In the Footsteps of Thầy: A Journey to Our Spiritual Roots

When you walk, arrive with every step
Thich Nhat Hanh

As part of our annual pilgrimage, In the Steps of Thầy, we will be traveling to Vietnam in January 2027. We warmly invite you to join a special journey to Vietnam to honor and connect with our beloved teacher, Thầy. Together, we will explore the spiritual traditions, history, and culture that nourished Thầy’s life and Engaged Buddhism.

The journey will include:

⁠A visit to Thầy’s first practice center in the highlands, Fragrant Palm Leaves Center.
A visit to Huế, where Thầy ordained as a novice, and participation in the commemoration of his fifth year as a cloud
Pilgrimages to historic Lý and Trần Dynasty temples in the North
Visit Vietnam’s majestic mountain landscapes that protected and shaped the Vietnam history
Visit Yen Tu Mountain, the seat of the first Vietnamese Buddhist Zen School, Bamboo Forest Zen School and Engaged Buddhism.

This will be a precious opportunity to come in touch with Thầy’s roots, deepen our own practice, and walk together in his footsteps.

Schedule

Segment 1: 16 – 23 January 2027

Day 1 Sat, January 16: Arrival in Hanoi.
Day 2 Sun, January 17: Pilgrimage in Bắc Ninh Province: Visit ancient temples in Vietnam: (Chùa Dâu (2nd century), where Master Tăng Hội ordained and practiced as a young monk; Chùa Bút Tháp (13th century), founded by the second king of the Trần Dynasty, later the seat of the Bamboo Forest Meditation School; Chùa Tiêu (11th century), where Master Vạn Hạnh lived and practiced—a monk who dedicated his life to bringing peace to the country for over 200 years)
Day 3-5 Mon-Wed, January 18-20: Visit Ninh Bình, famous for its majestic landscapes and caves, where Trần Dynasty kings and generals gathered to plan the successful resistance against three Mongol invasions (Visit Trang An, Bich Dong Temple, Ancient imperial city of Hoa Lu, Biking among the beautiful landscapes)
Day 5 Wed, January 20: Flight to Đà Lạt.
Day 6-7 Thu-Fri, January 21-22: Visit Fragrant Palm Leaves (Phuong Boi Am), Thầy’s first practice center in Vietnam
Day 8 Sat, January 23: End Segment 1 (For those continuing on Segment 2, we will fly to Hue, via Danang.)

Segment 2: 23-31 January

Day 1 Sat, January 23: Arrival day for segment 2
Day 2 Sun, January 24 : Morning: Practice activities at the resort; Afternoon: Tour of the Root Temple
Day 3 Mon, January 25: Visit Báo Quốc Buddhist Institute, where Thầy studied as a young monk, and pay respect at our lineage patriarch Liễu Quán’s stupa; Afternoon: Visit the Imperial Palace
Day 4 Tue, January 26: Thay’s Memorial Ceremony at the Root Temple and visit Thay’s Cremation Site
Day 5 Wed, January 27: Flight to Hanoi; Afternoon: Visit the One-Pillar Temple (the inspiration for the Plum Village logo) and walk around Hoàn Kiếm Lake
Day 6-8 Thu-Sat, January 28-30: Visit Yen Tu Mountains
Day 8 Sat, January 30: Return to Hanoi
Day 9 Sun, January 31: End of trip in Hanoi