(Baonghean) –This morning, March 29, 2010, the Nine-Room Temple Festival opened in Que Phong district..The Festival takes place over 3 days, from March 29 to 31.

Nine-Room Temple FestivalA unique big festival of the Thai people in Western Nghe An. The ceremony is solemn and sacred, the festival is bustling and joyful, full of national culture. The procession follows each other, winding through the villages, through the streams, all heading towards the Temple, so that boys and girls can compete, perform love songs, so that the gong sounds can resound, spread to the villages, echo to the mountains and forests when turning to a new day….

Back to the legend

In the treasure trove of Thai folk tales, there is still a beautiful legend of the founding of the Muong.

Once upon a time, Tao Muong in Luang Pha Bang (now the ancient capital of Luang Phrabang - Laos) gave birth to two sons, the older one was Lo Y, the younger one was Lo Ai. Although both were intelligent and stronger than others, the younger one was greedy and jealous. Seeing that his father intended to give the throne to his older brother, he killed him and threw his body into the Ma River. Lo Y's body drifted downstream, stuck in a narrow river. Luckily, a crow took pity on him and gave him a dose of elixir. Lo Y came back to life. The people saw that Lo Y was strong and of noble lineage, so they honored him as Tao, thanks to which the ancient land became more prosperous. In gratitude to the crow that saved their lives, the people there named their Muong Muong Ca Gia (Muong Qua Cuu - now Hoi Xuan commune, Quan Hoa district - Thanh Hoa). After a few years, because he loved his old parents so much, Tao Lo Y gave others the right to return to his hometown, but he did not know the way and got lost in a Thai land. At the request of everyone, Lo Y stayed to help people establish villages and became the first lord of the land here. The first land ruled by Tao Lo Y was called Muong Ton (Muong Chu, Muong Go) including Pieng Chao, Ban Do, Ban Giang (Chau Kim), Ban Don Con (Muong Noc), Ban Poi, Ban Din Danh (Chau Thon), Muong Cho Le (Tri Le). Following that, eight more Muongs were established later: Muong Quang, Muong Chun, Muong Pan, Muong Puoc, Muong Ha Quen, Muong Mieng, Muong Chon, Muong Chong, belonging to 11 communes of 3 districts: Que Phong, Quy Chau and Quy Hop.

Under the talented and virtuous rule of Tao Lo Y, life in the past was much different. But God still often caused natural disasters and floods, so the people of the Muongs asked Tao to build a temple in Muong Ton, as a place to offer buffaloes to God, praying for favorable weather and crops. The local people called the temple Ten Xo Quai (Cow Offering Temple), but because the temple had nine rooms, it was changed to Ten Cau Hong (Nine-Room Temple).

Before the 18th century, the Nine-Chamber Temple was built on the top of Pu Cho Nhang (over 350 m high), northwest of Muong Ton (more than 2 km from Khoang-Chau Kim village). Large festivals were held annually. According to veteran teacher Lo Khanh Xuyen (former Head of the District Education Department), before 1972, due to historical war characteristics, the festival gradually faded away.

In response to the spiritual needs of the people, as well as the restoration of a unique large festival of the Thai people in the West, at the end of 2003, the People's Committee of Que Phong district decided to start the construction and renovation of the Nine-Chamber Temple. In June 2006, after more than 30 years, the festival was restored.

Sparkling festival

Usually, during each festival, the indispensable offering is a buffalo that has never been used for plowing and has no defects on its body. In addition, each village has 9 piglets, 90 small chickens and 90 grilled river fish. Nowadays, to be suitable, it is not necessary to have all the offerings as before, but still ensure all the details, even the smallest, to serve in the festival.

On the opening day of the festival, the Tao Muong gathered the elders, officials and young men of the nine Muongs to bring offerings, including fish, chickens, pigs, wine and buffaloes. The procession was led by the Tao Muong, followed by the elders, officials, offerings, followed by Ong Ap (the man bathing the buffalo), Ba Mo Muong, Cac Xao Luc Mo (beautiful girls) and finally the group of people attending the festival of the Muong. The group followed each other, winding through the villages, through the ravines, through the streams, all heading towards the temple. Upon arrival, the Muongs divided up and brought the offerings to the room reserved for their own Muong, where there were already 9 bamboo trays, 9 reed stalls, 3 wooden trays (Muong Ton alone had 5 wooden trays). The stalls were arranged in 4 levels. In the middle of each room was a jar of wine with 9 bamboo sticks.

At the "Hap Quai" ceremony (buffalo offering ceremony), the shaman leads the Tao Muong, the Ap and the elders holding torches to circle the buffalo of the Muong 3 times to show their agreement to offer the buffalo. Then the Ap leadsThe buffalo went down to bathe at the Ta Tao river bank with 9 splashes of water and led the buffalo in another direction to the temple. After the buffalo was tied to the pole, the shaman swung his knife and slashed the buffalo's neck. The buffalo meat, after being cut, was placed on the highest step of the offering place. The shaman performed the ritual of steaming the monster. After the ceremony, the meat was processed on the spot and divided equally for everyone to enjoy. Any meat that was not eaten was left behind or thrown into the stream; no one was allowed to take any part home.

The solemn and sacred ceremony ended, starting the bustling and joyful activities of the festival: crossbow shooting, tug of war, traditional wrestling, bamboo dancing, hoop dancing, con throwing, the camp also attracted a large number of boys and girls to participate. But the most noticeable were still the love songs performed in the forms of xuoi, lam, nhuon. These songs, in addition to wishing the village to live long, wishing the 9 villages and 10 villages peace and happiness, were also love songs, looking for friends. This activity was not only around the temple area but also spread to neighboring villages and lasted until the mountains and forests turned to a new day. The words "hap bao thao" (boys and girls singing love songs) were very simple but extremely lyrical:The monster Pu Quai is growing / The monster Muong Noc is melting(I wish I could catch the dew at Trau Temple so the reeds can catch the wind / I wish I could be the wife or husband of a Muong Noc woman who is famous for her beauty in all nine Muongs).

Those songs seemed to spread throughout the nine villages and ten muongs, bringing Muong Chun and Muong Quang closer together, making Muong Chon and Muong Chong more beautiful, so that at the Nine-Room Temple Festival we could meet again, so that the Thai people could rejoice with other ethnic groups in all parts of the country.

Article and photos: Tran Hai