the festival, these lectures attract the participation of Buddhists and devotees from all directions, young and old, regardless of gender, numbering in the tens of thousands, all of whom may attend and listen. The lectures cover topics such as Buddhist teachings; praises of compassion, loving-kindness, vows, and the divine responsiveness of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara; guidance on gestures of respect, prostrations, and methods of chanting for those attending retreats for the first time; or reflections on the Buddha’s teachings concerning the spiritual and material losses often encountered in daily life. Following the lecture, the program continues with the Dharma Assembly, where sutras and mantras are chanted for the benefit of all present during the festival night.
• The Main Ceremony – the Anniversary of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara is held on the 19th day, commemorating the birth of Avalokitesvara. This ritual is regarded as the spiritual essence of the Avalokitesvara Festival. The main ceremony is conducted with great solemnity, attracting tens of thousands of people from all walks of life. The most senior Venerable of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha is invited to preside over the ritual. The Chief Officiant offers incense and recites prayers in commemoration of the compassion and virtues of Avalokitesvara, with aspirations for national peace, security, and the happiness of all beings.

• The Procession of the Avalokitesvara Statue takes place after the Anniversary Ceremony, expressing the deep reverence of Buddhists toward Avalokitesvara on Her birthday. The sacred statue is carried from Quan Am Cave on Kim Son Mountain to Su Van Hanh Street, then brought to Quan The Am Pagoda for Buddhist rites. After the rituals at the pagoda are completed, the palanquin is carried from the pagoda onto a boat anchored on the Cau Bien River, which then makes a circuit along the Co Co River. This act symbolizes prayers for the well-being and safety of the people and all beings who journey by sea or earn their livelihood on the waterways.

• The Avalokitesvara Transformation Ceremony is held in parallel with the Procession of the Avalokitesvara Statue. To reenact the image of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, each year the pagoda selects one of Her thirty-two manifestations for the portrayal. Examples include Avalokitesvara with a Thousand Hands and Eyes, Eleven-Faced Avalokitesvara, Avalokitesvara with the Virtuous Youth Sudhana, White-Robed Avalokitesvara, Child-Giving Avalokitesvara, or Avalokitesvara of the Southern Sea. The devotee chosen to embody Avalokitesvara must be a female Buddhist practitioner with a graceful and virtuous appearance, good education and moral character, the daughter of a devout Buddhist family, and one who regularly attends the pagoda.

Before the festival takes place, about six to eight months in advance, the selected female devotee is guided by the abbot of Quan The Am Pagoda on the vows and virtues of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara. She practices meditation, learns the posture, gestures, and solemn demeanor characteristic of Avalokitesvara, and observes a vegetarian diet for three months prior to taking on the role. At the same time, appropriate costumes are tailored to reflect the chosen manifestation. The transformation aims to faithfully embody the image of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara at the festival, allowing all beings to witness Her virtue and compassion, while signifying that She is the Bodhisattva who always accompanies sentient beings everywhere, spreading Her vow of compassion, bringing joy and alleviating suffering to humanity. In addition to the Avalokitesvara transformation, the festival also features portrayals of child attendants, other Bodhisattvas, celestial maidens, and the Four Heavenly Kings, all performed by the families of devotees from Quan The Am Pagoda.

• The Flower Lantern Dharma Platform Gratitude Ceremony is held on the evening of the 19th, serving as the final Buddhist ritual of the Avalokitesvara Festival. It is performed to give thanks to the mountain and river spirits, the earth deity, and other divine beings who have blessed the festival with success. After the offering of gratitude, candles placed within lotus-shaped lanterns are released onto the river, carrying prayers that the light of wisdom may endure as eternally as the flowing waters.

Interwoven with the Buddhist rituals, the local community also organizes traditional folk ceremonies such as the Incense Offering in Commemoration of Princess Huyen Tran at her shrine, the Spring Offering Ceremony (at Quan The Am Pagoda), and the Ancestral Worship Ceremony honoring the Stone Carving Master of Non Nuoc (at the Stone Carving Ancestral Temple at the foot of Moc Son Mountain). In addition, various cultural and recreational activities are held, including Bai Choi singing, call-and-response folk songs, traditional folk singing, and Tuong (classical opera); contests, calligraphy performances, and exhibitions of paintings and ink-wash artworks; as well as cultural and artistic programs. Folk games such as lion, dragon, and unicorn dances, stick pushing, tug of war, boat racing, and Chinese chess are also organized.