King Mai Temple Festival - A destination for cultural and spiritual tourism.

(Baonghean) - Nam Dan has many historical sites marking pivotal periods in the nation's history. Among them, the complex of relics associated with the life of Mai Thuc Loan and his leadership in repelling the Tang Dynasty invaders has long become an attractive destination for tourists from near and far, especially the King Mai Temple Festival held on the full moon of the first lunar month every year...

In the town of Sa Nam, in what is now Nam Dan district, there are three historical sites related to King Mai (Mai Thuc Loan): the mausoleum, the temple of Mai Hac De, and the tomb of King Mai's mother. These are national historical sites, and it is believed that these three sites are extremely sacred.

Wrestling at the King Mai Festival in 2014. Photo: Pham Bang

King Mai's mother, originally from Thach Ha district (Ha Tinh province), migrated to the Du De forest (present-day Nam Thai commune, Nam Dan district), where she earned a living by gathering firewood and vegetables. She gave birth to Mai Thuc Loan, her only son. After her death, the villagers took care of him, and he grew into a strong, robust young man, who later became Mai Hac De. Her tomb is located on the summit of Du De hill, considered sacred. Thanks to this, for thousands of years, the du De forest has remained lush and green, untouched by bombs and bullets, and no one has dared to cut it down.

Boat racing at the King Mai Temple Festival. Photo: Thanh Le

Not far from there, at the foot of Mount Đụn (Hùng Sơn), now in Vân Diên commune, lies the tomb of Mai Hắc Đế and his son, Mai Thúc Huy – considered the stronghold of the Vạn An capital under the Mai dynasty. From Vạn An, the resistance against the Tang invaders in the 8th century drew the participation of people from all over the country and led to complete victory. The Mai Hắc Đế tomb, now restored, stands behind majestic ancient architectural structures dedicated to him and his generals, and is a place where people and tourists come to pay their respects on major holidays.

From the mausoleum, after traveling a little over a kilometer, visitors reach the Mai Hac De Temple in the Ngoc Dai Son area, formerly part of Huong Lam village, Non Lieu commune, now Sa Nam town. This is an ancient, majestic, and famously sacred temple considered the headquarters of Mai Thuc Loan's rebellion. When he declared himself emperor and established the country of Van An, this place was considered the capital. Mai Thuc Loan's rebellion, which took place from 713 to 813, drove out the brutal Tang Dynasty army that invaded our country and exploited the poor... King Mai, his two wives, Dinh Thi To Ngoc and Pham Thi Uyen, the princes Mai Bao Son, Mai Ky Son, Mai Thuc Huy (Mai Thieu De), and other generals who bravely sacrificed themselves in the resistance are all solemnly worshipped here. The temple was most recently renovated in 2005 and consists of three parts: the Upper Hall dedicated to the king and his family; the Middle Hall dedicated to the king's generals and loyal heroes; The lower hall is a place for communal worship and rituals, and houses many artifacts such as the royal throne, ancestral tablets, and couplets. Among them is a famous couplet related to the people's sentiments of that time: "With hearts like father and son, hand in hand to fight the enemy / For a thousand years, like king and subject, side by side to ascend to heaven." Every year at the temple of King Mai, in addition to the festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month, there are also memorial days for the king's mother and queens in July, and the king's death anniversary on September 16th, attracting a large number of local people and tourists from all over.

In early spring, visiting Nam Dan allows one to truly feel the vibrant atmosphere of preparation for the opening ceremony. The streets are adorned with flags, banners, and slogans welcoming the 2015 King Mai Temple Festival. Mr. Nguyen Thien Dung, Head of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Department of Nam Dan district, said: “This year, at the King Mai Temple Festival, people will witness some restored traditional festival activities such as the water procession from Sa Nam wharf to the King Mai temple. They will also enjoy the Cai Luong play “Mai Hac De” by author Nguyen The Ky, former Secretary of the Nam Dan District Party Committee (now Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department), performed by the Cai Luong Theatre.”Vietnamese Cai Luong (traditional opera) performance. It is known that after its performance at the Au Co Art Center (Hanoi) from January 27th to 29th, the Cai Luong play "Mai Hac De" left a deep impression on the audience. Over three nights of performances, nearly 3,000 spectators not only enjoyed the story of the national hero Mai Thuc Loan - Mai Hac De from over 1,300 years ago, but also felt the timely messages: patriotism, national spirit, and the protection of territorial integrity.

In various localities throughout Nam Dan district, the atmosphere of preparation for the festival is equally vibrant. In the communes of Khanh Son, Nam Trung, Nam Phuc, Nam Kim, Nam Cuong, Nam Loc, Nam Tan, Nam Thuong, Van Dien, Nam Thanh, Nam Hung, Nam Nghia, and the town, youth union members are working together to "design" impressive camp houses, tables, gardens, and entrance gates, contributing to the success of the camp held at the festival. Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa, a resident of Van Dien commune, shared: "The atmosphere of preparation for the King Mai Temple Festival attracts a large number of people, young and old, men and women in the commune, to participate in festival activities such as camp, volleyball, football, card games, cockfighting, swinging... Every year, we women participate in the competition to make sticky rice with chicken - a beautiful tradition of the King Mai Temple Festival."

Mr. Dinh Xuan Que, Chairman of the People's Committee of Nam Dan District and Head of the Organizing Committee for the 2015 King Mai Temple Festival, stated: The 2015 King Mai Temple Festival is considered a key highlight of the province's 2015 festivals, aiming to commemorate the merits of King Mai and his generals, and to recall the heroic spirit of the uprising that defeated the northern invaders and established the independent Van An Kingdom. It also contributes to educating the younger generation, especially about the nation's history and national defense, fostering pride and patriotism in line with the "Learning and Following the Moral Example of Ho Chi Minh" campaign. Through the festival's activities, it aims to promote and introduce the cultural values ​​of the King Mai temples and mausoleums, thereby attracting investors and visitors to explore and appreciate them. This will promote the traditional culture and customs of the nation and the locality, laying the groundwork for tourism development in the district. Therefore, continuing the tradition of previous years' festivals, the 2015 King Mai Temple Festival was organized with a strong emphasis on traditional culture, closely linked to the legends and historical stories of Mai Hac De and his army. The festival consists of two parts: The ceremonial part includes rituals deeply rooted in spiritual culture, such as the water procession, the opening ceremony, the announcement ceremony, the procession, the incense offering ceremony in remembrance of King Mai, the grand sacrifice ceremony, and the thanksgiving ceremony. The festive part includes many lively activities reflecting the nation's fine traditions with a spirit of martial arts and unity, such as boat racing, card games, cockfighting, swing riding, wrestling, stick pushing, volleyball and football competitions, and cultural performances. During the festival days, people from various localities in Nam Dan will prepare elaborate offerings to present to King Mai and his army. For the 2015 festival season, the Organizing Committee is setting high standards for ensuring security and order, as well as arranging food and beverage areas, restrooms, and services for local people and visitors attending the festival.

With thorough preparation and sincere devotion, the 2015 King Mai Temple Festival is being eagerly awaited by people and tourists from all over the country during the first full moon of the lunar month to participate in the festivities.

Thanh Thuy