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As spring comes, people in Phu Nghia commune in particular and Lac Thuy district in general flock to Tien Pagoda festival to enjoy festive activities during the annual event.
The ritual of palanquin processing from
Trung Temple to Tien Pagoda for the opening of the festival in 2024.
Tien Pagoda festival takes place in the Phu Nghia relic complex in Phu Nghia
commune. This year, the festival was organised at the provincial level,
attracting a large number of visitors.
Vu Huyen Chi, a visitor from Hanoi, said that she took her family to the pagoda
on the fourth day of the first lunar month to enjoy the beautiful landscape of
the site, adding she will visit the site again to further explore the massive
relic area.
Giang My, who was born in Lac Thuy and resides in Hai Phong, also chose Tien
Pagoda festival for her family’s spring trip to pray for a new year of good
health and smooth work, and enjoy the festive atmosphere with various folk
games at the festival. Her family also had a chance to enjoy "Chau van” (trance
ritual singing) and a trade fair.
This year, the opening ceremony of the Tien Pagoda festival took place in three
days from February 12-14, or the third to the fifth day of the first lunar
month, with diverse cultural and sports activities, along with a special art
programme featuring folk art, instrumental music, Muong gong art, Chau van, and
the demonstration of Tam Phu Mother Goddess ritual. The festival lasts for
three months until the end of the third lunar month.
The festival, the largest of its kind in Lac Thuy, carries strong identity of
the Muong traditional culture. The palanquin processing of the festival starts
from three venues of Trinh temple, Mau (Mother Goddess) temple and Trung
temple.
Visitors can also take a journey through the Dong Tien – Chua Tien – Mau Dam Da
relic complex where Au Co Mother Goddess, Tan Vien Mountain Gods, and Tu vi
Thanh nuong (four Holy Mothers) are worshipped.
The Chua Tien landscape and relic complex has 20 relics, including historical,
cultural, archeological ones and landscapes spanning Lao Noi and Lao Ngoai
communes. Particularly, Tien cave landscape site, a famous archaeological site
in the complex, was recognised as a national relic site in 1989.
Currently, the construction of a cable car system in the valley of the Huong
Pagoda-Tien Pagoda-Tam Chuc Pagoda spiritual triangle is underway.
Nguyen Van Hai, Chairman of the Lac Thuy People’s Committee, said that along
with spreading the traditional cultural values of the local community, the
festival is also a chance for the district to promote its tourism to domestic
and foreign visitors, contributing to promoting the local socio-economic
development.
Gongs hold a special place in the cultural and spiritual life of the Muong ethnic people in Hoa Binh province. More than musical instruments, they are an indispensable part of community rituals and collective memory, echoing through generations as a spiritual thread linking the past, present, and future.
Preserving and promoting the cultural values of the Muong ethnic group has become an urgent task in the current context, as many traditional values face the risk of fading away. This effort requires not only protecting the cultural identity but also eliminating outdated customs and developing a modern cultural lifestyle, contributing to sustainable values for the Muong community in Hoa Binh province.
The Muong ethnic culture, deeply rooted in Vietnam’s mountainous north, continues to be preserved and revitalised by dedicated individuals and communities determined to safeguard their ancestral identity.
The Muong group is one of the largest ethnic minorities in Vietnam, primarily found in Hoa Binh province. The Muong people in Hoa Binh boast a rich and diverse cultural treasure that reflects the unique identity of this ethnic group. Accounting for over 63% of the province's population, they have created and preserved numerous distinctive cultural values, contributing to their unique identity. Their cultural heritage is an invaluable asset, at the heart of their national identity, and represents a vibrant spiritual life that must be preserved and promoted in today’s modern world.
For generations, the ethnic communities of Hoa Binh province, particularly the Muong people, have preserved vibrant festivals deeply intertwined with the region’s geography, nature, and social traditions. These celebrations enrich Hoa Binh’s spiritual life and cultural identity, reflecting both folk beliefs and the intermingling of ethnic customs. Many of these festivals have endured the test of time, passed down through generations and continuing to thrive today. Among them, the Khai Ha (Going Down to the Field) festival stands out as one of the most significant events of the Muong ethnic group.
Muong calendar, known as sach doi, is an ancient folk knowledge system developed through observations of the movement of the pleiades star. This unique calendar consists of 12 bamboo sticks, each representing a lunar month. Specific days within each month are marked with distinct symbols, guiding locals in determining auspicious and inauspicious days for important activities.
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