Nine-chamber Temple Festival - New national intangible heritage

(Baonghean.vn) - The Nine-Chamber Temple Festival is one of two cultural heritages of Nghe An recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. During the 2017 festival, the Que Phong district government widely publicized the festival.public awareness of this special local event.

Attending the Nine-Chamber Temple Festival were Mr. Nong Quoc Thanh - Deputy Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr. Ho Mau Thanh - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Nghe An province.

Mr. Nong Quoc Thanh - Deputy Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism awarded the certificate of recognition of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Chin Gian Temple to the representative of Que Phong district government. Photo: Huu Vi.

Previously, in Decision No. 2067 QD-BVHTTDL dated June 13, 2016, the Nine-Room Temple Festival in Que Phong District, Nghe An Province was included in the list of "National Intangible Cultural Heritage". The Decision also announced that the Con Temple Festival (Hoang Mai Town) is also included in this list.

Buffalo bathing ritual at Ta Tao wharf at the foot of Phu Cho Nhang mountain. Photo: Ho Phuong

The Nine-chamber Temple Festival is a traditional cultural activity of the Thai community in the former Quy Chau district. The festival space is a nine-chamber temple believed to have been built in the 14th century.

Each room is a worship space of 9 Thai Muongs in present-day Que Phong, Quy Chau, and Quy Hop districts.

The Nine-Room Temple is a place to worship Pha (heaven) and those who have contributed to establishing and preserving the village, a land famous for its tradition of fighting foreign invaders of the Lam Son army in the 15th century and the Can Vuong movement with the name of General Lang Van Thiet in the 19th century.

In 1927, the temple was restored and restored by local authorities in 2004.

Symbolic buffalo slaughtering ceremony at the Nine-Chamber Temple festival in 2017. Photo: Ho Phuong.

The Nine-Chamber Temple Festival used to take place every three years in the eighth lunar month, with temple worship rituals, notably the buffalo sacrifice ceremony… Previously, each Muong had to sacrifice a buffalo during the festival. Traditional folk games such as tug of war, carving furrows, bamboo dancing, cockfighting… were indispensable activities in the festival.

This year, the Organizing Committee of the Nine-Chamber Temple Festival did not conduct the buffalo sacrifice ceremony as in previous years. This shows that the Nine-Chamber Temple Festival has said no to offensive rituals.

Art performance at the Nine-Chamber Temple Festival in 2017. Photo: Ho Phuong.

In 2006, the festival was held again on a larger scale. Since then, the festival has been held regularly from the 14th to the 16th of the second lunar month. The festival takes place at the Nine-Garden Temple on Phu Cho Nhang Mountain in Chau Kim Commune, Que Phong District (Nghe An). This is not only a spiritual and cultural activity of the 9 Muong region but also attracts a large number of visitors from all over the country to attend the festival.

Although there was no festival, it still attracted a large number of local people to watch the buffalo sacrifice ceremony this year. Photo: Huu Vi.

During the announcement ceremony held on March 12, 2017, the Que Phong district government also launched an action program with the motto "to make people see themselves as protectors and beneficiaries" of cultural heritage. In addition, the restoration of traditional rituals and folk games are also included in the goals of this action program./.

Ho Phuong - Huu Vi