Bac Giang, March 11 -- The fresh opening of the Vinh Nghiem Pagoda Festival in the northern province of Bac Giang has been marked with the announcement of the Prime Minister's decision to recognise the pagoda's statues of the three patriarchs of the Truc Lam Buddhist sect as a national treasure. Dating back to the 19th century, the statuary comprises three wooden figures representing the first three patriarchs of the zen sect, namely Tran Nhan Tong, Phap Loa, and Huyen Quang. The statue of Tran Nhan Tong stands 0.85m tall and weighs approximately 60kg, while those of Phap Loa and Huyen Quang range from 0.83m to 0.85m in height, each weighing around 65kg. Experts highlight the uniqueness of these statues, which were meticulously carved fro...