The heroic spirit of Hoan Chau endures!

(Baonghean) - For a long time, every full moon of the first lunar month, the children of Nam Dan in particular and Nghe An in general from all over the country eagerly return to their homeland, and an indispensable part of their aspiration to strengthen family bonds is to attend the King Mai Temple Festival... This King Mai Temple Festival on the full moon of the first lunar month of the Year of the Goat 2015 is no exception, with tens of thousands of people coming here to once again admire, be proud of, and reflect on the heroic feat of fighting against foreign invaders and establishing the independence of Van An more than 1,300 years ago by the heroic son of Hoan Chau: Mai Thuc Loan...

From early morning, the kilometer-long embankment connecting Sa Nam market to Hung Son valley - Dun mountain (Van Dien commune - Nam Dan district) was bustling with people. Leading the way were five processions carrying palanquins and thrones from the people of Nam Dan town and four neighboring communes. The area was covered in national flags and festival flags; the resounding sounds of drums and gongs echoed across the Lam River and spread across the lush green rice paddies. Groups of visitors followed the procession, their hearts filled with sacred thoughts, returning to the King Mai Festival as a return to their roots, to the fervent patriotism and indomitable spirit of the nation...

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Lan (86 years old), from Hamlet 12, Van Dien Commune, leisurely joined the crowds at the festival with her grandchildren, chatting warmly about their now prosperous lives. She noted that the King Mai Temple Festival is much more solemn than before; the King Mai relic site is increasingly well-maintained; the ancient Water Procession ceremony has been restored; and, even more joyfully, she gets to watch folk songs and dances at the festival. Even better, her children and grandchildren have all come home to accompany her... As in previous years, the weather on the main day of the King Mai Temple Festival is always beautiful.

On this full moon of the first lunar month, a gentle spring rain falls. The majestic Hung Son peak reflects the Lam Giang River, and the ancient relics of a capital city of Van An, a heroic Hoan Chau, come alive again… The ceremony hasn't officially begun, but the area in front of King Mai's mausoleum is already crowded. Some are heading to the campsites to participate in folk games; others are entering the mausoleum to offer early morning incense.

The dragon dance marked the beginning of the festival.

Silently reading the historical inscriptions in the mausoleum, Mr. Nguyen Phuc Khanh, a businessman from Nghe An who had returned from Hanoi, shared his thoughts: “At the beginning of the year, when things are less hectic, many people often visit temples and pagodas to pray for good fortune, health, and happiness. I, however, have an additional desire to learn about my roots. Coming to the King Mai Temple Festival, I have learned more about the immortal flow of Nghe An history. That flow originates from Hung Son, nurturing the heroic spirit of the people of Nghe An for generations. From this source of our homeland, many talented individuals have been nurtured for the country, such as Cuong Quoc Cong Nguyen Xi, Phan Boi Chau, and most notably, the beloved President Ho Chi Minh. From the source of the Hoan Chau peasant uprising to the revolutionary movement of the Nghe Tinh Soviet of the working class and peasantry…”

Processions participate in the opening ceremony of the festival.

At 8:30 AM, the King Mai Temple Festival officially opened. Thousands of people witnessed a magnificent drum performance and lion, dragon, and unicorn dance, meticulously prepared and rehearsed by the staff of the Nam Dan District Cultural, Information and Sports Center. The performance symbolized blessings and good fortune for all guests, delegates, and families, representing the soaring spirit of the homeland. The resounding drums evoked the marching steps of the Hoan Chau rebels and the days of offering sacrifices to heaven and earth in Van An to establish the nation. The drum performance and lion, dragon, and unicorn dance were also a new highlight of this year's King Mai Temple Festival.

The auspicious hour had arrived. Three dignitaries and elders representing the people of Nam Dan district stepped onto the platform and loudly offered their eulogy. The eulogy for King Mai was a lengthy story filled with boundless gratitude: It is said that Mai Hac De came from a poor background, but early on he harbored a heroic ambition to fight foreign invaders. Brave, courageous, talented in both literature and martial arts, he traveled throughout the country, connecting with heroes from all corners, building his strength, prestige, and influence, and uniting with Lam Ap and Chan Lap to drive out the Ly Duong invaders. The flame of patriotism from Van An, originating in Chau Hoan, quickly spread throughout the country. “The Mai Emperor's prestige and virtue resounded in all directions, / The Lý Dynasty's martial prowess was subdued in a hundred battles,” the successful Hoan Chau uprising brought nearly 10 years of independence and self-governance to the country of Vạn An, freeing its people from the yoke of northern invaders… The eulogy, sometimes majestic, sometimes sorrowful, sometimes deeply moving, reads: “Today, we, your children, gather from all regions / To respectfully report to the King that our nation is independent / All people are free. Every home is happy / Our country, thousands of years old, is guided by the Party. Continuing the ancient legacy, it prospers more and more each day / Our vast land, thousands of miles long, is guided by Uncle Ho. We stand shoulder to shoulder with the great powers of the five continents.”

After the ceremony, a long line of people respectfully offered incense to the courageous King who died heroically. The ceremonial drums had stopped, but the wrestling drums resounded. The drums, representing the martial spirit, honored the eternal heroism of Hoan Chau. Mr. Nguyen Huu Trong (70 years old), a resident of Nam Anh commune, proudly patted his grandson on the shoulder and said: “My grandson just won five wrestling matches in a row. I taught him wrestling from a young age. After the festival and the full moon, he's going to work abroad... I've taught him that in life, not everything can be solved with brute force, but with knowledge and intellect. Having learned the martial arts of our ancestors, of King Mai, to build and defend the country, he must understand the philosophy of martial arts: the strength of a bundle of chopsticks. That strength comes from unity and the self-improvement of each individual. To be rich and successful, one must actively learn and study the good and beautiful things in the world. Wherever he goes, he should never forget his homeland; the traditions of his homeland are the source of strength for him to reach far and wide.”

The festival lasts a long time. On the final night, in the Van An Thanh valley, the heroic spirit of the Hoan Chau uprising is recreated with the sounds of wrestling drums, battle drums, the shouts of the ancient hunters, and the echoes of King Mai and the heroes discussing and gathering their cause in the play "Mai Hac De". Hung Son peak is still shrouded in the mist and clouds of the homeland, the Lam River flows silently and tenderly, illuminated by fishing lights. The songs and melodies remind us of the heroic spirit passed down through generations, preferring to be "a broken jade rather than a whole tile," always passionately patriotic, always united in building the homeland; rising up against oppression and suffering; each action not only seeking personal happiness but also for everyone, for generations to come. The heroic spirit of Hoan Chau in today's festival is the aspiration and determination to make the historical values ​​of Van An endure and spread.

Thanh Son - Canh Nam