The event aims to popularise, honour, preserve, and bring into play traditional cultural values, and introduces the temple – a national historical and cultural relic site – to visitors from far and wide.

Dong Cuong Temple is an ancient place of worship located on a bank of the Hong (Red) River in Ben Den hamlet of Dong Cuong commune, Van Yen district. Known as a sacred temple, it is dedicated to the Mother Goddess of Forest, a national tutelary deity, and the Tay ethnic troops who fell down in an uprising against French colonialists.

The Dong Cuong Temple complex, including the main temple and several shrines, was listed as a national historical and cultural relic site by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2009.

There are two major festivals here every spring and autumn, in the first and ninth lunar months.

The Dong Cuong Temple Festival was named national intangible cultural heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on January 16, 2023.

With support from ministries, sectors, and the provincial administration, the Van Yen district People’s Committee is holding a ceremony announcing the recognition of the Dong Cuong Temple Festival as part of national intangible cultural heritage and opening the 2023 festival on February 1 - 2 (the 11th and 12th days of the first lunar month).

The event will feature such activities as incense offering, announcement of the recognition and opening the festival, performances of the Tay ethnic group’s ancient xoe dance, worship rituals, sports competitions, and folk games.