The Huong Tich cave is a Buddhist temple carved out of a mountain. There were no man-made structures at this temple other than the massive stairs that led down to the cave. The cave is seen as an especially sacred place, as it is said that the bodhisattva Quan Am (commonly known as Guanyin) stayed in the Huong Tich Pagoda so that she could help human souls. A bodhisattva is a person who has committed to the Buddhist vow to put others before oneself instead of searching for enlightenment, themselves.
Buddhism is the largest organized religion in Vietnam. Thus, many people engage in Buddhist rituals and traditions.
According to the BBC, "for most Buddhists, the guiding principles are to live simply in order to respect all life forms as well as the balance and peace in nature." Interconnectedness is a major theme in Buddhist teachings, meaning one person's actions have the power to be deeply impactful on nature, which then can impact other persons. The Buddhist traditions of praying and donating possessions are ways to attain enlightenment. Giving eliminates greed which, they believe, can block a person's ability to reach personal enlightenment. To reach enlightenment is to be freed of ignorance and to find the real truths of life.
