Seal-opening ceremony takes place at Tran Temple in Nam Dinh

The ceremony to open the seal of Tran Temple in Nam Dinh Province for the 2025 spring took place on the night of February 11 — the 14th day of the first lunar month.

Palanquin procession at the Tran Temple in Nam Dinh.

In the sacred atmosphere, the delegates, comprising central and local leaders, offered incense in commemoration of the Tran emperors and General Tran Hung Dao.

The seal-opening ceremony is an age-old tradition with the purpose of praying for national peace and prosperity for the new year.

On the seal-opening night, thousands of local residents and visitors flocked to the temple in the hope of receiving printed seals, which would be distributed in the early morning the following day.

As part of the Tran Temple festival, there are a wide range of other activities, such as a palanquin procession, a water procession, and an exhibition of ornamental plants.

The festival’s activities are expected to help visitors learn more about the Tran Dynasty, one of the most glorious periods in Vietnamese history, as well as promote the cultural traditions of Nam Dinh Province.

NDO