Cultural beauty of the festival season
Once a year, after the Lunar New Year, people eagerly await traditional festivals. In Long An, Long Thuong Ngu Hanh Lady and Lam Chay are two of the major festivals that attract a lot of attention and are both recognized as national intangible cultural heritages.
1. One of the famous spring festivals of the province is the Long Thuong Ngu Hanh Lady Festival, held at the Ngu Hanh Lady Temple, Long Thuong Commune, Can Giuoc District, Long An Province.
This is a provincial-level architectural and artistic relic recognized in 1997 and included in the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2014.
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The Long Thuong Ngu Hanh Lady Festival (Can Giuoc District) with many traditional rituals, expresses the desire for a full and smooth life
The Ngu Hanh Lady Temple worships Ngu Hanh Lady, a deity believed to have the power of the five elements (metal, wood, water, fire, earth), controlling the wind and rain, helping the crops to flourish. According to annual custom, the Ngu Hanh Lady Temple Festival is held on January 18, 19, 20 and 21 with many activities such as praying for peace, ceremonial music, inviting the Lady, lion dance, offering flowers, performing Dia Nang, etc.
The festival attracts the attention of people inside and outside the locality to come and worship, pray for peace and happiness.
The Chairman of the Association Board of Ngu Hanh Lady Temple (Can Giuoc District) - Nguyen Van Cong said: Preparations for the festival started on January 10, the Association Board met to discuss plans and implement tasks.
Specifically, people and the Association Board will join hands to clean up, hang flags, display flowers, and decorate the area inside and outside the temple. Mr. Cong said that every year the festival attracts a large number of people to participate, with participants increasing on average by 20-30% each year. Therefore, this year, the Association Board, in coordination with agencies, departments, branches and organizations, pays much attention to the issues of security, order and food safety.
Now in her 8th year of participating in the Festival, Ms. Le Thi Thuy Trang (Dong Thanh commune, Can Giuoc district) is always proud of the cultural values that her hometown is preserving. “I often participate in the festival as the host of the opening ceremony and incense offering. On January 20, I will pay homage to Lady. Besides offering incense, people also remember General Nguyen Huu Tinh - one of the heroes who contributed to the resistance war against the French” - Ms. Trang shared.
2. No matter how busy you are with business, remember to return to Tam Vu to join Lam Chay festival. Since the end of the 19th century, the Lam Chay Festival has become an indispensable part of the spiritual life of the people of Chau Thanh district, a unique cultural feature of the province that attracts the attention of visitors from all over. The festival originated in the late 19th century to pay homage to martyrs who died in the resistance movement against the French; to pray for the souls of the wandering souls, for national peace and prosperity, and for favorable weather.
Since 1980, the worshiping has been assigned to Tan Xuan communal house (Duong Xuan Hoi commune, Tam Vu town, Chau Thanh district).
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The Lam Chay Festival (Tam Vu town, Chau Thanh district) attracts a large number of participants
The Lam Chay Festival was recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2015. Traditionally, the festival is held from January 14 to midnight on January 16 with many traditional rituals such as praying for peace, worshiping martyrs, worshiping the wandering souls, parading with the cake, inviting and burning Mr. Tieu, etc.
The festival space extends from Tan Xuan communal house to Linh Phuoc pagoda, Ong pagoda, Dien temple, Am Nhon temple, Phuong Que Ngoc Dai Holy See, Tam Vu river, etc. Thereby, the festival demonstrates the fusion of many religions and beliefs, notably Buddhism and Caodaism.
Busy with farm work all year round, but every time the festival comes, Ms. Tran Thi Tuyet Van (Thuan My commune, Chau Thanh district) always takes the time to tidy up the house and join the festival with her family.
Ms. Van said: “My husband, my children and I are all waiting for the festival to take place so that we can participate in traditional rituals, folk games, watch lion dances, etc. In particular, I really look forward to receiving blessings before the Mr. Tieu burning ceremony to welcome good luck and good fortune in the new year. Although the festival lasts until late at night, I still feel secure bringing my children along because the rituals are supervised by the militia and traffic police to ensure safety”.
Along with the development of the times, spring festivals are an opportunity for everyone to turn to their roots, cherish the beauty of national culture, preserve and promote those precious traditional values in today's society./.
By Staffs - Translated by Q. Thien
Source: https://baolongan.vn/net-dep-van-hoa-mua-le-hoi-a189902.html
