Co Le Pagoda Festival

Time: From the 13th to the 16th day of the ninth lunar month.
Place: Co Le Townlet, Truc Ninh District, Nam Dinh Province.
Objects of worship: Zen Buddhist Nguyen Minh Khong, the ancestor of bronze casting.
Buddha and patron saint worshipping, boat racing on Dao River, water puppetry shows, boi chess playing.

Co Le pagoda is in Co Le town-Truc Ninh district, a cultural-historical vestige, a famous scenic spot in Red river delta. It was built by Phan Quang Tuyen monk in November 1920. The monk freed three small pagodas from magic spells. It is said those pagodas were founded by Nguyen Minh Khong monk in the 12th century (Ly Dynasty). The pagoda is situated on a square land surrounded by small lakes and rivers.

Apart from Buddha altar, the pagoda worships Nguyen Minh Khong monk who saved Ly Than Tong treatment out of a dangerous disease. In the war against France, in 1947, Co Le pagoda was the place where 29 monks celebrated a ceremony before joining in the army. Pham The Long monk, who succeeded Pham Quang Tuyen superior monk as the head of Co Le pagoda engaged in the resistance war and later, he became a superior monk, holding high positions in Vietnam Buddhism Church.