The Avalokitesvara Festival Da Nang or “le hoi quan the am” in Vietnamese takes place from the 18th to the 20th day of the second lunar month at the Avalokitesvara Pagoda in Ngu Hanh Son District, Da Nang City.

The Avalokitesvara Festival consists of two parts including the religious ceremony and the festival itself. The former takes place with the rituals of Buddhism.

The spring worshiping ceremony is usually held on the evening of the 18th of the second lunar month. The notables of Hoa Hai, Hoa Quy and Bac My An Wards perform the rites of worshiping, reading oration and praying for safe and sound to everybody.

The ceremony of beginning sutra chanting occurs on the early morning of the 19th of the second lunar month. This ceremony is to pray for peaceful country and prosperous people. It is held in the sanctuary of Quan The Am (Avalokitesvara) Pagoda and conducted by the monks. This ritual shows the solemnity the belief of Buddhism.

The ceremony of giving alms to the wandering souls is held on the afternoon of the last day of the festival. The ceremony is dedicated to patron saint, god of earth and spirits of the death. The monks pray the Buddha for peace and happiness to the living and for freedom from suffering to the souls of the death. Normally, the Buddhist bereaved gives the list of the deceased to the pagoda in advance. The master of ceremonies must be a superior bonze.

The preaching sessions about culture, arts, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, and the association between the Buddhist culture and traditional culture in the history of the nation is also part of the festival.

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva statue procession is held on the morning of the 19th day. Four people carry a palanquin that contains a stone statue of Avalokitesvara Bodhisttava standing on the lotus-shaped throne. She has a look of refined beauty with a gentle smile like the image of a mother. The palanquin goes first and is accompanied by Buddhist followers.