Nominate the Gióng Festival as a world cultural heritage
Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung has just agreed with the Hanoi People's Committee to prepare a dossier for the "Giong Festival" to be submitted to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for recognition as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
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The Saint Giong Festival, also known as the Phu Dong Village Festival (commonly known as Giong Village), is one of the largest festivals in the Northern Delta. The festival is like a cultural and historical stage, recounting the story of Saint Giong defeating the An invaders.
Every year, on the 9th day of the 4th lunar month (the day Mr. Giong defeated the An invaders), people flock from far and near to watch the ceremony and attend the village festival. The Giong village festival is held in a large space about 3 km long, including the Thuong temple, Mau temple (worshiping Giong's mother) and Kien So pagoda, Phu Dong village, Gia Lam, Hanoi.
The festival begins on April 6. During these days, villagers hold a flag procession to the Mother Temple and a vegetarian meal procession to the Upper Temple. On the main festival day (April 9), there is a palanquin procession from the Mother Temple to the Upper Temple and a battle festival (reenacting the battle against the An invaders). On the 10th, there is a military parade to thank Gióng. On the 11th, there is a weapon washing ceremony. On the 12th, there is a flag procession to announce the victory to heaven and earth... Finally, there is a military feast, and at night there is a Cheo singing.
According to News/Vietnam
