From the past until now, the festival is a unique community feature and imbued with the national identity of Vietnamese people in all parts of the country in general and the central coastal strip in particular. Hoi An city is known as a famous place with ancient landscapes filled with nostalgic colors filled with time.
When I explore history about Hoi AN, whereas a bustling port town, a place of cultural trade of many countries from time immemorial, Hoi An also has interesting festivals and unique of many different cultural beliefs creating a feature in the drawing of Hoi An ancient painting.
The article below I will introduce some Festival features and excite in Hoi AN maybe you don’t know hehe, don’t miss it!
Contents
1- BA THU BON FESTIVAL – a unique festival with a ritual to bring water to the temple
Every year in the middle of spring, people along the River of “Quang” land enjoy the Thu Bon festival in Hoi An extremely special. A goddess is honored as “Mother of the country”. From more than 300 years ago to this day, the “Ba Thu Bon” festival still exists and is held every year from the 10th to the 12th of the second lunar month.
The festival is an expression of the resident’s gratitude here want to give to her. Legend has it that Mrs. Thu Bon was a female of the Le dynasty when she fights and was chased here. She stopped by the river bank to bathe and then suicide here. Her body drifted to Thu Bon village and was taken to worship by the merciful people.
From then on, she protected the villagers from many tragedies, and the villagers were grateful then built a temple to commemorate the annual ceremony
Although have many ways to talk about ” Ba Thu Bon”, but she always on the mind and respected of people Quang Land.
The Festival will be held on 11th, February annual of the year in the morning, they celebrated with the first ritual of the procession pick up water, hundreds of people wait for the boat to go upstream from the Thu Bon River and then accompany the procession and then entering the mausoleum creates an impressive festive color for visitors.
Part of the festival in Ba Thu Bon festival is also one of the unique features that make an impression on visitors when coming here, folklore activities such as singing a hut, sailing, fighting in the ring, good painting buying and selling as recreating a picture of the lives of people centuries ago.
2- Festival “Spray the rain”
In the early January weather, people in Tra Que Vegetable Village hold a Bong Bridge festival to pray for a good rainy year, good harvest, and prosperous houses.
Tra Que Vegetable Village has long been famous for vegetable making, the more vegetables are harvested each year, the better the harvest, the more prosperous the vegetable industry is, the bigger the Cotton Bridge festival will be. When the procession arrived at the communal house, the elders in the village performed spirit worship and offered traditional soil
After a year of hard work, the people here always hope for the spirituality of the aunt and uncle and express their gratitude to the ancestors and the gentle people who publicly painted the site. In addition to the ceremony, there is also a fun activity for people to entertain at the beginning of the year to start the season and enter a new season.
The festival always creates an attraction and always attracts both locals and visitors with creativity and innovation every year. Contests such as organic shrimp farming, competition on the skills of cultivating soil, and fertilizing trees with the participation of the best people create a unique identity for this festival.
The Festival “Cau Bong” is a long-standing cultural beauty of Tra Que villagers, contributing to preserving the local traditional cultural values, creating special products for visitors coming here with a new perspective is more about Tra Que Vegetable Village – Hoi An
3. PRAY FISH FESTIVAL
Coming to Cu Lao Cham, tourists not only enjoy the beautiful scenery with the blue sea, white sand, sunshine, but also be attracted by the spiritual, intangible cultural values of the residents, sea Island area. And Spray Fish Festival is a special festival that fully expresses the meaning of beliefs and aspirations of the fishermen here
The cult of Ong worship is a long tradition of most Vietnamese fishermen, where there are fishermen living there, there will be a shrine of Ong fish, also known as Ong tomb.
People believe that Ong is a sea deity who often appears to save those in distress at immense sea, he is also a timely savior of the people when having a disaster. If any sea with his fish body washed ashore, it is a good fortune to signal a bumper year for fishermen in that area.
Stemming from that concept, every year before preparing to set sail, Cu Lao Cham fishermen often held a worshiping ceremony at Ong Mausoleum called Cau Ngu ( Spray fish). The festival is usually held on the 3rd and 4th of the fourth lunar month with the participation of most fishermen living on the island with domestic and foreign tourists. All of the rituals in the ceremony are performed according to traditional rituals performed by village elders.
On the first day of Festival, the people held decorate in the village and people on the islands begin the welcoming ceremony. The palanquin is welcomed on a large boat decorated with magnificent flags and festivals. All palanquin terrestrial and palanquin at sea are arranged with gongs of drum and music for the ceremony.
After welcoming the gods to enter the main hall to worship, the elders carried out praying for spiritual prayers and sacrifices. After the ceremony, the most expected part of the ceremony was Ba Trạo singing. Recreational sports activities such as boat racing, swimming, bottle shaking, tugging in the water show a close and harmonious relationship with the nature of the people here …
The festival sends the aspirations of fishing to the sea to be calm and peaceful, the desire for crops, peaceful life, and happiness.
4. BA THIEN HAU CALENDAR – a special festival in Hoi An
On the 23rd of the third lunar month every year at the Fujian Assembly Hall and the Ngu Bang Assembly Hall, residents of Hoa ethnic group living in Hoi An organize a celebration of Thien Hau to commemorate and respect her. According to legend, she was the one who saved the stranded boats in the old harbor area.
Not only that, many people here believe that Thien Hau is very sacred and that many people who have difficulties in devoting their sincere respect to her prayers are able to fulfill her wishes. Like other festivals, the Ba Thien Hau ceremony has two main parts: the ceremony and the festival, with the ceremony being held presided over by traditional rituals of Chinese elders, and the festival will Have fun activities like lion dance, hexagram spray, etc.
Coming to Ba Thien Hau’s festival, visitors seem to be immersed in the unique culture of a part of the Chinese people living here, feel the spirituality with the gods and learn more about cultural beliefs of Chinese
The festival Ba Thien Hau is a one of the highest expression for the spirit of fusing the Vietnamese – Chinese culture t and maintain, develop history till now
5. THE FESTIVAL MEMORIAL DAY OF THE CARPENTRY VILLAGE KIM BONG
Recognized as a national intangible cultural heritages, Kim Bong carpentry traditional village is an attractive new tourist destination for domestic and foreign by its unique characteristics and meaning.
Kim Bong carpentry village was formed in the 16th century and achieved its peak prosperity in the 18th century and is still famous to this day. This place is known as the cradle producing many of the most talented carpenters with skillful techniques contributing to the construction of architectural works in Hoi An, Hue citadel, and surrounding areas.
Every year on the 6th of the first lunar month, Kim Bong carpentry village memorial day is celebrated with the participation of the locals and visitors. The ceremony was held at the Tien Hien temple under the leadership of the village elders. After the ceremony every Business facility, and household producing carpentry, boats, construction, etc…conduct ancestor worship and “to distribute carpentry” at their Business facility and households.
The festival takes place in the center of the trade village with a variety of activities such as performing carvings, weaving mats, weaving baskets, weaving mats, rural markets … The ceremony day of Kim Bong carpentry village is an opportunity for the people of Cam Kim commune. Hoi An city commemorates the merit of the carpenters, reminding the children of their roots. The festival attracts a lot of attention and participation of visitors to Hoi An.
The festival in Hoi An is one of the traditional beauties that have been preserved, preserved, and promoted to this day by the people here. Traveling to Hoi An, taking part in traditional local festivals, you will discover many new and unique things that can only bring you here.
Writer: Hong Vu
See more:
Enjoy a Cultural Tet in Central Vietnam: Hue, Da Nang, & Hoi An
