Spring Festival

(Baonghean) - In 2013, our province will hold 25 festivals, most concentrated from January to March of the lunar calendar (including 17 festivals from the highlands to the lowlands). Each festival has its own unique color, characteristic of each distinct region.

After the warm and family-filled Tet holidays, on the 5th day of Tet, we went up the road to Chau Cuong - Quy Hop and joined the local people in the Pan Pang - Nang Ny festival (or Muong Ham festival). This is a unique traditional cultural festival, typical of the traditional folk cultural identity of the Muong people of Khun Tinh, originating from the legend of the love story of Nang Ny - Khun Tinh in the folk cultural treasure of the Thai ethnic group in Western Nghe An, along with the legend related to Tao Noi in building villages and establishing Muong villages at the end of the 17th century to defeat the Xa invaders in the folk consciousness. This year, the festival officially took place on the 5th and 6th days of the Lunar New Year. The highlight of the Pan Pang - Nang Ny festival is the ancient Thai writing contest. This is a cultural feature to preserve and promote the ancient Thai script of the Muong people, which is facing the risk of being lost. Also during this festival, many entertainment activities such as: throwing con, archery, tug of war, gong beating... took place bustlingly in the middle of a vast mountainous area of ​​Western Nghe An.

Saying goodbye to the land of Khun Tinh, we return to President Ho Chi Minh's homeland to visit the Mai King Temple festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month. This year's Mai King Festival coincides with the 1300th anniversary of the Hoan Chau uprising and the 1290th anniversary of the death of Mai King, so the ceremonial and festival activities are more attractive and diverse. Mr. Nguyen Xuan Tam - Deputy Director of Nam Dan Cultural and Sports Center said: Mai King Temple Festival 2013 will take place in 3 days (13th - 15th of the first lunar month). The celebration program has 4 parts including the Opening Song, Festival Day by Lam River; Celebration and the Art Program "Van An Flame". This program is expected to be broadcast live on VTV and NTV.

From January 19 to 21, the Con Temple Festival - Quynh Luu takes place. The festival opens with spring boats decorated with flags and colorful flowers, to the sound of drums and gongs. This year, there is a special performance of a naval battle associated with the legend of the temple's construction, with blue and red troops fighting on a rugged mountain range from Oi village to Con Temple. In addition, folk games such as: swinging, wrestling, human chess, dragon boat racing, singing tuong, cheo, and chau van are interwoven in a bustling atmosphere...



Nine-chamber Temple Festival (Que Phong).

Also at this time, in Bach Ngoc commune - Do Luong, the Qua Son temple festival is held once a year from January 20 to 21, an occasion for people to commemorate Uy Minh Vuong Ly Nhat Quang, the 8th son of King Ly Cong Uan. The most special feature of the Qua Son temple festival is the procession to thank Ba But at Ba But pagoda (Tien Tich Tu). According to legend, Ba But is the one who always helps Ly Nhat Quang in developing the military and economy. At the Qua Son temple festival, visitors can immerse themselves in the sacred space with the trance ceremony, the procession by water and road and many fun folk games: cockfighting, swinging, card chess, human chess, wrestling... Especially attracting visitors is the boat racing festival on the Lam river. Also on this occasion, in Chau Tien commune - Quy Chau, the Hang Bua festival takes place. This is a festival imbued with the folk cultural identity of the ethnic minorities in the highlands of Northwest Nghe An. The festival takes place with spiritual rituals and cultural and sports activities such as: cave playing festival, cultural exchange, crossbow shooting competition, throwing con, pushing stick, modern sports, culinary culture competition, Thai Lai Pao writing competition, spinning and incense wrapping competition...

There are also festivals such as Van Temple - Cua Rao (Xa Luong - Tuong Duong) from January 20 to 22; Pu Nha Thau in Huu Kiem Commune - Ky Son (from January 16 to 17); Nguyen Xi - Nghi Hop - Nghi Loc (January 29 to February 1); Thanh Liet Temple (Hung Lam - Hung Nguyen) on February 6; Bach Ma Temple (Vo Liet Commune - Thanh Chuong) from February 9 to 10); Vac Village (Nghia Hoa - Thai Hoa Town) from February 7 to 9; Chin Gian Temple (from February 14 to 16) in Chau Kim - Que Phong; Ru Gam Temple - Xuan Thanh - Yen Thanh (from February 14 to 16); Cuong Temple - Dien An - Dien Chau (from February 14 to 15); and Cua Temple Festival - Nghi Khanh - Nghi Loc is the last festival ending the series of early spring festivals in Nghe An.

Mr. Pham Tien Dung - Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism said: In order for Nghe An festival to truly promote traditional cultural values, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Nghe An has issued a document directing the strengthening of propaganda and inspection work; assigning relevant sectors to jointly implement and have appropriate scenarios associated with the specific themes of each festival; at the same time, having a management and organization mechanism suitable to the scale, nature and characteristics of each local festival in order to put festival activities into order and preserve regional cultural identity.

Thanh Thuy