Opening ceremony of Nine-Room Temple Festival and 55th anniversary of Que Phong district establishment
(Baonghean.vn) - The Nine-Room Temple Festival is associated with the founding legends of the Thai people in the mountainous region of Nghe An.
On the morning of March 31, Que Phong district (Nghe An) held the opening ceremony of the Nine-Room Temple festival and celebrated the 55th anniversary of the district's founding.
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| The Nine-Chamber Temple Festival is a long-standing cultural and spiritual activity of the Thai people in ancient Quy Chau. The festival has been restored and held regularly since 2014. Photo: Ho Phuong |
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| Comrade Lu Dinh Thi - Secretary of Que Phong District Party Committee beats the drum to open the Nine-Room Temple Festival 2018. Photo: Ho Phuong |
The Nine-Room Temple Festival is a traditional cultural activity of the Thai people in Quy Chau district in the past. The festival is closely linked to the history of the Nine-Room Temple (named Cau Hoong) dating back to the 14th century.
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| Attending the opening ceremony of the Nine-Chamber Temple Festival and the 55th anniversary of the establishment of Que Phong district were Mr. Hoang Viet Duong - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council, leaders of provincial departments and agencies. Representatives of Dinh Hoa (Thai Nguyen), Tay Tra (Quang Ngai) and Nhu Xuan (Thanh Hoa) districts.Photo: Huu Vi |
In the past, the festival was attended by 9 Thai Muongs spread across the present-day districts of Que Phong, Quy Chau and Quy Hop. Each Muong had its own worshiping chamber and that is also the origin of the temple's name. Every 3 years, there is a big festival and all Muongs must sacrifice buffaloes at the Nine-Garden Temple.
After several relocations and renovations, in the early 20th century the temple moved to Pu Pom mountain in Chau Kim commune, which is also its current location.
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| Buffalo procession, an old ritual at the Nine-Chamber Temple Festival. The 2018 festival season no longer features buffalo slaughter. The buffalo that participated in the procession was returned to its owner afterwards. Photo: Huu Vi. |
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| The Great Sacrifice Ceremony at the Nine-Chamber Temple in 2018. Photo: Ho Phuong |
The Nine-Chamber Temple Festival is associated with the founding legends of the Thai people in the mountainous region of Nghe An, associated with the legend of Xi Da, the daughter of heaven, and the head of the village named Lo Y. In 2016, the Nine-Chamber Temple Festival ritual was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
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| Engraving Association next to the sacred temple. Photo: Ho Phuong |
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| Thousands of tourists came to the Nine-Room Temple Festival in 2018. Photo: Huu Vi |
Also at the opening ceremony of the Nine-Chamber Temple festival, the Que Phong district government held a ceremony to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the district's founding.
According to Resolution 52 of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam on April 19, 1963, 7 district-level administrative units in Nghe An were divided, of which Quy Chau district was divided into 3 districts: Quy Chau, Quy Hop and Que Phong. When Que Phong district was first established, it consisted of only 6 commune-level units. Now, the district has 1 town and 13 communes.
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| Comrade Le Van Giap - Chairman of Que Phong District People's Committee gave an overview of the local socio-economic development situation over the past 55 years. Photo: Ho Phuong |
According to the report of Que Phong District People's Committee, in recent years, Que Phong District authorities have made efforts to build the locality to overcome numerous socio-economic difficulties, including in the field of transportation. This place is famous for its dangerous slopes such as Bu Chong Cha and Cao Ma slopes, but now they have all been paved. The district has 11/14 communes meeting national standards in health care, and 25/47 schools meeting national standards. The district also regularly coordinates with other units, including Muong Quan district, Hua Phan province (Laos) in maintaining security at the common border.
Que Phong district is striving to overcome the difficulties of being one of the poorest districts in the country with its strengths. In particular, developing community tourism associated with the Nine-Chamber Temple festival and scenic spots such as Xao Va waterfall, heritage tree populations in the middle of the primeval forest are among the top priorities.