What is the Autumn Keo Pagoda Festival and when does it take place?
The Autumn Keo Pagoda Festival is the main festival of the two annual festival seasons at Keo Pagoda, honoring Zen Master Duong Khong Lo. It usually lasts about six days, from the 10th to the 15th day of the 9th lunar month, at the Special National Relic Keo Pagoda, now in Vu Tien commune, Hung Yen province. Sources differ slightly on this window: the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism records the 13th to the 15th day of the 9th lunar month, while the 2025 autumn festival opening report by VietnamPlus records the 10th to the 15th day of the 9th lunar month. This article follows the 10th to 15th day of the 9th lunar month window for the present autumn festival, and notes that the 13th to 15th figure is the three-day core window used by some documents.
The Spring Festival takes place in the first lunar month, while the Autumn Festival is the larger one, strongly historical in character, re-enacting the life of Zen Master Duong Khong Lo. The difference in date windows between sources reflects the festival's expansion in recent years, not a contradiction in substance.
Why is the autumn festival the main one?
The autumn festival is tied to the birth and death anniversaries of Zen Master Khong Lo, so the ritual part holds the central place. The spring festival leans toward folk games such as duck catching and rice cooking; the autumn festival is the occasion for the full system of rites, palanquin processions and performances in honor of the Saint.
Keo Pagoda and Zen Master Duong Khong Lo: the venerated figure
Keo Pagoda, whose formal name is Thần Quang Tự, comprises two architectural clusters: a pagoda worshiping the Buddha and a shrine worshiping Saint Duong Khong Lo. According to historical records, Zen Master Duong Khong Lo was born in Giao Thuy village, Ha Thanh prefecture, now in Giao Thuy district, Nam Dinh province; his family were fishermen. He became a monk at the age of 29. In 1060 he traveled to Tay Truc to practice Buddhism.
Legend holds that he once cured King Ly of illness and was therefore made National Master. Afterwards the Ly king renamed the pagoda Thần Quang Tự. Today the pagoda still bears the name Thần Quang Tự, but people commonly call it Keo Pagoda because it stands on the land of Keo village. His dharma name was Than Quang, and the art program opening the 2025 autumn festival took the theme "Ánh sáng Thần Quang" (The Light of Than Quang), inspired by this dharma name.
Two layers of information should be distinguished. The historical research layer records a Ly dynasty Zen master who served the country; the hagiography and legend layer tells of curing the king and of supernatural feats. The festival honors both layers, and describing the hagiography means describing a transmitted legend, not asserting supernatural powers.
What is notable about Keo Pagoda's architecture?
Over nearly 400 years of existence, through many restorations and embellishments, Keo Pagoda has kept the distinctive architectural identity dating from the Le Trung Hung period, the 17th century. The pagoda now has 17 structures with 128 bays; the main architectural works include the Tam Quan gate, the Buddha hall, the Saint hall, the bell tower, corridors and the monks' quarters.
The most representative structure is the wooden bell tower, 11.04 m tall, with three tiers of roofs and 12 curved corner ridges. The first tier hangs a stone bell 1.2 m tall; the second tier hangs a bronze bell cast in 1686, 1.3 m tall with a diameter of 1 m; the top tier hangs two small bells cast in 1796.
On relic ranking: in 1962 the pagoda was ranked a National Relic; in 2012 it was ranked a Special National Relic. In 2021 the Keo Pagoda altar was recognized as a National Treasure, and it is now regarded as the largest among lacquered and gilded altars in worship and religious sites in Vietnam. In 2017 the Keo Pagoda Festival was inscribed as National Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Quick reference table of key dates and rites
| Item | Information |
|---|---|
| Formal name of the pagoda | Thần Quang Tự |
| Venerated figures | The Buddha and Zen Master Khong Lo (Duong Khong Lo) |
| Present location | Vu Tien commune, Hung Yen province |
| Former location in many documents | Duy Nhat commune, Vu Thu district, Thai Binh province |
| Spring Festival | First lunar month, mainly folk games |
| Autumn Festival | About the 10th to 15th day of the 9th lunar month, the main festival |
| Key rites | Khai chi rite, Saint palanquin procession, offerings, frog dance, dry-boat rowing in honor of the Saint, flower lantern night |
| Folk performances | Boat racing, boat procession, frog catching, net casting, rice cooking, duck catching, pot smashing |
| Relic ranking | National Relic (1962), Special National Relic (2012) |
| Intangible heritage | Inscribed in 2017 |
| National Treasure | Keo Pagoda altar, recognized in 2021 |
How does the ritual part unfold?
The ritual part includes traditional offerings such as the khai chi rite, the procession of the Saint, water puppet performances in honor of the Saint, the frog dance, dry-boat rowing in honor of the Saint, flower lantern night, Mother Goddess worship practices and offering ceremonies by ritual teams, local people and Buddhists.
According to documents of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, the 13th opens with a palanquin procession commemorating the 100th day after the death of Zen Master Khong Lo; in the afternoon there are boat races, and in the evening competitions of horn and drum. On the morning of the 14th, the birth anniversary of Master Khong Lo is commemorated; after the incense offering comes a procession including a pair of red and white horses fully saddled and with four wheels pulled by people, followed by 8 sacred flags and 42 people carrying ceremonial weapons. On the afternoon of the 14th, at the Gia Roi hall, the rite of honoring the Saint takes place, with an ancient dance also called the "frog dance". On the 15th, the rites take place as on the 14th but with some additional performances after the palanquin is escorted back to the shrine.
The Saint palanquin procession expresses reverence and remembrance of the merits of the saints and the village ancestors. Through the rites, villagers pray for abundant harvests and a peaceful and prosperous life.
The frog dance and dry-boat rowing in honor of the Saint
The dance in honor of the Saint is an ancient dance performed with dry-boat rowing movements and the frog dance, with strong, decisive gestures directed toward the shrine of the Saint. This is a special rite found only at the Keo Pagoda Festival, usually regarded as the artistic highlight of the autumn festival.
What activities are in the festive part?
Beside the ritual part are festive activities such as boat racing, boat processions, frog catching, net casting, rice cooking, duck catching and pot smashing, creating a lively atmosphere steeped in the rural culture of the Northern Delta. Many activities are tied to fishing and riverside life, reflecting the lifestyle of riverside communities with the agricultural cultural coloring of the Northern Delta.
According to the 2025 autumn festival report, the festive part also included boat singing, exchanges among cheo clubs, flower lantern night, betel leaf and areca preparation, and an exhibition of Keo Pagoda fine art photography. The highlight of the 2025 opening was a special art program themed "Ánh sáng Thần Quang", in three parts with cheo singing, dry-boat rowing, frog dance and water puppetry, performed by professional artists and actors. Earlier, the opening of the 2017 autumn festival featured an epic art program "Diệu huyền chùa Keo Thái Bình" with 200 performers and local participants, re-enacting the historical legend of Zen Master Duong Khong Lo.
Why is the festival both an agricultural and a historical festival?
The Keo Pagoda Festival is both an agricultural festival and a historical festival. Folk cultural and artistic activities blend with religious rites, notably the Saint palanquin procession. The agricultural character shows in performances imitating river and water labor and in prayers for abundant harvests; the historical character shows in re-enacting the life of a real figure recorded in Ly dynasty history.
This organization gives the festival a religious function, a community memory function, and a seasonal cultural function.
Autumn Keo Pagoda Festival schedule and how to look it up
The festival schedule follows the lunar calendar, so the Gregorian dates change each year. To check precisely, compare the 10th to 15th day of the 9th lunar month with the lunar-to-solar conversion table for the relevant year.
| Year | Opening date (Gregorian) | Closing date (Gregorian) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 5/10 | Around 10/10 | Opening and announcement of the decision recognizing the altar as a National Treasure |
| 2023 | 24/10 | 29/10 | Many spiritual rites, cheo club exchange |
| 2024 | 12/10 | Around 17/10 | Opening in Vu Thu district |
| 2025 | 30/10 | 4/11 | Corresponding to the 10th to 15th day of the 9th lunar month, theme "Ánh sáng Thần Quang" |
For 2026, consult the lunar-to-solar conversion table to determine the opening date, because the corresponding Gregorian date will shift from 2025. Do not guess by adding or subtracting days, since lunar months have full and short months and some years have leap months.
Vu Thu, Thai Binh and Hung Yen: why do documents differ?
This is a point where readers often get confused. Many documents, including the 2017 report of the Government Electronic Newspaper and the page of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, record Keo Pagoda as belonging to Duy Nhat commune, Vu Thu district, Thai Binh province. The 2025 autumn festival report by VietnamPlus records Keo Pagoda as belonging to Vu Tien commune, Hung Yen province.
This difference reflects different administrative boundary markers at the time of reporting, not two different pagodas. When looking it up, if an older document says Thai Binh, that is the administrative place name at the time of publication; a newer document saying Hung Yen follows the present place name. Both refer to the same Keo Pagoda relic with the formal name Thần Quang Tự.
What should you keep in mind when visiting the Autumn Keo Pagoda Festival?
The festival lasts many days, with the main rites concentrated at the beginning and middle of the festival, so those who want to see the palanquin procession and the frog dance should check the daily program carefully. The festival is crowded, especially in the evening with the flower lantern night and cultural activities, so arrange travel and accommodation early.
Since this is a worship space, dress and behavior should suit a place of Buddha and Saint worship. Activities such as betel leaf and areca preparation, photography exhibitions and cheo club exchanges are opportunities to learn about local culture beyond the ritual part.
Heritage value and promotion
The Keo Pagoda Festival embodies the moral principle of "Uống nước nhớ nguồn" (remembering the source when drinking water), honoring and expressing gratitude to predecessors who served the country and brought peace to the people, while raising awareness of responsibility for preserving and promoting cultural heritage values and meeting the spiritual and cultural needs of local people and visitors from everywhere. Through the festival, the locality also promotes tourism development potential linked to attracting investment for socio-economic development.
Expanding the festival date window and adding contemporary cultural activities alongside traditional rites is one direction for promoting the heritage. This is also a point to watch: keeping the original rites while expanding the festive part is a balancing problem facing many heritage festivals, and existing sources do not give a unified assessment of how much this expansion affects them.
Frequently asked questions
When does the 2026 Autumn Keo Pagoda Festival take place?
The festival schedule follows the lunar calendar, around the 10th to the 15th day of the 9th lunar month. The Gregorian date for 2026 requires consulting that year's lunar-to-solar conversion table; do not guess by adding or subtracting days compared with the previous year. Recent reference points: 2023 opened on 24/10, 2024 opened on 12/10, 2025 opened on 30/10.
How do the Spring and Autumn festivals at Keo Pagoda differ?
The Spring Festival takes place in the first lunar month, mainly with folk games such as duck catching and rice cooking. The Autumn Festival is the main festival, taking place in the 9th lunar month, strongly historical in character, re-enacting the life of Zen Master Duong Khong Lo with offering rites and palanquin processions.
Who is worshiped at Keo Pagoda and why is it named Thần Quang Tự?
The pagoda worships the Buddha and Saint Duong Khong Lo, that is Zen Master Khong Lo, a National Master of the Ly dynasty. The formal name Thần Quang Tự is tied to his dharma name Than Quang; legend holds that after he cured King Ly, the king renamed the pagoda Thần Quang Tự.
