Festival at the river junction

(Baonghean) For several years now, I have never missed the Van Temple - Cua Rao Festival. Every time after the Lantern Festival, the time begins to tick in the last week of the first lunar month, meaning when Spring begins to come to its fullness, I pack my luggage and travel more than 200 km, from Vinh City to the legendary river junction to share the joy of the festival with the residents of the upper Lam River.

At the end of January, there are many festivals taking place in the whole province, but I don't know why I always reserve a spiritual corner for the Van Temple - Cua Rao Festival. Is it true that going to Cua Rao to attend the festival is an interesting spring trip when you can admire the beauty of the forest trees in the budding and blooming period and the simple, honest beauty and hospitality of the people in the mountains? Or is Cua Rao the starting point of the Lam River, a cultural symbol and pride of the people of Nghe An, so there is something very sacred? Perhaps it is both, because the sacredness, joy and innocence of the people, along with the poetic and majestic beauty of the mountains, rivers, clouds and sky have created the unique features of the Van Temple - Cua Rao Festival.

The procession of the spirit tablet of Doan Nhu Hai and the Three Holy Mothers

Van Temple is located in a very special place. It is a strip of land at the confluence of three rivers, the confluence of the Nam Non and Nam Mo streams to form the smooth green Lam River and day by day, it has been tirelessly fertilizing the fields, bringing prosperity to the people of Nghe An. This location is the archaeological site of Doi Den (in Xa Luong commune, Tuong Duong), where scientists have discovered many valuable artifacts (including stone production tools, weapons and bronze drums). These artifacts are identified as belonging to the Phung Nguyen culture, nearly 4,000 years ago. Some official historical documents confirm that the Cua Rao area was once a stop for many national heroes in their career of fighting to defend the country as well as their journey to expand the territory. Typical examples include the feat of opening the upper road and pacifying the Ai Lao invaders of Uy Minh Vuong Ly Nhat Quang (Ly dynasty); the heroic sacrifice of Admiral Doan Nhu Hai (Tran Dynasty) when he and Retired Emperor Tran Minh Tong personally led the army to this land to defeat the Ai Lao invaders, keeping the border peaceful; Cua Rao was also the stopping place of Le Loi on his journey to open the upper road to advance from the West of Thanh Hoa to Nghe An to pacify the invading Ming invaders.

I still remember, in 2009, the first time I went to the Van - Cua Rao Temple Festival, I heard Mr. Nguyen Dinh Ngu (deceased), the person who had the merit of looking after and taking care of the temple for more than 40 years, even during the times of bombs and bullets, tell about the story of the sacred temple and the Van - Cua Rao Temple Festival. Around 1335, the Ai Lao invaders invaded and harassed the Nam Nhung land (later called Tuong district, including Ky Son, Tuong Duong and Con Cuong districts today). The lives of the ethnic people in the border land were threatened every day. In that situation, despite his old age, the retired Emperor Tran Minh Tong still decided to personally lead the army to the border land of Western Nghe An to suppress the enemy and keep the border peaceful. Tran Minh Tong appointed Doan Nhu Hai, who was then commanding the Than Vu and Than Sach troops and concurrently holding the position of Kinh Luoc Dia Su Nghe An, to be the General.

In a battle that took place at the river junction, due to thick fog and unfavorable weather, the Tran Dynasty Governor and many soldiers of the royal court were sacrificed. After the war, life returned to peace, the people of Nam Nhung hamlet built a temple on the strip of land located in the middle of the river junction to commemorate the merits of Governor Doan Nhu Hai and the Tran Dynasty soldiers who sacrificed for the peace of life in the border area.

Later, the local people also brought the spirit tablet of the Three Holy Mothers (one of the Four Immortals according to folk beliefs) to worship at Van - Cua Rao Temple. All the owners and passengers of the boats going up and down the river stopped at the strip of land between the river junction and stepped onto the temple to pray for the gods to protect them so that their journey would always be peaceful. The local people took turns burning incense all year round and held festivals in early spring to remember the merits of their ancestors and to educate the younger generation about their homeland's traditions. And then, Mr. Ngu also "bragged" to me that: "Before the August Revolution, King Bao Dai used to visit the river junction and go to Cua Rao Temple to worship. The famous photographer Vo An Ninh also came to this land and captured beautiful moments."

Con throwing, traditional game of Thai people

A simple bamboo bridge over the Nam Mo River leads the procession carrying the gods' tablets from the riverbank on Highway 7A to the temple yard. The procession passes by thousand-year-old trees casting their shadows on the Nam Non and Nam Mo Rivers, like witnesses of history before the flow of time.

The procession stopped in front of the temple yard. Incense smoke billowed and spread... On behalf of all the local people, the celebrant chanted the merits of the gods and prayed for favorable weather, peace and prosperity for the country. Then each person lit a stick of incense and prayed for peace and prosperity. From the temple yard, back to the bamboo bridge to the Nam Mo riverbank, this is where the entertainment activities took place. This place was bustling with the colorful dresses of Thai, Mong and Khmu girls. Everyone's face was radiant and joyful in the overflowing colors of Spring. I like to come to the Van Temple - Cua Rao Festival partly because of the appeal of cau lam, cau xuoi, dieu tom and cu xia.

I was truly enchanted by the sound of the panpipes, sometimes low, sometimes high, the sound of the pi, flowing like a spring stream, and the melodious sound of the panpipes and the graceful steps in the dance of the Mong boys. I was captivated by the rhythmic xoe circles and the lam vong and lam toi dances. Then the sound of gongs and drums harmonizing with the murmur of the Nam Non and Nam Mo rivers and the rhythm of life in the mountains and forests of the border...

The Van Temple - Cua Rao Festival is a place to express the spirit of solidarity and mutual love of the ethnic groups living in Tuong Duong. It is also an opportunity to preserve cultural identity. Because in addition to folk songs, folk dances and traditional musical instruments, the festival is also a "land" for folk games (throwing con, crossbow shooting, boat racing, swinging) and a place for the Thai Lai Pao script to revive (through the writing competition).

Last year, Mr. Ho Manh Ha, an officer of the Nghe An Monuments and Landscapes Management Board, told me: "The Cua Rao Temple Festival basically ensures environmental sanitation, security and order, and there are no superstitions or disguised gambling."

The drumbeat of the Van Temple - Cua Rao Festival is about to resound. My heart is fluttering and excited. My luggage is ready, tomorrow I will go to Tuong Palace, to the land of the river confluence to attend the Spring Festival...

Cong Kien