Van Temple Festival - Cua Rao: An invitation from the river junction

(Baonghean) - Every year in late January, people of all ethnic groups living in Tuong Duong district turn to the Van Temple - Cua Rao Festival. Coming to the festival, people and tourists from all over the world are immersed in a joyful, bustling but very sacred atmosphere, to send and pray for good things.

Stick pushing competition at Van Temple - Cua Rao Festival 2015. Photo: Ho Phuong

Van - Cua Rao Temple is located in Xa Luong commune and is located in a very special location: At the river junction - the confluence of Nam Non and Nam Mo rivers, forming the Ca River to continue downstream to form the Lam Giang river that stirs the soul of Nghe An... That river junction is the archaeological site of Doi Den, where many artifacts (including stone production tools, weapons and bronze drums) of historical and cultural value have been excavated. These artifacts are identified as belonging to the Phung Nguyen culture, nearly 4,000 years ago.

The sacred temple at the river confluence is associated with the career and merit of General Doan Nhu Hai (Tran Dynasty), who sacrificed his life on this land to protect the border and keep the people peaceful. According to existing historical documents, around 1335, the Ai Lao invaders invaded and harassed the border area of ​​Western Nghe An, called Nam Nhung (including Ky Son, Tuong Duong and Con Cuong districts today). The lives of ethnic minorities in the border area were threatened daily, innocent people were slaughtered, and their properties were robbed. Faced with that situation, despite his old age, Retired Emperor Tran Minh Tong still decided to personally lead troops into this border area to defeat the invaders and keep the border peaceful. Tran Minh Tong appointed Doan Nhu Hai, who was then commanding the Than Vu and Than Sach armies and concurrently holding the position of Kinh Luoc Dia Su Nghe An, as General. In a battle taking place at the river confluence area, the General of the Tran Dynasty and many soldiers of the royal court heroically sacrificed their lives. After the war, life returned to peace. The people of Nam Nhung hamlet built a temple at the river junction to commemorate the contributions of Admiral Doan Nhu Hai and the Tran soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the peace of life in the border area.

Female ball tossing competition in Van Temple Festival - Cua Rao 2015

Later, people brought the spirit of the Three Holy Mothers (one of the Four Immortals according to folk beliefs) to worship at Van - Cua Rao Temple. Boats going up and down the river all stopped at the strip of land between the river junction and set foot on the temple to pray for the gods to protect them so that their journey would always be peaceful. Meanwhile, the people here take turns burning incense all year round and hold festivals in early spring to remember the merits of their ancestors and educate their homeland's traditions to their descendants. Coming to Van - Cua Rao Temple, passing by thousand-year-old trees reflecting on the Nam Non and Nam Mo rivers like witnesses of history in the endless flow of time. Everyone wants to light a stick of incense and pray for peace and prosperity.

The opening activity of this year's Van Temple - Cua Rao Festival is the camping festival. Villages and schools of Xa Luong commune have flocked to the camping ground. The camps are splendidly decorated, imbued with the identity and characteristics of the region and the nation. Along with that, the cultural exchange night attracts thousands of people and tourists to enjoy and cheer. The units bring special performances. On this occasion, folk songs and dances of the Thai, Mong and Kho Mu ethnic groups have more opportunities to be performed so that visitors from near and far can better understand the rich cultural values ​​of this remote border land; with the sound of the Khen Be sometimes low, sometimes high, the sound of the Pi flowing like a spring stream, the graceful steps in the Khen dance of the Mong boys; the rhythmic xoe circles with the Lam Vong dance, Mua Sap dance. The sound of gongs and drums resounding on the Nam Mo and Nam Non rivers...

Stilt walking competition in the Van Temple - Cua Rao festival

When the drums of the festival begin, the procession of the spirit of General Doan Nhu Hai and the Three Holy Mothers begins. The celebrant recites the merits of the gods worshiped at the temple and prays for peace and prosperity, favorable weather, bountiful harvests, and peaceful villages. Outside the festival grounds, sports and folk games take place enthusiastically and excitingly. The boys and girls of the ethnic groups in the highlands of Tuong Duong play swings in the bustling cheering crowd; and there are also crossbow shooting, tug of war, stick pushing, and ball throwing... It can be said that coming to the Van - Cua Rao Temple Festival is coming to the historical roots of the struggle to build and defend the country; coming to a beautiful countryside with friendly and hospitable people, a place to entrust one's spirituality to live better in real life and a place for us to have peaceful, exciting and enthusiastic moments to start a year of labor and production.

Talking to us, Mr. Luong Van Phan - Chairman of Xa Luong Commune People's Committee affirmed: "The Van Temple - Cua Rao Festival is a place to express the spirit of solidarity and mutual love of the ethnic groups living on Tuong Duong land. It is also an opportunity to preserve the cultural identity of the ethnic groups. Because this is a gathering place for folk songs, folk dances and traditional musical instruments, and a playground for folk games".

The drumbeat of the Van Temple - Cua Rao Festival has resounded. The land, sky, mountains and rivers are bustling with the colors of Spring, people's hearts are excited and thrilled. The happy day at the river junction beckons, the land and people of Tuong Duong are joyfully welcoming and inviting friends from near and far to come to the festival...

Cong Kien - Xuan Hoang