After the seal opening ceremony at Tran Temple in Ninh Binh on Monday night, security forces opened a route for residents and pilgrims to enter and offer prayers, with thousands waiting outside in the rain for their turn.
At about 9 pm on March 2, the 14th day of the first lunar month, organisers invited visitors to leave the temple grounds to prepare for the incense offering and seal opening rites.
Outside the Tran Temple complex, despite increasingly heavy rain, crowds continued to swell. With access temporarily restricted, thousands stood beyond the gates, bowing and praying from a distance.
At 10 pm, delegates performed an incense ceremony in remembrance of ancestors and the emperors of the Tran Dynasty, paying tribute to their legacy and calling on officials and citizens to uphold tradition, study and work diligently for the country’s development.
The incense ritual was followed by a procession carrying the ceremonial seal from Co Trach Temple to Thien Truong Temple, where the opening proclamation was presented. Representatives of the temple, 14 senior members of the Tran clan and central, provincial and local leaders then conducted the traditional seal opening rite inside Thien Truong Temple.
During the ceremony, Thien Truong Temple was temporarily closed to visitors to ensure security and preserve the solemn atmosphere.
At 12.30 am on March 3, security forces reopened access, allowing residents and pilgrims to enter. As soon as the route was cleared, a surge of people streamed into Thien Truong Temple.
The Tran Temple seal opening is a long standing custom expressing gratitude to the Tran emperors through a ritual reenacting the royal court’s conferral of the imperial seal. It carries the symbolic wish for national peace and prosperity and for blessings to be shared by all.
The ceremony also serves as a reminder for people in the new year to stay healthy, work hard and study well.
From 5 am on March 3, organisers began distributing the ceremonial seals to residents and visitors from across the country.
