Visitors at the exhibition look at photos and other items regarding the event in 1963.
The photo exhibition, opened on Friday, was organized by the Vietnamese Buddhist Sangha in HCMC and the HCMC Buddhist Cultural Committee at the Vietnam National Buddhist Temple in District 10.
Thich Quang Duc was born as Lam Van Tuat in 1897. On June 11, 1963, he self-immolated at the Phan Dinh Phung Square-Le Van Duyet intersection, now known as the Nguyen Dinh Chieu-Cach Mang Thang Tam intersection, in Saigon to protest the persecution of Buddhists by the Ngo Dinh Diem regime.
The event was watched by thousands and its photos, including the pictured one by Malcolm Browne for AP, soon made global news, contributing to the end of the Vietnam War and the persecution of Buddhists in Vietnam.
Monks cried after Thich Quang Duc's death.
Duc’s body was taken to Xa Loi Pagoda for a funeral. Witnesses claimed that after his body burned to ashes, his heart remained and "became as solid as stone."
A photo of the "undying heart" of Thich Quang Duc is exhibited. What remained of the heart is now in storage at the Vietnam National Buddhist Temple.
A writing of Buddhists regarding the self-immolation event, pledging to "pour our blood for Buddhism, and our death will be the death of TRUTH under violence...," along with images of Thich Quang Duc and other Buddhists self-immolating.
Several Buddhists said they felt moved to see photos of Thich Quang Duc.
Nguyen Thi Yen (L), from District 12, said her mother used to tell her about the 1963 event.
"I've been a Buddhist ever since. Today when I saw his statue, I was so moved, as if he was right in front of me," Yen said.
Thich Thien An, head of the cultural committee of District 3, said he had prepared decorations for the past two weeks for the Vesak, or the Buddha's birthday, and the death anniversary of Thich Quang Duc on June 11.
