Spring Festival is transformed: Why?

From cultural integration, competition in the market economy, commercialization of festivals to the way of organizing... festivals are increasingly transformed.

In recent days, public opinion has continuously argued about the pig-slaughtering festival in Nem Thuong village (Bac Ninh), the "melee" scene of stealing fortune at the Giong Festival (Hanoi), or jostling to grab the "sacred mat" to the point of scratching faces at the "Buddha casting" festival (Vinh Phuc), causing the image of the early spring festival to be viewed in a distorted way.

Need to criticize offensive behavior at festivals

According to research by world culturalists, all festivals from ancient times to the present, from East to West, from Europe to Asia, originated from agriculture. Ancient people depended on the weather, favorable weather and wind for crops to have a good harvest, and a prosperous life. From there, the idea of ​​fertility arose, praying for a good harvest. The custom of slaughtering pigs in early spring in Nem Thuong village (Bac Ninh) is also inherited from such ideas of our ancestors.

People of Nem Thuong village (Bac Ninh) perform the traditional pig-slaughtering ceremony in the communal house yard (Photo: Le Hieu/Tri Thuc)

According to Professor Kieu Thu Hoach, former Editor-in-Chief of the Folk Culture Magazine and Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Institute of Folk Culture Research, all festivals today originate from national traditions and what our ancestors have left us. The festivals themselves all have a positive direction, even though the form of expression may not be suitable for modern concepts.

However, the acts of fighting to gain fortune at the Gióng Festival or the Phet-snatching Festival for good luck must be condemned. This is an act that is contrary to the customs of the festival and has a negative impact in the direction of spreading.

Professor Kieu Thu Hoach believes that the cause of the above behavior is partly due to modern thinking, the market economy creates a lot of competition, and infiltrates unhealthy rural thoughts: “From one person inciting, the whole crowd will incite. Robbing is a lucky thing, but it is not as distorted and terrible as it is today. We need to strongly criticize this behavior and attitude. Researchers, managers and the media should also contribute to reorienting thinking as well as finding good ways to manage festivals.”

"Melee" to steal bamboo flowers at Giong Festival (Photo: Tuoi Tre)

Festivals are inevitably transformed.

It is easy to see that many festivals are being transformed, but to change and adjust them to match modern concepts and traditional values ​​is not easy. Professor Le Hong Ly, Director of the Institute of Cultural Studies - Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, even believes that negativity in festivals is inevitable.

Due to the strong development of urban areas, the relics are increasingly narrowed, the sacredness of the relics is also lost. This leads to the space of the festival being narrowed, causing some activities and meanings of the festival to be reduced. Gradually, people's understanding of the festival is no longer complete and is easily affected by external factors. Especially in the era of strong cultural integration like today.

The market economy is also a factor that has a profound impact on festivals. Thanks to the market economy, many festivals, relics, games, customs, rituals, etc. of traditional festivals have been restored. Only then can we attract tourists to visit, increase revenue, and push up service costs. However, besides that, the negative factors of commercialization, when money is pushed higher than the need to enjoy culture, also appear strongly and complicatedly such as old customs, superstitions, etc.

Professor Le Hong Ly said: “The market economy is strongly affecting traditional festivals and causing many changes in festivals. On the one hand, it is suitable for the new life, but on the other hand, it causes the loss of some traditional features that many of us may regret, but it is inevitable. Doing culture to make money while still preserving cultural values ​​is not an easy problem, and turning culture into just an excuse to make money is a problem that needs to be avoided at all costs, because that is anti-cultural.”

The organization of festivals as well as the management role of authorities at all levels are also worth mentioning. According to Professor, Dr. Le Hong Ly, in order to exploit the material of folk festivals, while still bearing national identity without contrasting tradition and modernity, there needs to be close and harmonious coordination between organizers, scientific researchers and artists. The distinction between belief and superstition, the extent to which old rituals are restored, time, space, sacrifices, merit issues, etc. must all be paid attention to.

Management work at localities needs to be strict and synchronous so as not to affect the space of the relics, but also not lose the inherent beauty of the festival.

To make the spring festival free of bad images, it requires the contribution of not only all levels of government but also the awareness of the people. Because traditional festivals not only have spiritual elements but are also important factors in making the cultural face of our country more vivid and rich./.

According to VOV