Pilgrims flock to Tran temple’s seal opening ceremony

The seal opening ceremony at the Tran temple in the northern province of Nam Dinh, took place on the 14th night of the first lunar month, which fell on February 5, attracting thousands of visitors.

The ceremony was an re-enactment of a custom dating back the Tran dynasty (1225-1400), when mandarins took out their seals after the Tet holiday, resuming administrative activities, including rewarding and conferring titles.

It has become a tradition for Vietnamese to come here to get a stamp in hope for gook luck and happiness.

The event opened with a procession to take the seal from Co Trach temple to Thien Truong temple, where 14 kings of the Tran dynasty are worshipped.

Following a short speech of a local official praising the great accomplishment of the Tran Dynasty, the seal opening ceremony was held in a simple and solemnly manner in line with the traditional rites.

Replicas of the Tran temple’s seal were distributed to the public from 7am on the 15th day of the first lunar month till the end of the lunar month, helping ease the crowd of pilgrims. (Source: VNA)