Cờn Temple - A tourist destination in Quỳnh Lưu
(Baonghean.vn) Since ancient times, Cờn Temple has been considered the most sacred temple among the "four sacred temples" in Nghe An (Cờn Temple, Quả Temple, Bạch Mã Temple (Nghe An) and Chiêu Trưng Temple (Ha Tinh). Every Tet holiday, especially during the main festival days of the temple, the number of visitors from all over increases significantly. In the festive atmosphere of the early spring, visitors can freely explore the temple and pray for wealth and good fortune. Cờn Temple – a tourist destination in Quỳnh Lưu, a unique feature of Vietnamese spirituality with its Four Holy Mothers, is a special cultural site that needs investment and preservation.
Cờn Temple was built in 1312, shortly after Emperor Trần Anh Tông, who personally led the army as a general, was born.
The traditional Cờn Temple Festival used to last for over a month, featuring vibrant, grand, yet solemn rituals. With a strong sense of community, it was an occasion that mobilized the efforts and resources of the villagers. The Cờn Temple Festival is a traditional folk cultural activity deeply rooted in the local character of the coastal fishing villages in Quỳnh Lưu, Nghệ An.
Visiting Cờn Temple at the beginning of the year. Photo: An Vinh
In the spring of 1999, after nearly half a century of absence, the Cờn Temple Festival was revived. During the traditional Lunar New Year, Cờn Temple was continuously open for locals and tourists to visit. The palanquin processions practiced their formations. On the 20th day of the first lunar month, a dress rehearsal was held, with the procession of the deity's palanquin, complete with all the necessary rituals, starting from the temple gate and circling the village, enlivening the festive atmosphere. Afterwards, the procession returned to a large open area next to the communal house to rest and prepare for the official procession the following day.
Early in the morning of the 21st, the festival officially began with many rituals. Compared to the traditional festival that lasted more than a month with grand ceremonies in the past, today's festival has been simplified and has undergone many changes in its organization.
Overall, from the 1999 festival to the present, the Cờn Temple Festival has become more refined in its script, more vibrant and impressive in its content, and more systematic in its ritual procedures. Although the Cờn Temple Festival today has undergone many changes compared to tradition, especially the shortening of the festival duration, in our opinion, it still fundamentally retains the basic characteristics of the ancient traditional festival. These include the presence of royal boats resembling those that carried the saints on their spring excursions on the first day of the Lunar New Year in the past. There are also boat races with a spirit of chivalry, which were previously held during the three days of the festival, from the 21st to the 24th of the twelfth lunar month. In particular, the palanquin procession, once considered the soul of the festival, is now organized in a more orderly and magnificent manner, though shortened in duration, while still maintaining its unique character. Therefore, it attracted a large number of locals and tourists from near and far to attend and admire it.
Furthermore, to preserve traditional customs and values, some aspects of the festival need to be reviewed and adjusted. For example, the custom of throwing and snatching offerings after the ritual on the beach, while contributing to the lively atmosphere of the festival, has a negative side: some people lack awareness and deliberately push, shove, and scramble to grab the offerings; or the custom of fortune-telling, which also takes place quite chaotically in the temple area during the festival...
This year's Cờn Temple Festival will take place from February 11th to 12th (20th-21st of the first lunar month) with cultural and sporting activities such as beach volleyball, tug-of-war, blindfolded pot smashing, card games, cultural exchanges, traditional boat racing, etc. In particular, the "running and vomiting" custom, a characteristic feature of the Cờn Temple Festival, will be showcased during the procession, adding to the festival's vibrancy and appeal. The Cờn Temple Festival has been, is, and will continue to be an indispensable spiritual and cultural event for the people of Quỳnh Lưu in particular and visitors from all over in general.
Nguyen Anh Van
