Opening Ceremony of the Mai Bang Temple Festival, Cua Lo Ward

Attending the ceremony were: Mr. Bui Cong Vinh – Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism; and Ms. Tran Thi Kim Phuong – Head of the Provincial Relics Management Board.

Representing Cua Lo ward were Comrade Ngo Duc Kien - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Secretary of the Ward Party Committee; ward leaders; and a large number of local people and tourists from all over.

According to royal decrees, ancestral tablets preserved at historical sites, and genealogical records of families in Cua Lo ward, in 1771, six families from six different clans migrated from Mai Lam village, Ha Tinh province, to Con Mui (now Con Go - Mai Bang) to establish a village. About nine years later, admiring the talent and virtue of Vo Muc Chieu Trung Dai Vuong Le Khoi (a famous general of the Later Le Dynasty), the villagers built the Mai Bang temple and erected ancestral tablets for worship.

His posthumous name was Võ Mục, and he was from Lam Sơn village, Thụy Nguyên district, Thanh Hoa province (now Thanh Hóa province). In 1418, when Lê Lợi raised an army in the Lam Sơn region, Lê Khôi joined the rebel army, participated in many battles, achieved many great accomplishments, and served as an official under three dynasties (Lê Thái Tổ, Lê Thái Tông, and Lê Nhân Tông).

In 1443, he was appointed governor of Hoan Chau, in what is now Nghe An - Ha Tinh province. He helped the people reclaim land, establish villages, develop agricultural production, and organize military training and strengthen the defense lines.

In 1446, after defeating the Champa army, on his victorious return, he unfortunately fell seriously ill and passed away on the 3rd day of the 5th lunar month. His remains were buried by the people at the foot of Long Ngam mountain in the Cua Sot area (now Thach Ha commune, Ha Tinh province).

The worship of Le Khoi and his veneration as the village's patron deity was recognized by the Vietnamese feudal dynasties, and numerous royal decrees were issued entrusting Mai Bang village with the responsibility of providing for his worship. The temple also houses the shrine of Lady Che Thang Nguyen Thi Bich Chau, a virtuous and talented concubine who, in 1373, accompanied the King in suppressing the Champa army and sacrificed herself. The temple also venerates Lady Thuy Tinh, Ta Mau Lam Lang, and Huu Que Lam Lang, the Great General. When Mai Tien Pagoda was destroyed by fire, the temple also served as a sanctuary for the Three Jewels of Buddhism and the ancestors of 15 clans.

The Mai Bang Temple Festival is an occasion for people to remember the great contributions of their ancestors, saints, and deities who served the country and founded villages. It is also an opportunity for people to express their faith in receiving blessings and protection, ensuring calm seas, peaceful lives, abundant harvests, and prosperous businesses.

Due to the unique nature of the festival activities, on January 6, 2026, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued Decision No. 23/QD-BVHTTDL recognizing the Mai Bang Temple Festival in Cua Lo Ward as an Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The Mai Bang Temple Festival in 2026 will take place from March 26th to 30th (corresponding to the 8th to 12th days of the 2nd lunar month). The ceremonial part will be solemn with rituals such as: consecration, announcement, spirit possession, prayer for a good fishing season, offering of rice cakes, procession, and grand sacrifice. The festive part will be lively with sports activities: football, volleyball, boat racing; competitions in making rice cakes, weaving nets, grilling fish, stick pushing, and human chess.