|
Festivals in February
Provinces:
Bac Giang,
Bac Ninh,
Binh Dinh,
Ha Nam,
Ha Tay,
Ha Tinh,
Hai Duong,
Hai Phong,
Hoa Binh,
Lang Son,
Lao Cai,
Nam Dinh,
Nghe An,
Phu Tho,
Quang Binh,
Quang Ninh,
Tay Ninh,
Thai Binh,
Thai Nguyen,
Thanh Hoa,
Vinh Phuc
See
Vietnam lunar calendar
Vietnamese Tet (Tet
Nguyen Dan)
Time: The 30th day of the twelfth lunar month of the
previous year to the 3rd day of the first lunar month of
the new year.
Location: Nation-wide.
Objects of worship: grandparents and ancestors.
Participator: The biggest national festival that
attracts to people through the country.
Activities:
- Nice clothes, or traditional costumes.
- Ritual of ancestral worshipping and a rite to see Tao
Quan (Kitchen God) off.
- Best wishes for a prosperous New Year and family
gathering.
Tet is the biggest and the most sacred festival. It is
the most attractive to a majority of the Vietnamese.
Tet falls on a time when the old year is over and the
New Year comes by lunar calendar. This is also the time
when the cycle of the universe finishes: winter ends and
spring, the season of birth of all living things, comes.
Tet is an occasion for pilgrims and family reunions. It
is a time when one pays respect to his/her ancestors and
grandparents who have brought up him/her. It is an
occasion when everyone sends each other best wishes for
a new year, stops thinking about unhappy things and says
good things about each other.
On the 23rd day of the twelfth month by lunar calendar,
there is a rite to see Tao Quan (Kitchen God) off. The
rite to say goodbye to the old year is held on the 30th
or 29th day (if that month has only 29 days) of the
twelfth month by lunar calendar. The rite to welcome the
New Year is held at midnight that day. The rite to see
off ancestral souls to return to the other world is
often held on the 3rd day of the first month by lunar
calendar when the Tet holidays finish and everybody goes
back to work.
There are various customs practiced during Tet such as
ancestral worshipping, visiting a person’s house on the
first day of the new year, wishing Tet wishes, giving
lucky money to young children and old people, wishing
longevity to the oldest people, opening rice paddies or
opening a shop.
Related information:
Tet, the Vietnam Lunar New Year |
Rituals in Tet
| Decoration in Tet
|
Five fruits (Mam Ngu Qua) in Tet |
Dong Ho folk paintings in Tet
| Parallel sentences in Tet
| Tet's legends
| The Vietnamese zodiac
| Tet - children's best joy
| Tet and Christmas
|
Festivals around Tet in North Vietnam
Traditional
festivals in Hoa Binh province:
Time: 8th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Lac Thinh Commune, Yen Thuy District, Hoa Binh
Province.
Objects of worship: Au Co, who has the merit of teaching
people to sing and shoot.
Activities: Offer birds meat, meat of wild beast.
Popular opera performance, and mask dance. See
Traditional festivals in Lao Cai
province:
Time: The thin day of the first lunar month.
Location: Ta Van Commune, Sa Pa District, Lao Cai
Province.
Objects of worship: The Heaven, the Earth, the God of
rice.
Activities: Praying for good crop festival.
Every year, on the thin day of the first lunar month,
the Giay in Sa Pa organize their special festival. The
worship ceremony is held at ngo hours (12 o'clock at
midnoon). The sorcerer wears blue dress, offer
sacrifices to Heaven, Earth, God of rice, pray for
Spirits in protecting crops, and having a good crop.
After the worshipping ceremony, villagers take part in
traditional games such as bow-shooting, cross-bow
shooting, horse racing, con throwing, tug of rope, stick
pushing.
Time: 6th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Gia Village, Bao Yen District, Lao Cai
Province.
Objects of worship: Mountain Deity.
Activities: Worship to the Mountain Deity, black pig
offering, con throwing and giao duyen singing. See
Time: 5th to the 8th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Khanh Yen Commune, Van Ban District, Lao Cai
Province.
Activities: Spring festival, giao duyen singing (boys
and girls sing traditional love to express their love
for each other), tam tinh singing (boys and girls sing a
song that express their sentiment).
Time: Early in spring, often from the 5th to the 15th
day of the first lunar month.
Location: In the village, in the field, near the stream.
Objects of worship: Village gods, Mountain and Stream
gods.
Activities: Traditional belief and the cult of
fecundity.
Participators: The Tay people and other ethnic groups.
Contents: Praying for all the good things, con throwing,
xoe dancing.
On the night before the festival takes Location, the
representatives of families in the village and sorcerer
perform a water procession from the stream to the
village. This water is used in the opening ceremony of
the festival.
The villagers erect an U-shaped altar from bamboo. The
bottom of the letter U faces the east. The altar is one
meter high and 40 centimeter wide.
The offerings of the village are located on the altar,
which include a bowl of water, a plate of red sticky
rice, a plate of yellow sticky rice (the red one
symbolizes the sun and the yellow one symbolizes the
moon), a boiled chicken, grilled fish, a bowl of boiled
chicken blood, a sharp knife, a roll of newly-woven
cloth, two yellow paper fish, two red paper owls, two
racemes of flowers made from parched rice and fruits.
The offerings of the families and of the newcomers are
also put on the altar. These offerings only include food
without a bowl of water, a knife and a dish of chicken's
blood.
The opening ceremony begins as a roll of gong beats
resounds. The sorcerer performs the rituals to pray for
lushly green rice with firm grains, good animal
husbandry and good health to everybody. The sorcerer
holds the bowl of water in one hand, and the knife in
the other hand. He moves the knife four times above the
water bowl and draw horizontal and vertical lines
according to four directions of the east, west, south
and north. When the sorcerer finishes the rites at the
altar, he continues to conduct the rituals at con tree
(a tall bamboo pole). After he says his prayers, he
tosses two con balls into the air so that young men
compete to catch them. Anyone who catches a ball first
will be the first to take part in the game. Participants
have to throw the ball through the bamboo ring.
Successful competitor is the one whose ball pierces
through the sheet paper covering the bamboo ring. The
winner receives a prize. The sorcerer slashes the ball
open, and mixes the seeds inside the ball with a basket
of paddy and distributes them to everybody.
After the con throwing game are tug of war and xoe
dance, which lasts until the afternoon.
Long Tong Festival is a unique cultural activity of the
Tay ethnic group in North Vietnam. See
Time: 11th to the 15th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Lao Cai City, Lao Cai Province.
Objects of worship: Tran Hung Dao.
Activities: A palanquin procession, tug of war contest,
wrestling contest, and còn throwing, sticks pushing, no
(arbalest) shooting.
Thuong Temple is located on the Hoa Hieu Hill, Lao Cai
City, dedicated to Tran Hung Dao - the famous general of
Tran Dynasty. He commanded the Dai Viet troops defensive
in Lao Cai in 1257. The spring festival is organized at
the cutural center of Lao Cai Ward and Thuong and Mau
Temples. The ceremonies include the opening festival,
processions of the Holy Mother and Thien hau Nuong;
worshipping ceremony takes Location on the 14th day,
thanksgiving ceremony is on the 15th day to pray for
peaceful and prosperous things to everyone. It involves
traditional singing and dancing performances and
mountainous ethnic games: con throwing, arbalest
shooting, tug of war, stick pushing, wrestle, cocks
fighting, swinging... The spring festival is alco
displayed brocade souvenirs, local goods which are made
by girls of the Mong, the Dao, the Thai...
Traditional festivals in Phu Tho
province:
Time: 2nd to the 3rd day of the first lunar month.
Location: Gia Thanh Commune, Phu Ninh District, Phu Tho
Province.
Activities: Praying for giving son, making sacrifice to
the God, offering banquet with 12 glutinous rice cakes (banh
chung), 12 day cakes, steamed momordica glutinous rice (xoi
gac). See
Time: 13th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Hien Quan Commune, Tam Nong District, Phu Tho
Province.
Objects of worship: Madam Thieu Hoa (Woman General of
Hai Ba Trung).
Activities: phet playing (play wood ball by a stick with
curved head).
Time: 10th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Vo Lao Commune, Thanh Ba District, Phu Tho
Province.
Objects of worship: Agriculture Spirit, Mountain Spirit,
Water Spirit and Buddha.
Activities: day cakes and nang cakes offering in
commemorating the Location where Hung King lived and
chose the son-in-law. Princesses made various kinds of
cake to offer their father. Big and round day cakes
symbolize for the Sky; uot cakes with pyramid-shaped
symbolize for labour force; nang cakes with yellow
colour symbolize for pearls and gem.
Traditional festivals in Vinh
Phuc province:
Time: The 28th day of the twelfth lunar month.
Location: Bach Luu Commune, Lap Thach District, Vinh
Phuc Province.
Objects of worship: La Cong Lo - the General who had
merit of fighting Trieu Van Vuong troops.
Activities: Sacrifice - offering ceremony, buffalo
fighting. See
Time: 6th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Ha Loi Village, Me Linh Commune, Me Linh
District, Vinh Phuc Province
Objects of worship: Hai Ba Trung.
Activities: Procession of palanquin and change
palanquin, offering day cake.
Every year, Ha Loi Temple opens festival on the day that
Hai Ba Trung had offering flag to set up the movement in
Me Linh Commune now, where Trung Trac took her throne.
Processions of the palanquins of Mrs. Trung Trac, Ms.
Trung Nhi - the village's tutelary god, Mr. Cot Tung,
two white elephants, one pink horse, one white horse. In
the processions, people sing and dance old song. It is
said that these old songs have in Trung Sisters time to
encourage soldiers. The festival has a custom of
offering day cake, wrestling contest, playing human
chess, swinging... and many other traditional games. The
custom of changing palanquin reflects the feudal
perception of hierarchy "Noi gia huynh de, ngoai quoc
quan than" (it means in the family, Thi Sach was the
superman authority, whereas with respect to the country
at large Trung Trac was the monarch).
Time: 6th day of the first lunar month to the 10th day
of the second lunar month.
Location: Van Trung Village, Thuong Trung Commune, Vinh
Tuong District, Vinh Phuc Province.
Activities: Spring market; sell and buy things for
lucky; boat racing; sticks fighting; rice cooking
contest; trach catching in a big jar.
An un-married couple with their hands on each other's
shoulder while other hands put into the big jar to try
to catch the trach (girgs) inside. See
tours in North Vietnam
Time: 14th to the 23rd day of the first lunar month
(Spring Festival) and the 18th day of the twelfth lunar
month (ceremony of giving a feast to long-lived people -
55 years old).
Location: Tho Tang Communal House, Tho Tang Commune,
Vinh Tuong District, Vinh Phuc Province.
Objects of worship: Worship the God of Earth (Nuoi Na),
Lau Ho Hau (who had merit of fighting Yuan-Mongolian
aggressors), Phung Thi Dung tien nuong.
Activities: A procession, wrestle, Chinese chess.
Time: 10th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Tan Tien Commune, Vinh Tuong District, Vinh
Phuc Province.
Objects of worship: General Cao Nguyen (under Hai Ba
Trung movement).
Activities: Perform the game of phet pushing.
Time: 3rd day of the first lunar month.
Location: Tich Son Temple, Tich Son Ward, Vinh Yen City,
Vinh Phuc Province.
Objects of worship: 7 gods of Lo Binh Son.
Activities: Contest of throwing to the pig, rice cooking
contest and tug of war contest.
Traditional festivals in Bac
Giang province:
Time: 7th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Truong Giang Commune, Luc Nam District, Bac
Giang Province.
Objects of worship: General Vu Thanh (who made feats of
arms in the struggle against the Yuan-Mongolian
aggressors in the Tran Dynasty).
Activities: Mimic battle performance; throw offerings
and vie for lucky; making cake contest. See
Traditional festivals in Bac Ninh
province:
Time: 14th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Co Me Village, Vu Ninh Commune, Bac Ninh City,
Bac Ninh Province.
Objects of worship: Ba Chua Kho (The Queen of Stock),
four gods: Thien phu, Dia phu, Thuy phu, and Nhac phu.
Activities: Incense offering ceremony, custom of
borrowing money from her (only symbolizing) to pray for
property and good luck.
It is said that Lady Chua Kho was a hard working woman.
After marrying the king of Ly Dynasty, she asked for
going to Vu Ninh area, recruited villagers for
establishing village, expanded the wasteland, organized
production in 72 small villages. She also kept an eyes
on the food stock, maintained military provisions well
during and after the victory of Song invaders in Nhu
Nguyet Rive (Cau River) in 1076. When she died, people
built a temple to dedicated to her. Annually, the temple
attracts a great number of people from the whole country
to worship and pray for good fortune and borrow money
from her in working of the whole year. See
Time: 4th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Dong Ky Village, Dong Quang Commune, Tu Son
District, Bac Ninh Province.
Objects of worship: The village's tutelary god Hung Huy
Vuong.
Activities: Firecracker-model procession (called Mr.
Quan Dam).
The village's tutelary god Hung Huy Vuong was a talented
general of the 6th Hung King who defeated the Yin
aggressors with Saint Dong and saved the country.
Besides Mr. Quan Dam procession, the festival also
organized longevity ceremony, feast for old people.
Formerly, the festival involved a procession of
fire-cracker, now is a procession of dummy fire-cracker
in remember the work of the village. It also involves
wrestling contest, cock fighting contest, doi dap
singing, and rice cooking contest, contest of speaking
the speeches to praise the village's tutelary god in Han
and Nom scripts.
Time: 9th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Hoa Long Commune, Yen Phong District, Bac Ninh
Province.
Objects of worship: Truong Hong, Truong Hat.
Activities: Quan ho folk songs, tug of war playing.
Time: The 13th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Lim Hill, Lim Town, Tien Du District, Bac Ninh
Province.
Objects of worship: Lady King and Hieu Trung Hau, the
two legendary patriarchs of quan ho tunes.
Activities: Quan ho singing on the hills, boats or at
home.
"Quan Ho" is a special folk song of Kinh Bac Province,
now called Bac Ninh Province. The festival takes
Location on Lim Hill where the Lim Pagoda is located.
This pagoda is where Mr. Hieu Trung Hau, the man who
invented Quan Ho, is worshipped. The Lim Festival takes
Location every year on 13th day of the first lunar
month. Visitors come to enjoy the festival and see the
performances of "lien anh" and "lien chi". These are
male and female farmers who sing different types of
songs in the pagodas, on the hills, and in the boats.
Besides this, visitors can come to the Lim Festival to
enjoy the weaving competition of the Noi Due girls. They
weave and sing Quan Ho songs at the same time. Like
other religious festivals, the Lim Festival goes through
all the ritual stages, from the procession to the
worshipping ceremony, and includes other activities. The
Lim Festival is a special cultural activity in the
North. The festival celebrates the "Quan Ho" folk song
which has become a part of the national culture and a
typical folk song that is well loved in the Red River
Delta region.
Time: 7th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Nga Hoang Commune, Que Vo District, Bac Ninh
Province.
Objects of worship:Linh Son My Nuong.
Activities: People jostle even in the worship ceremony
and have a procession of god around the village. See
Time: The 8th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Yen Phong District, Bac Ninh Province.
Activities: Four villages had joined efforts to drive
the robbers from the villages and worked together in
production.
Before the festival, four villages assist each other to
transplant rice seedlings. On the 8th day of the first
lunar month, four villages together open festival to
worship the god and take part in the feast. It involves
the tug of war, wrestling, playing chess, popular opera
singing.
Time: 8th to the 12th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Tam Son Commune, Tu Son District, Bac Ninh
Province.
Objects of worship: Buddha, first doctoral candidate
Nguyen Phan Quang, Loyal Royal Highest Nguyen Tu Cuong,
doctors of the village, Princess Thuan Duong, God of the
soil, Quan Cong.
Activities: Water puppetry show, boi chess (wood chess),
cock fighting, smash pots (rice husk, and water in the
pot), quan ho singing contest.
Traditional festivals in Lang Son
province:
Time: 15th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Gia Cat Commune, Cao Loc District, Lang Son
Province.
Objects of worship: Fairies who have merit of helping
farmers in fieldwork.
Activities: Worship to Buddha, pray for good fortune,
festival of enjoy the spring: young people go to the
hill and sing giao duyên with the style of sli, luon.
Time: The 15th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Lang Son City, Lang Son Province.
Objects of worship: Buddha.
Activities: Unicorn dance, breeding young fish to the
lake and the stream, lion dance, human chess playing.
See
Traditional festivals in Thai
Nguyen province:
Time: 6th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Dong Dat Commune, Phu Luong District, Thai
Nguyen Province.
Objects of worship: Worship to Duong Tu Minh, who has
the merit of fighting Song aggressors during Ly Dynasty.
Activities: Incense offering ceremony, offer big feast,
worshipping gods singing, giao duyen singing.
Traditional festivals in Hai
Phong City:
Time: 8th to the 12th day of the first lunar month.
Location: My Dong Commune, Thuy Nguyen District, Hai
Phong City.
Objects of worship: Su Quyen, general of Hai Ba Trung.
Activities: Procession of ancestral tablet, worshipping,
Chinese chess, cock fighting.
Time: In the morning of the 2nd day of the first lunar
month.
Location: Ha Ðoi Hamlet, Tien Thanh Commune, Tien Lang
District, Hai Phong City.
Objects of worship: Tran Quoc Thanh (a talented general
of Tran Dynasty).
Activities: Festival of the beginning of a new year,
selling and buying for lucky.
Time: 16th day to the 18th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Dang Hai Ward, Hai An District, Hai Phong
City.
Objects of worship: Ngo Quyen, who started the age of
self-control of our country, major victory in against
Nam Han invaders on Bach Dang River.
Activities: Sacrifices - offering ceremony, incense
offering, visiting the vestige of Bach Dang Stake-Yard.
Time: 4th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Du Hang Kenh Ward, Le Chan District, Hai Phong
City.
Activities: Ancestor’s anniversary death.
Time: 2nd to 6th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Phuc Le Commune, Thuy Nguyen District, Hai
Phong City.
Activities: Dum singing, vegetarian-cooking contest,
weaving, and traditional games.
Time: the 15th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Nui Deo Town, Thuy Nguyen District, Hai Phong
City.
Objects of worship: General Lai Van Thanh, talented
General Tran Dynasty.
Activities: A sacrifices - offering ceremony in
commemorating the merit of the General.
Time: 21st day of the first lunar month.
Location: Cat Hai Townlet, Cat Hai District, Hai Phong.
Activities: Boats racing.
Time: Tet holidays.
Location: Some regions of Thuy Nguyen and An Lao
Districts, Hai Phong City.
Activities: Swinging.
This is an attractive game in spring festive days. It
has the martial spirit and it is an opportunity for boys
and girls to meet and get to know each other. The most
enthusiastic swing is couple swing with a boy and a
girl. They have to co-ordinate rhythmically. Swinging is
a contest that excites to activity and courage.
Time: 6th day of the first lunar month (every 3 year).
Location: Kim Son Village, Tan Trao Commune, Kien Thuy
District, Hai Phong City.
Objects of worship: Pham Ngu Lao, famous General of Tran
Dynasty.
Activities: Competition among the young men in the
region to vie for ball. The ball is made from bulb of
banana-tree, diameter 30-40cm, and weight about 20kg.
Time: The 1st day of the first lunar month.
Location: Xua Village, An Lu Commune, Thuy Nguyen
District, Hai Phong City.
Activities: The market opens in the morning of the first
day of Tet, sell all kind of local agricultural
products. People go to the market not only for selling
and buying but also for praying lucky in trading all the
year. See
Traditional festivals in Hai
Duong province:
Time: 22nd day to the 24th day of the first lunar month.
Location: An Lac Commune, Chi Linh District, Hai Duong
Province
Objects of worship: The village's tutelary god and 5
brothers and sisters of family name of Vuong who help Le
Dai Hanh against Song invaders: Vuong Duc Minh, Vuong
Duc Xuan, Vuong Duc Hong, Vuong Thi Dao, Vuong Thi Lieu.
Activities: The procession of 6 palanquins of which
dragon and unicorn-dancing teams go ahead.
Time: 12th to the 18th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Nam Sach Town, Nam Sach District, Hai Duong
Province
Objects of worship: The first doctoral candidate Quy
Minh, having merit with the Le Dynasty.
Activities: Commemorate the victory, battle performance
festival "Xong he".
Time: 15th day of the first lunar month and 15th day of
the 8th lunar month.
Location: Quat Hamlet, Yet Kieu Commune, Gia Loc
District, Hai Duong Province.
Objects of worship: Yet Kieu ( general of Tran Hung Dao
who was well in swimming).
Activities: Moc duc ceremony, statue procession, tu linh
dance, boat race, playing chess and dao dia. See
Traditional festivals in Quang
Ninh province:
Time: 7th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Cam La Commune, Ha Nam Island, Yen Hung
District, Quang Ninh Province.
Objects of worship: Founding fathers who built dykes,
created the populated Ha Nam Island.
Activities: The senior men of the village (all older
than 70 years old) go to the temple for congratulation
ceremony; wrestling show.
Their children or grandchildren carry offering on their
head to the decorative cult tables, especially there is
a long ma (horse-dragon) made from fruits on the tray.
The elder men follow them, if some of them be weak,
aided by their offspring. After the liturgy comes the
ground-breaking ritual: the four chosen longevity men
pick four balls of earth and build a mock dyke in front
of the incense table of the founding fathers (Tien
Cong). They then perform acts of wrestling to represent
the “struggle against nature". This is to continue the
cause of those who built dykes on the sea to protect the
villages and hamlets of the island.
After the ground-breaking ritual are games buffalo
fighting, cock fighting, human chess, swinging, popular
opera performance. See
Traditional festivals in Ha Tay
province:
Time:5th day of the first lunar month.
Location: An Son Village, Dong Son Commune, Chuong My
District, Ha Tay Province.
Objects of worship: Three brothers of Dang family (Dang
Ca, Dang Hai, Dang Ba), generals of Hai Ba Trung.
Activities: Flag festival.
Time: 2nd day of the first lunar month.
Location: Tam Hung Commune, Thanh Oai District, Ha Tay
Province.
Objects of worship: Buddha, Zen teacher and shaman
Nguyen Binh An (in the 14th century).
Activities: Water procession, statue washing, vegetarian
feast offering. Games: dragon dance, stick dance, boat
rowing for catching ducks, Chinese chess playing, cheo
popular opera singing, burning of fireworks.
Time: Market Festival: 10th day of the first lunar month
(Village festival: 10th day of the third lunar month).
Location: Chuong Market (Chuong Village) Phuong Trung
Commune, Thanh Oai District, Ha Tay Province.
Objects of worship: Bo Cai Dai Vuong Phung Hung,
tutelary god.
Activities: Sell and display conical hats, contests of
human chess, rice cooking.
Chuong Village, a big village of Phuong Trung Commune,
is famous for conical hats making long time ago and
Chuong Market Festival is one of the biggest one in the
region. This is the Location not only to exchange goods
but to occur the cultural activities in the region,
especially village handicraft culture.
In the festival, there are contests of rice cooking,
playing human chess, selling and buying conical hats for
lucky.
Time: 12th to the 15th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Da Si Village, Kien Hung Commune, Ha Dong
Town, Ha Tay Province.
Objects of worship: Hoang Don Hoa, the village's
tutelary god (famous medical doctor) and his wife -
Princess Phuong Dung (who grew medicinal plant) in the
18th century, famous for 201 medicines.
Activities: Sacrifice and incense-offering ceremonies,
palanquin procession, dragon dance, swinging,
cock-fighting, wrestling, cheo singing, ca tru singing.
Time:6thday of lunar month.
Location: Tran Dang Village, Hoa Son Commune, Ung Hoa
District, Ha Tay Province.
Objects of worship: Cao Lo ( famous general of An Duong
Vuong).
Activities: Masquerade as a tiger and catching invaders.
Time: 8th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Thong Nhat Commune, Thuong Tin District, Ha
Tay Province.
Objects of worship: Huyen Thien (Ung Thien) Dai Thanh
Thien Vuong.
Activities: In commemorating Ung Thien who had the merit
of exterminating thuong luong (monster); gay (sticks)
dance.
Dong Phi Village Festival |
|
Time: 4thday of the first lunar month (every 3 year).
Location: Phuong Tu Commune, Ung Hoa District, Ha Tay
Province.
Objects of worship: Bach Tuong, Bach Dia, Do Dai.
Activities: Flying palanquin, returning palanquins, lion
dance, sênh tiên dance, drum dance.
Time: the 15th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Dong Thap Commune, Dan Phuong District, Ha Tay
Province.
Objects of worship: Vang Vi, the village's tutelary god.
Activities: Water procession, popular opera singing,
rice cooking contest (the way of making fire is unique).
Time:6th to the 14th day of the first lunar month (hold
every 5-year).
Location: Duong Noi Commune, Hoai Duc District, Ha Tay
Province.
Objects of worship: The village's tutelary god Duong
Canh.
Activities: Have a procession at night, catching tiger
performance, a returning palanquin procession.
Time: 6th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Hoa Son Commune, Ung Hoa District, Ha Tay
Province.
Objects of worship: Cao Son, Qui Minh.
Activities: Pray for good crops, play game of catching
eel in big jar.
Time: From the 6th day of the first lunar month to the
15th day of the third lunar month, main festival days
last from the 15th day to the 20th day of the second
lunar month.
Location: Huong Son Commune, My Duc District, Ha Tay
Province.
Objects of worship: Sakyamuni Buddha, Avalokitesvara
Bodhisattva, Holy Mothers.
Activities: One of the longest festivals with the most
spacious area.
Approximately 70 kilometers southwest of Ha Noi, Huong
Son boasts quite a few pagodas built in the Posterior Le
Dynasty. Until the beginning of the 20th century, there
have over 100 pagodas. Visitors can go to Huong Son via
the Ha Dong - Van Dinh route.
Vietnamese or foreigners alike wish to come to Huong Son
in springtime. Heading there tourists come to a
magnificent land, a famous beauty spot in Vietnam.
Going boating in Yen Stream, visitors get a stunning
view of the landscape in springtime. Here lies Ngu Nhac
Mountain, there stand Hoi Bridge, Dun and Voi Phuc
(Prostrating Elephant) mountains. Then come Thuyen Rong
(Dragon Boat) and Con Phuong (Phoenix) mountains, not to
mention various other mountains named after their shape
like Ong Su (Buddhist Monk), Ba Vai (Buddhist nun), Mam
Xoi (Tray of Sticky Rice), Trong (Drum), or Chieng
(Gong).
At Trinh Temple visitors stop to burn incense and
present to the Mountain Deity before going on their
journey to Ba Cave. In front of the cave spreads a land
with magnificent beauty. Leaving Ba Cave, tourists go to
Tro Wharf, the starting point for the trekking up the
mountain. Thien Tru Pagoda is the first destination.
Known as the Kitchen of Heaven, it boasts Thien Thuy - a
tower-like natural rock, and Vien Cong Tower an
exquisite terracotta architectural structure dated back
to the 17th century. On the right of the pagoda stands
Tien Son Grotto, housing five statues carved out of
stone and many stalactites and stalagmites which can be
used as musical instruments.
To reach Huong Tich Grotto one go past a winding path
paved with slabs of stone nature has smoothed. Alongside
the path visitors has a chance to feast their eyes on
stunning landscapes. In the 18th century, upon coming
here Lord Trinh Sam had the words “The most beautiful
grotto under the Southern sky” chiselled above the mouth
of the grotto. Pushing into its belly, visitors get a
spectacular view. Many stalactites and stalagmites are
named after their shape: Rice Pile, Money Pile, Gold
Tree, Silver Tree to name but a few. Inside there are
statues of King’s Father, Queen, Avalokitesvara, and so
on. Noteworthy is the Cuu Long structure with nine
dragons flanking from above.
There are many interesting pagodas, caves and grottoes
in Huong Son. Among them include Long Van, Tuyet Son,
Hinh Bong, and so forth. The Ong Bay (Sung Sam) Cave,
2km from Long Van Pagoda, still retains traces of
ancient people some tens of thousands of years ago.
Unlike any other Locations, Huong Pagoda harmonizes the
characters of a Buddhist architectural complex with the
impressive natural beauty. Coming here, tourists have
chances to live in a boisterous atmosphere of a spring
festival amidst beautiful landscape. They seem to be
free from all tiredness and sorrow and come to pay
respect to the compassionate Buddha. See
Time: 3rd to the 7th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Son Da Commune, Ba Vi District, Ha Tay
Province.
Objects of worship: Saint of mountain Tan Vien
(son-in-law of Hung King).
Activities: “cutting for lucky” custom (in this case it
is a contest of cutting banana trunk), wrestling for
worshipping the genius.
Time: 11th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Duong Noi Commune, Hoai Duc District, Ha Tay
Province.
Objects of worship: 3 Ancestor Gods (Tu Dao Hanh, Khong
Lo, Giac Hai) in the La Duong Communal House and Pagoda.
Activities: Incense offering ceremony, tripitaka
teaching. Games: human chess playing, cocks fighting.
Time: 6th to the 12th day of the first lunar month. The
main festive day is on the 6th day.
Location: Son Dong Commune, Son Tay Town, Ha Tay
Province.
Objects of worship: Saint Tan Vien.
Activities: Offering procession (five fruits; unripen
jack-fruit is indispensable; wild beast meat or three
pieces of pigskin). Wrestling, con throwing, vi singing
(kind of song which country boys and girls sing back and
forth), dum singing, cross-bow shooting, tree swinging.
Time: 7th to the 12th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Phu Lam and Phu Luong Communes, Ha Dong Town,
Ha Tay Province.
Activities: ky an ceremony (Worship for good health),
xuan dinh sacrifices- offering ceremony (pray for giving
birth to a son).
|
Son Thanh Festival |
|
Time: 7th to the 9th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Son Thanh Village, Son Ha Commune, Phu Xuyen
District, Ha Tay Province.
Objects of worship: To Hien Thanh, high-ranking mandarin
of Ly Dynasty.
Activities: Sacrifices - offering ceremony in
commemorating To Hien Thanh.
Time: Spring festival: on the 15th day of the first
lunar month (the main festival day). Autumn festival:
the 15th day of the ninth lunar month.
Location: Va Temple, Van Gia Hamlet, Trung Hung Commune,
Son Tay Town, Ha Tay Province.
Objects of worship: Tan Vien Genie (Son Tinh, one of
four immortal gods in the Vietnamese pantheon).
Activities: The procession across the river to Doi
Temple, the custom of catching fish for worshipping.
In the minds of Vietnamese people, Duc Thanh Tan (the
Mountain Genie) is a sacred patron saint who drives out
evil spirits and brings good things to people. Va Temple
festival is annually held in the full moon of the first
lunar month (spring festival) and of the ninth lunar
month (autumn festival) to celebrate his services
rendered to society. Every three years, the festival is
organized with a large scale. Those are the years of the
Mouse, Cat, Horse and Rooster.
The spring festival
In the years of the Mouse, Cat, Horse and Rooster, the
festival has a ritual of water procession performed by
Di Binh villagers of Vinh Thinh Commune, Yen Lac
District, Vinh Phuc Province. Early in the morning of
the 15th of the first lunar month, Di Binh residents row
a boat to the middle of the Red River. On behalf of the
villagers, an old man of great righteousness and
generosity gets water from the river and pours into a
china jar. Thereafter, they make a water procession to
Va Temple, and then offer it to the deities. The big Va
Temple Festival begins in the 13th with numerous
activities. A palanquin procession of eight hamlets
takes Location in the morning of 14th. About 1 or 2 a.m,
old men perform a traditional ceremony. At 3 a.m, two
temple guardians bring the tablets of the Mountain
Genie, Saint Cao Son and Saint Quy Minh to the main
palanquins. Thirty-two strong young men with the same
height carry the palanquin. Four others hold fans and
two hold parasols. They are followed the palanquins
carrying the textual materials that tell the stories of
the deities, costumes and hats of the deities, and
offerings of the hamlets.
The palanquins are taken down to the boats. When the
procession reaches the other bank, the palanquins are
carried to Doi Temple. In the temple, a small pig of
30-40 kg is Locationd on the altar of the Mountain Genie
as an offering. The notable men perform the rituals,
called môc duc ritual, symbolizing the act of providing
a bath to the Mountain Genie. Traditional games are
organized on the sandbank, which attract a lot of
participants. In the evening, the procession comes back
to Va Temple. The palanquins are located in front of the
main house. During that night, they hold the traditional
rituals.
On the 15th day, pilgrims offer incense and fruit to the
Mountain Genie at the temple. There also take Location
many traditional games such as wrestling, tug of war.
The Autumn Festival
The festival begins on the 14th of the ninth lunar
month. On that day, the inhabitants of Van Gia, Nghia
Phu, Thanh Tri, Mai Trai, Dam Trai Hamlets gather at the
Tich River (the section from Thuong Cau Vang to Ha Ma
Mang) to catch fish. Those who catch white, big fish
have to hand in the village to present the Mountain
Genie, and bring home the small ones. The fish catching
game ends when they have enough 99 big fish. This
festival is known as da ngu (catching fish).
Anyone who catches big fish thinks that the Mountain
Genie will bring him an auspicious year. Ninety-nine
fish are cleaned and cooked into various dishes to offer
the Mountain Genie as a way to pay homage to the Genie.
At the end of the ceremony, people enjoy fish dishes.
The festival ends. See
Time: The 5th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Van Sa Communal House, Tan Hong Commune, Ba Vi
District, Ha Tay Province.
Objects of worship: Tran Quoc Chan (the second - born
child of Tran Hung Dao, a high ranking mandarin of Tran
Dynasty) and Ngu Nuong (Saint Ba, a general of Hai Ba
Trung).
Activities The village festival of the work of raising
silkworms and weaving silk, flower procession (the top
of the sections of bamboo are splited and dyed look like
flowers).
Games: striving for silkworm cocoons (silkworm cocoons
are put on the frame and shaked strongly to drop them
down; people who pick up much will have much lucky in
this year), Tu dan lac nghiep show (four works show: Si,
Nong, Cong, Thuong), Tu Linh dance (four sacred animal:
Long, Li, Qui, Phuong)
Traditional festivals in Nam Dinh
province:
Time: 6th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Xuan Vinh Commune, Xuan Truong District, Nam
Dinh Province.
Activities: Sticks dance.
Phuong Thanh Festival
Time: 5th to the 7th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Phuong Dinh Commune, Truc Ninh District, Nam
Dinh Province.
Objects of worship: The founding father of weaving
village.
Activities: Weaving contest, cock fighting contest,
Chinese chess, wrestling contest.
Vi Khe Flower Festival
Time: 20th to the 30th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Nam Truc District, Nam Dinh Province.
Activities: The fair of flowers and ornamental plants.
Contests of wrestle and running.
Vieng Market Festival
Time: 8th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Kim Thai Commune, Vu Ban District and Nam
Giang Town, Nam Truc District, Nam Dinh Province.
Activities: Opens only one in a year, selling and buying
things for lucky.
- Vieng Market Festival (Vu Ban District): display goods
for sale and buy such as handicraft products,
antiquities and false antiquities, utensils, tools for
agriculture production, and many kinds of ornamental
plants. Specialities are barbecued beef and giay cake.
- Vieng Festival in Chua Market (Nam Truc District):
opens according to the custom of giving a feast to the
troops after the victory of King Quang Trung in the
spring of Ky Dau year (1789). There are sacrifices -
offering ceremony and a procession of god.
See
Traditional festivals in Ha Nam
province:
Gua Village Festival
Time: 4th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Gua Village, Liem Thuan Commune, Thanh Liem
District, Ha Nam Province.
Objects of worship: Truong Nguyen, General of King Dinh
Bo Linh.
Activities: The game of vieing for ball and wrestling in
remembering the soldiers recruitment during the Ðinh
Dynasty.
Lieu Doi Wrestling Festival
Time: 5th to the 10th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Lieu Doi Village, Liem Tuc Commune, Thanh Liem
District, Ha Nam Province.
Objects of worship: God of Doan family who was a man of
extraordinary strength, good at martial art, and having
the merit of squashing the rebellion.
Activities: Wrestle, tram tu ceremony, vè reading
contest all night, contest of cooking regional
specialties from eels, snails, frogs, fish. See
Traditional festivals in Thai
Binh province:
Dia Temple Festival
Time: 6th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Canh Tan Commune, Hung Ha District, Thai Binh
Province.
Objects of worship: God of land.
Activities: Water procession, catching fish.
Dinh Voi Market Festival
Time: The 2nd day of the first lunar month.
Location: Diep Nong Commune, Hung Ha District, Thai Binh
Province.
Activities: wrestling, playing chess.
Duong Xa Festival
Time: 5th to the 6th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Tien Duc Commune, Hung Ha District, Thai Binh
Province.
Objects of worship: General Tran Nhat Hieu.
Activities: chau van singing, ‘fish feast’ offering.
Fair of An Dien (An Quy) Village
Time: 10th to the 12th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Vu Thu District, Thai Binh Province.
Activities: Spring market for selling goods and
entertainment. This is the land of popular opera. Many
good, nice artists sing popular opera on days of the
11th and the 12th day of the first lunar month.
Giang Village Festival
Time: 4th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Dong Tan Commune, Dong Hung District, Thai
Binh Province.
Objects of worship: Princess Quy Minh (daughter of King
Tran Due Tong).
Activities: Flag and fan dance (that is taught by
Princess Quý Minh).
Het Temple Festival
Time: The 8th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Bich Du Village, Thai Thuong Commune, Thai
Thuy District, Thai Binh Province.
Objects of worship: Pham Ngu Lao, general of Tran
Dynasty.
Activities: Sacrifices- offering ceremonies of the god,
vieing for ball.
Hoi Village Festival
Time: 6th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Hai Trieu Village (the official name is Hoi
Village), Tan Le Commune, Hung Ha District, Thai Binh
Province.
Objects of worship: First doctoral candidate of Pham Don
Le, the founder of mat weaving.
Activities: Have a procession of palanquin "Trang chieu"
(expert of sedge mat), competition of weaving mats nice
and fast.
Lang Festival
Time: 6th to the 11th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Song Lang Commune, Vu Thu District, Thai Binh
Province.
Objects of worship: Do Do, a famous cultural man under
Ly Dynasty.
Activities: The festival is hold every 2 year. Have a
procession of palanquin from temple to communal house,
sprinkle flowers on road to sweep ghosts away from the
village. Wrestling contest, vegetarian meal, meat meal.
Lo Festival
Time: 3rd day of the first lunar month.
Location: Coi Village (Coi Khe, Hoi Khe), Vu Hoi
Commune, Vu Thu District, Thai Binh Province.
Objects of worship: King An Duong Vuong.
Activities: Throwing and snatching at silkworm cocoons;
Folk games: giap sat, khuyen tro, chuc Thanh.
Mien Village Festival
Time: 4th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Quynh Hong Commune, Quynh Phu District, Thai
Binh Province.
Objects of worship: The tutelary god of the region -
Lord of Beo Dau (azolla).
Activities: Perform 4 professions with 4 humorous games:
Sy (scholar), Nong (agriculture), Cong (handicraft),
Thuong (trade), praying the prosperous for the
agricultural work. The most joyful game is ploughing,
transplanting rice seedlings.
Thuong Liet Festival
Time: 11th to the 13th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Dong Tan Commune, Dong Hung District, Thai
Binh Province.
Objects of worship: Goddess Quy Minh (daughter of Tran
Due Tong King).
Activities: Dances of flag, fan and unicorn, ca tru
singing, drop lamps.
To Xuyen Village Festival
Time: 6th day of the first lunar month.
Location: An My Commune, Quynh Phu District, Thai Binh
Province.
Objects of worship: Hung Nghia marquis (prince consort
of Tran Dynasty).
Activities: Spring festival, sell truncated-sun and
moon-shaped cakes; play games: catching snakes, fighting
tiger. See
Traditional festivals in Thanh
Hoa province:
Giap Mai Village Festival
Time: 9th to the 11th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Te Thang Commune, Nong Cong District, Thanh
Hoa Province.
Objects of worship: Tran Khat Chan.
Activities: Folk songs singing and dancing.
Lao Village Festival
Time: 6th day to the 7th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Dinh Tuong Commune, Yen
Dinh District, Thanh Hoa Province.
Objects of worship: Thanh Quan.
Activities: Hunting cuoc (water hen) then give up to the
village, tearing fish, tearing pork meat for offering.
Luong Trung Wrestle Festival
Time: 10th to the 14th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Quang Trung Commune, Quang Xuong District,
Thanh Hoa Province.
Objects of worship: Duong Cong, the founder of wrestling
arts.
Activities: Sacrifices- offering ceremonies of the
village's tutelary god and the founder of the wrestle,
wrestling contest.
Tat Tac Festival
Time: 6th to the 10th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Tien Loc Commune, Hau Loc District, Thanh Hoa
Province.
Objects of worship: The founder of forging and coining.
Activities: dum singing by boys and girls of Bui
Village; a cut table procession by Ngo and Son villages.
See
Traditional festivals in Nghe An
province:
Bua Cave Festival
Time: 21st to the 23rd day of the first lunar month.
Location: Chau Tien Commune, Quy Chau District, Nghe An
Province.
Activities: Spring festival of the ethnic minority.
Bua Cave is a natural landscape, situated in the range
of limestone mountains with many unique forms that are
related to historical legends. On the the day of the
beginning spring, Bua Cave Festival is held to thank
gods of Earth, Mountain. People of many other ethnic
groups in the region in color ethnic dresses attend the
festival. Sap dance, con throwing, pan-pipe playing,
shooting cross-bow... are attractive many people. Every
year, beauty contest of mountainous region is held at
Bua Cave.
Con Temple Festival
Time: The 19th to the 21st day of the first lunar month.
Location: Phuong Can Village, Quynh Phuong Commune,
Quynh Luu District, Nghe An Province.
Objects of worship: Duc Thanh Mau, the Holy Mother - one
of four goddesses (she protects and supports for
villagers to have prosperous life, helping the armies
cross the ocean safe and sound).
Activities: Game of mimic navy battle.
Con Temple is one of the most sacred temples in Nghe An.
It was built in 1235 under Tran Dynasty and situated
near by sea gate of Lach Con, among a charming mountains
and water area. Con Temple Festival opens with boats
decorated with flags, flowers, the sounds of drums and
gongs. The game of mimic navy battle is related to the
legend of building temple. The game includes blue and
red troops which are fought on an obstacles and
difficult of access range of mountain from Oi Village to
Con Temple. Mimic battle is held every 3-year. Among
which, the custom of oi running is unique feature of Con
Temple Festival. It involves many traditional games:
fairy swinging, wrestling, human chess playing, dragon
boat racing, Vietnamese opera (tuong), popular opera (cheo),
chau van songs... At the end of the festival are the
ceremonies of praying for peaceful life, good fortune,
thanksgiving, consult a fortuneteller... See
Hau Luat Festival
Time: 5th to the 6th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Yen Thanh District, Nghe An Province.
Objects of worship: Trieu Co who expanded a new
cultivative land.
Activities: Opening new land festival in the beginning
of the year.
Nguyen Su Hoi Temple Festival
Time: The 15th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Van Loc Village, Nghi Tan Ward, Cua Lo Town,
Nghe An Province.
Objects of worship: Nguyen Su Hoi (Thai Uy Quan Cong, a
high-ranking mandarin in old dynasties who had great
merit of expanding the wasteland of the east of Nghi Loc
District).
Activities: Palanquin procession of god, boat racing.
The temple is situated on the left bank of Cam River,
500m from Cua Lo Town. Every year, villagers open
festival for remembering on his death's day. Re-perform
the navy battle on the sea which is commanded by Nguyen
Su Hoi; boat racing; a palanquin procession of god from
Nguyen Su Hoi Temple goes around the village.
Qua Son Temple Festival
Time: 19th to the 21st day of the first lunar month.
Location: Boi Son Commune, Do Luong District, Nghe An
Province.
Objects of worship: Ly Nhat Quang (Uy Minh Royal Highest
Ly Hoang).
Activities: Worshipping ceremony, a procession of 12
dragon boats, boat racing.
Quynh Festival
Time: The 27th day of the twelfth lunar month.
Location: Quynh Doi Commune, Quynh Luu District, Nghe An
Province.
Objects of worship: The ancestors of families: Ho,
Nguyen, Hoang, Duong, Phan, Pham who had merit of
setting up the village.
Activities: Procession of god to communal house,
sacrifice - offering ceremony, vying for cau gio,
wrestling, swinging.
Tram Festival
Time: 1st to the 3rd day of the first lunar month.
Location: Dong Liet Hamlet, Nam Thai Commune, Nam Dan
District, Nghe An Province.
Activities: Rice cooking contest. Each couple are both
walking and cooking rice.
Traditional festivals in Ha Tinh
province:
Phan Xa Festival
Time: 7th to the 15th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Nghi Xuan District, Ha Tinh Province.
Activities: Opening rice paddies ceremony.
Xuan Dien Festival
Time: 4th to the 8th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Phan Xa Village, Ich Hau Commune, Can Loc
District, Ha Tinh Province.
Objects of worship: God of Tam Lang.
Activities: A dao singing, rice cooking contest. Dragon
boats race and a God procession on canal every 3-year.
See
Traditional festivals in Hanoi
City:
Ba Gia Village Festival
Time: 9th to the 11th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Phu Gia Communal House, Tay Ho District,
Hanoi.
Objects of worship: Royal Highest Trang Muc, a general
of Saint Dong, Queen of silkworm Quynh Hoa.
Activities: Water procession, a dao singing.
Bo De Village Festival
Time: 6th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Phu Vien Village (Bo De is the official name
of Phu Vien Village), Bo De Ward, Long Bien District,
Hanoi.
Objects of worship: Cao Son, Ms. Can My Nuong, Dung Hoa.
Activities: Boat racing.
Co Loa Festival
Time: From the 6th to the 16th day of the first lunar
month, the main festival day is on the 6th day of the
first lunar month.
Location: Co Loa Commune, Dong Anh District, Hanoi.
Objects of worship: King An Duong Vuong.
Activities: The procession of 12 hamlets and 7 villages,
the procession of “alive” king in Nhoi Village.
On the afternoon of the 5th day of the first lunar
month, all of the eight communes (including Co Loa
Commune and the establishing relations between seven
communes) hold the incense offering ceremony at the
communal house. At Thuong Temple, village officials and
mandarins hold the similar ceremony and revise the
king’s contributions and achievements.
The official festival day, which is on the 6th of the
first lunar month, starts with processions and grand
sacrifices- offering ceremony. In early morning, a
solemn and splendid procession takes orations from the
oration writer’s house to the temple. The chief
officiant at Thuong Temple has to come up and receive
the orations and puts them on the altar. Next to the
door of the temple is a pair of life-size pink and white
wooden horses. Their harnesses are decorated with
phoenix motifs and beautiful gold thread embroideries.
The path to the temple is lined with decorative weapons
and eight precious votive objects. At that time, the
palanquins of the establishing relations between seven
communes arrive at Thuong Temple and are put on the
yard. The worshipping rituals begin. Votive offerings
include incense, flowers, truncated cone-shaped cakes
made of sticky rice, fruits, steamed sticky rice, meat,
giay cakes and popcorn. According to folk knowledge, the
last two things were used by King An Duong Vuong to
treat his troops. The rituals last until 12 o’clock.
Meanwhile, in the temple, some senior people
representing their communes pray to the king for peace
and prosperity to their villagers.
Next is the procession to take the god from the temple
to the communal house so that he can watch the
festivities. This is the biggest procession with the
participation of all the palanquins. When reaching the
main entrance called Nghi Mon, the palanquins return to
their villages. Co Loa’s procession and palanquin do the
same rituals once more at the communal house. This is
the end of the official festival day. From then to the
end of the whole festival, there are only duty
ceremonies and votive offerings of residential groups,
family lines and visitors.
An Duong Vuong Temple Festival has a special procession
for the fake king of Nhoi village. On Mount Sai in Nhoi
Village is a temple dedicated to Saint Tran Vu, who,
according to legends, helps the king drive away evil
spirits and build Co Loa Citadel. Every year, on the
12th day of the first lunar month, the king would go
there together with his mandarins to do worshipping
rituals. But because such travelling was quite
complicated, King An Duong Vuong asked a local man to
impersonate him and held a similar ritual. Later
generations put on stage that story. Though this custom
is specific for Nhoi Village, it helps to diversify
activities of the Co Loa Festival.
The Co Loa Festival has many other fun activities such
as human chess, wrestling, cock fighting, swings, rope
climbing, card playing, and cheo and tuong singing.
On the final day of the festival, a grand farewell
ceremony will be held at the temple. The rituals are the
same as in the main festival day. After the rituals, the
cult table of god will be returned to the sanctuary.
Local people enjoy the god’s favor and expect a year of
prosperity and protection from the god. See
Cong Yen Festival
Time: 13th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Cong Yen Temple, Cong Vi Ward, Ba Dinh
District, Hanoi.
Objects of worship: Royal Highest Saint Quang Hong.
Activities: Worshipping ceremony is carried by men and
worshipping ceremony is carried by women, ca tru
singing, birds fighting, cocks fighting.
Dai Lan Village Festival
Time: 6th to the 8th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Dai Lan Hamlet, Duyen Ha Commune, Thanh Tri
District, Hanoi.
Objects of worship: Minh Ho, Linh Chieu, Cha Muc
(Generals of Hung Vuong period and also three brothers).
Activities: A procession and making a feast of ca lang (hemibagrus),
wrestling, sticks fighting, sticks dancing.
Dai Mo Festival
Time: 6th to the 8th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Dai Mo Commune, Tu Liem District, Hanoi.
Objects of worship: A La Nang De (general lady of Hai Ba
Trung), Thuy Hai Long vuong Nguyen Quy Duc, Nguyen Quy
An, Nguyen Quy Kinh.
Activities: steamed - glutinous rice contest, human
chess, a dao singing.
Dong Soc Son Festival (Soc Son Temple Festival)
Time: From the 6th to the 8th day of the first lunar
month. The main festive day is on the 7th day.
Location: Phu Linh Commune, Soc Son District, Hanoi.
Objects of worship: Saint Dong.
Activities: Fighting for bamboo flowers and cut the
General of Yin invaders.
It is said that Soc Son was the final Location Saint
Dong took a rest before returning to Heaven. The
festival organizes every year in memmorating the day
that the legend hero took off his armour and flew to
heaven. It involves an incense offering ceremony,
Saint's statue bathing ceremony, a bamboo flowers
offering (symbolize for riding-whip of the Saint) is on
the 7th day (the main festive day), then throwing them,
then people strive them for lucky. Cutting general
ceremony symbolize for the action that Saint Dong cut
the General of Yin invaders.
On the 8th day holding gia dam (ending) ceremony. Games
in the festival: fighting cock, playing Chinese chess,
swinging, ca tru singing to worship gods.
Mai Dong Wrestling Festival
Time: 4th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Mai Dong Ward, Hoang Mai District, Hanoi.
Objects of worship: Tam Trinh - General of Hai Ba Trung.
Activities: Wrestling contest.
Mai Dong Communal House worships to Tam Trinh, a general
of Trung Sisters who defeated To Dinh invaders. He is
respected as the founder of wrestle. The procession is
hold solemnly. Wrestling contests are exciting. The
wrestling contest attracts hundreds of wrestlers from
other regions such as Bac Ninh, Tu Liem, Thanh Tri... of
which are even young wrestlers to take part in.
Nghe Village Festival
Time: 4th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Nghe Village, Nghia Do Ward, Cau Giay
District, Hanoi.
Objects of worship: General Tran Cong Tich, Queen Hong
Nuong, and Que Nuong - a lady of high degree.
Activities: Rice cooking contest, before cooking the
contestants must make fire by pulling giang thread
through the hole of a bamboo chunk, one keeps and
another tugs. Three stakes of bamboo are fix in the
ground that made a cooking fire for the contestants.
Ninh Hiep Festival
Time: the 18th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Nanh Village, Ninh Hiep Commune, Gia Lam
District, Hanoi.
Objects of worship: Madam Ly Nhu Thai Lao, the founder
of Vietnamese traditional medicine (based on medicinal
herbs).
Activities: Incense offering ceremony, people come to
the festival to worship and ask for traditional recipe.
See
Sai Dong Festival
Time: 4th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Sai Dong Hamlet, Gia Thuy Ward, Long Bien
District, Hanoi.
Objects of worship: Linh Lang.
Activities: Perform the farming work.
Sai Temple Festival (Alive King procession Festival)
Time: 12th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Thuy Loi Hamlet, Thuy Lam Commune, Dong Anh
District, Hanoi.
Objects of worship: Huyen Thien Tran Vu.
Activities: According to the tale of Golden Tortoise
that help An Duong Vuong exterminate ogre to build Co
Loa Citadel. It involves a procession of alive king who
is acted by an old man sitting in the palanquin.
Sua Mountain Festival
Time: the 19th day of the first lunar month.
Location:Sua Mountain (Bach Thao), Ngoc Ha, Ba Dinh
District, Hanoi.
Objects of worship: Huyen Thien Hac Cong (Saint Hac
Cong).
Activities: This festival originated from the swear
custom of 3 hamlets: Ngoc Ha, Huu Tiep, Xuan Bieu to
strengthen the union against the natural calamities and
enemy-inflated destruction. People take part in the
festival for meeting and entertainment: songs singing,
bonsai contest, cooking steamed glutinous rice contest.
Thanh Nhan Temple Festival
Time: 6th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Thanh Nhan Hamlet, Thanh Xuan Commune, Soc Son
District, Hanoi.
Objects of worship: Phu Dong Thien Vuong.
Activities: Bronze statues of pink and white horses. Big
procession of nine villages.
Thi Cam Rice-cooking Contest
Time: 8th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Hoe Thi Hamlet, Xuan Phuong Commune, Tu Liem
District, Hanoi.
Objects of worship: Phan Tay Nhac.
Activities: The contest comprises various episodes:
water fetching contest, fire making contest and
rice-cooking contest.
Phan Tay Nhac was the General of the 18th Hung King. He
was in Thi Cam Village. He usually organized contest of
cooking rice to select the people who were good at army
ordnance while drilling soldiers. When he died villagers
honor him as the village's tutelary god. Every year, the
festival of rice cooking contest is organized to recall
the old tale.
The competitors have to husk rice, fetch water, make
fire, and cook rice by straw. The time for contest is
finished when an incense stick burned out. Those giap (a
part of the village) which finish first, has the best
and the most white rice will win the first prize.
Thuong Lao Communal House Festival
Time: 7th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Luc Canh Hamlet, Xuan Canh Commune, Dong Anh
District, Hanoi.
Objects of worship: An Duong Vuong, Cao Son.
Activities: Ca tru singing, wrestling, human chess, kite
flying.
Thuy Linh Village Festival
Time: 7th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Linh Nam Ward, Hoang Mai District, Hanoi.
Objects of worship: King Linh Lang, god of Bach Ho
(Saint Hai).
Activities: Vieing for ball.
Trieu Khuc Village Festival
Time: From the 10th to the 12th day of first lunar
month.
Location: Trieu Khuc Hamlet, Tan Trieu Commune, Thanh
Tri District, Hanoi.
Objects of worship: Bo Cai Royal Highest Phung Hung - a
founder of village, member of Vu family who taught the
villagers how to make embroidery.
Activities: Dragon dance, flag dance.
The festival is organized at the Communal House. There
are two communal houses in the village: Sac Communal
House is the Location keep the royal honor - conferring
diploma; Lon (big) Communal House (main communal house),
where worship to the village's tutelary god: Phung Hung
(in the 8th century). Trieu Khuc Village famous for
making handicrafts such as: embroidering and sewing
worshipping objects. Family name of Vu is the founder of
the embroidery. The festival involves the sacrifices -
offering ceremony, a procession of royal mantle of Phung
Hung King from Sac Communal House return to Lon Communal
House.
It also involves dragon dance, unicorn dance, bong
dance, flag running review troops, popular opera
performance to describe the tale of Phung Hung King
chosen talent people to the army. Games: wrestling,
swinging. See
Vieing for ball Festival in Vien Noi
Time: 8th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Vien Noi Hamlet, Van Noi Commune, Dong Anh
District, Hanoi.
Objects of worship: General Dong Vinh, General Chung Bao.
Activities: Procession of Than Cau (God of Ball) and
sacrifices - offering ceremony of Than Cau. It involves
the games using “ông Móc” to vie for ball.
Xuan Lai Temple Festival
Time: 4th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Xuan Lai Hamlet, Xuan Thu Commune, Soc Son
District, Hanoi.
Objects of worship: Saint Dong.
Activities: Wrestling, carrying water and making fire
for rice cooking contest, striving for flags and "mo
tugging" game.
Traditional festivals in Quang
Binh province:
Canh Duong Festival
Time: 3rd to the 7th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Canh Duong Commune, Quang Trach District,
Quang Binh Province.
Activities: Including cau ngu ritual and ky yen ritual.
Contest of rice cooking in-group, have to cook rice
while preventing a toad out of a circle. See
Traditional festivals in Thua
Thien - Hue province:
Gia Lac Spring Fair Festival
Time: 1st to the 3rd day of the first lunar month.
Location: Phu Thuong Commune, Phu Vang District, Thua
Thien-Huê Province.
Objects of worship: Dinh Vien Cong, 6th son of King Gia
Long.
Activities: Spring festive holiday, organized only in 3
days of Tet every year.
The festival was organized during Minh Mang Dynasty, but
at first it was confined inside the royal families and
later it became the spring fair for everyone. The market
opens from the first day morning of Tet in Gia Lac, 3km
from the center of Hue City, toward Vi Da. Goods are
abundant and change every year, from household utensils
to toys for children, cakes, fruits and food, especially
barbecued beef (or veal) - an indispensable dish in Tet
holiday at Gia Lac.
Many games take Location in the festive days, including
sing the songs of bai choi, bai ve, gia gao (sing while
pounding the rice), repartee songs... People go to Gia
Lac Spring Fair Festival pray for lucks and
entertainment.
Phong Son Sacrifices-offering Ceremony
Time: 7th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Phong Son Commune, Phong Dien District, Thua
Thien-Hue Province.
Objects of worship: God of stone.
Activities: The opening ceremony of the year: During
this day, people cast a net or go to the forest by
waterways for hunting.
The wrestling competitions Festival of Sinh Village
Time: 9th to the 10th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Lai An Village, Phu Mau Commune, Phu Vang
District, Thua Thien Hue Province.
Activities: Traditional wrestle festival.
The festival is not only attract the youths of the
village but also thousands of young boys and girls
coming here from various districts and Hue City. It
takes Location in animated and crowded context. The
wrestling competition Festival of Sinh Village
symbolizes for the martial arts of the inhabitants of
Hue in the past centuries. See
Traditional festivals in Binh
Dinh province:
Dong Da Festival (Binh Dinh)
Time: 5th day of the first lunar month.
Location: Binh Nghi Commune, Tay Son District, Binh Dinh
Province.
Objects of worship: Emperor Quang Trung (Nguyen Hue) and
leaders of Tay Son movement.
Activities: Drumming competition (Tay Son fighting
drum), perform imitative battle, martial art: playing
with fighting sticks danh con, di quyen (a Vietnamese
form of Kung Fu, a system of unarmed combat using the
hands and feet as weapons).
Spring Festival of Go Market
Time: 1st day of the first lunar month.
Location: Phong Thanh Hamlet, Tuy Phuoc Townlet, Tuy Phuoc
District, Binh Dinh Province.
Activities: Spring Festival: Buying, selling and
entertainment. See
Traditional festivals in
Tay Ninh province:
Ba Den Mountain Festival
Time: Spring Festival: From the 15th to the 18th day of
the first lunar month; Via Ba Festival lasting from the
5th to the 6th day of the fifth lunar month.
Location: Ba Den Mountain, Tay Ninh Province.
Objects of worship: Linh Son Thanh Mau (Linh Son Saint
Mother - Ba Den).
Activities: Two big festivals annually.
Spring Festival
The Ba Den Mountain Spring Festival is much boisterous
than Via Ba Festival. Pilgrims go there for religious
reasons as well as for sightseeing. The landscape
displays its beauty in the fine weather. In the
20km-long route from Tay Ninh to the foot of Ba Den
Mountain pilgrims from near and far crowd the road.
Via Ba Festival
The festival is held on the 5th to the 6th day of the
fifth lunar month. At 0:00 hours on the 5th day of the
fifth lunar month the Tam Ba (the statue washing of the
Sacred Lady) ceremony takes Location solemnly in the
worshipping altar. An elderly woman directs this
ceremony. After burning incense to ask for the Lady’s
permission, she and other assistants clean the statue
with pure water, then with fragrant water. After three
times of cleaning, they wear a new outfit for the statue
and kow-tow before the statue. Lights inside the temple
are switched on, incense burned, and doors open to
welcome visitors.
Early in the morning of the 5th day of the fifth lunar
month the chanting of Buddhist sutras signals the
opening of the main festival day. Until 6 a.m monks in
yellow outfit from nearby pagodas come to carry out the
ritual in the ceremonial hall. During this day incense
is burned continuously in the altars of Linh Son Thanh
Mau, the Ba Chua Xu (Local Goddess), Buddha, or Ho Phap
(Guardians).
Ten offerings presented to the altar of the Sacred Lady
includes incense, oil lamp, flowers, tea, cinnamon,
alcohol, vegetarian it cake, a pair of necklace,
bracelet and earrings (three things of them are paper
votive objects). Those serving the ceremony wear
ceremonial costumes and walk to the accompaniment of
music. After the incense offering ceremony, the monks
pray the Buddhist sutras. The ceremony lasts two hours
from 5 p.m to 7 p.m. On the 6th day of the fifth lunar
month several rituals are held. The monks read Buddhist
sutras in the altar dedicated to Buddha. The temple is
open for pilgrims near and far from early in the morning
until late at night. See
Traditional festivals in
Saigon Ho Chi Minh City:
Ky Yen Festival at Phu Nhuan Communal House
Time: From the 16th to the 18th day of the first lunar
month.
Location: 18 Mai Van Ngoc Street, Ward 10, Phu Nhuan
District, Ho Chi Minh City.
Objects of worship: Buddha, gods, talented and righteous
men called tien hien and hau hien.
Activities: On the first day, it commences with
prayers for peace and performances of traditional dance
and martial arts, as well as other rites based on
southern tradition.
On the second and the third days, worship is held
according to northern tradition. At the very end of the
festival, there is a nomination of a prince and an
evening for geishas, as according to southern tradition.
See
|
Source: Vietnam Nation Administration of Tourism |
|
