Literature contest in Quynh Doi village
Quynh Doi village, Quynh Luu district has long been famous as a land of learning. People often recite the song "Bac Ha - Han Thien; Hoan Dien - Quynh Doi". Every year, the people of Quynh village organize folk festivals, but in the fun, the literary contest here has its own unique features.
(Baonghean)Quynh Doi village, Quynh Luu district has long been famous as a land of learning. People often recite the song "Bac Ha - Han Thien; Hoan Dien - Quynh Doi". Every year, the people of Quynh village organize folk festivals, but in the fun, the literary contest here has its own unique features.
Quynh Doi became an administrative unit since the year of Mau Ngo (1378) with the name Tho Doi Trang, and was not called Quynh Doi village until 1528. This area has blacksmithing, carpentry, vermicelli making, and especially silk weaving, originally from Ha Dong.
Quynh Doi village has many people who passed the examinations. Since 1449, the number of people who passed the examinations from 21 families is 557, including 539 bachelors, 203 bachelors, 6 deputy doctors, 10 doctors. Among them, Ho Sy Duong passed the third class of the same doctorate, became the Minister of Infantry and concurrently the Dong Cac University Scholar; Ho Phi Tich passed the second class of the doctorate, became the Minister of Justice; Ho Sy Dong passed the third class of the doctorate and held the position of Tham su doc phu su tham tung; Ho Xuan Huong, a female poet representing the pinnacle of Vietnamese Nom poetry. Explaining the tradition of learning and examinations, people believe that this area is a precious land: "In the East there is Quy Linh, in the West there is Tuong Son, in the South there is Muc Linh, in the North there is Bat Nha mountain". That is the shape of the mountains surrounding Quynh village. At the beginning of their village, Quynh Doi people built a temple to worship Confucius; the holy house was built on a sacred land, very prosperous for studying and taking exams. Quynh village also built a winding road from Bau Hau to their village to increase the solemnity and majesty of the procession of successful candidates returning home to pay their respects to their ancestors.
In difficult conditions, people in Quynh village in particular, and Nghe An people in general, have to find their own way, their own profession. Teaching is a profession to "Advance as an official, retire as a teacher". People here may lack food and clothing, but they cannot lack knowledge. Poor families also save money to educate their children. No matter how hard it is, the wife and mother still work hard to send their children to school. Therefore, studying has become a competitive movement of every family, creating a wave in the village, a unique tradition of the village. Besides the spiritual value of natural geography, the village's policy of encouraging learning has become a strong driving force, urging people in Quynh village to study. That is shown in the village's Village Covenant: "In the 29th year of Canh Hung (1768), on January 7, Duc Quang district governor Ho Phi Quynh made a contract with the village and discussed: Our village is a village of culture and education, there are many students, since ancient times every family has practiced studying at home, surely we are good and talented, there is no evidence yet. From now on, every year until early spring, around mid-week, choose a good day. Tomorrow morning, beat the drum three times for the Confucian scholars, students, and pupils to bring their tents and beds to the village communal house to give them lessons to do."
Quynh Doi village communal house is a majestic one, built a long time ago. In the year of Binh Ty (1756), it suddenly caught fire and had to be rebuilt. In 1860, the village upgraded it again. Mr. Pham Dinh Toai, a bachelor who was an official at the Hue court, spent 400 quan to build it. The communal house was built higher than Thai Hoa Palace in the capital. When the incident was discovered, the court ordered it to be lowered by 5 inches. The sculptures in the communal house reached a sophisticated level with dancing dragons and phoenixes.
Every year, on January 16, the village holds a village examination ceremony, and anyone who misses a test will be fined 6 coins. Although there is no ceremony to worship the gods with full rituals on the "village examination" day in Quynh Doi, there are five-element flags planted in the communal house yard, and betel and wine are prepared to inform the gods before the officials and candidates enter the communal house. Many villagers come to watch their children show off their writing skills. Three days before the exam, candidates must go to Mr. Cau Duong's house to register for the exam. When taking the exam, they must bring a tray of 10 pieces of betel. Early in the morning, the village organizes the exam, the mandarins and old scholars in the village meet to elect people to be judges. A drum beat sounds, the scholars bring mats, pens and paper to the communal house to take their seats and present their test books. The judges, who are also supervisors, stamp the test books and return them to the scholars. After nine drum beats, the candidates open their books. The school exam is a text to worship the gods. Sometimes it is a book of essays, or a text about something in the village. During the exam, candidates also had to take a "stamp" on the sun center. At noon, a long drum beat, candidates handed in their books. The examiners marked them right at Dinh Trung. Any exam that met the requirements would be admitted to the literary association. The prize was paper and pen, those who were ranked excellent did not have to pay, those ranked average only had to pay 1/3, those ranked average paid according to the literary association fee. This was a literary contest that not only recruited people into the literary association but was also a way to encourage learning and honor those who were literate.
In the 7th year of Minh Mang (1826), on May 18, the village discussed again: Whoever passed the imperial examinations when returning home in glory, the village would prepare ceremonial regalia to welcome them. As for those who passed the regional examinations and passed the four exams when returning to the village market, they would welcome them home to show their respect. When they died, whoever had a doctorate degree would have officials dress them in white robes and hats to perform the ceremony. Every year, the village would come to pay their respects on Tet. Quynh Doi village established a consulting association early (1600), the association actively participated in the village's activities, playing a key role in setting up contracts, supplementing regulations, especially on encouraging learning.
The Spring Literature Contest is a cultural beauty of the ancient Quynh village that needs to be preserved and cherished for future generations.
Dr. Phan Xuan Thanh
