The 2018 Cherry blossom – Yen Tu yellow ochna flower festival opened with a ceremony in Truc Lam Yen Tu Culture Centre in Uong Bi city, the northern province of Quang Ninh on March 22.

Yen Tu yellow ochna flower

The event formed part of the National Tourism Year 2018 hosted by Quang Ninh and will last until March 26.

This year, the event is taking place at the Yen Tu relic site of Uong Bi city - the land of founding Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen.

The yellow ochna flower is indigenous to the area near Yen Tu Mountain. Legend has it that the species was grown in the area by King Tran Nhan Tong (1258-1308), the third King of the Tran Dynasty.

The King abdicated when he was 35 and spent the rest of his life on Yen Tu Mountain practicing and propagating Buddhism. He founded the first Vietnamese School of Buddhism called “Thien Tong” or Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen on the 1,068m-high Yen Tu Mountain.

 The Cherry blossom – Yen Tu ochna flower festival has drew the participation of many Vietnamese and Japanese businesses and visitors over the years. It promotes the images of Yen Tu relic site and the yellow ochna flower, along with introducing cherry blossoms and Japanese culture to attendees.

Through the festival, Quang Ninh aims to promote its image and strengths in economy, culture and tourism to Japanese people, thus enhancing cooperation and trade between businesses and ties between the province and Japan’s localities and agencies.

The festival will include a display of 50 cherry blossoms trees, 5,000 bonsai trees and more than 100 Yen Tu yellow ochna flower trees and a trade fair introducing local farm produce. It will also have a show on traditional and modern clothing of Vietnam and Japan, art performances.-VNA