>> Ceremony to celebrate national heritage status, open Dong Cuong Temple Festival

The procession, held at the Dong Cuong Temple complex – a national historical and cultural relic site, was resumed after a five-year hiatus which was to serve the temple restoration and due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following a ceremony announcing the recognition of the Dong Cuong Temple Festival as national intangible cultural heritage, this year’s event attracted tens of thousands of local people and visitors from elsewhere.

The Tay ethnic people in Dong Cuong commune and nearby areas believe that the procession is a re-enactment of the re-wedding ceremony of "Mau” (Mother Queen) and "Duc Ong” (Father King) that the Ha clan’s descendants held in the past. The procession is considered a special identity of the Dong Cuong Temple Festival.

The parade featured traditional solemn rituals, including carrying the Mother palanquin, followed by the "Ong Bao” (Son) palanquin, from the main temple across the river to the Duc Ong (Father King) Shrine, also called Ghenh Nga Shrine. When the Mother palanquin reached the Duc Ong Shrine, shamans performed worshipping rituals. After that, the palanquin was returned to the main temple at 10am, when an incense offering ceremony took place in commemoration of the Mother.

 

The Dong Cuong Temple is a famous spiritual destination attracting tens of thousands of visitors from far and wide each year. It has long been known as a sacred temple on the banks of the Hong (Red) River and also a place preserving the UNESCO-recognised "practices related to the beliefs in the Mother Goddesses of Three Realms”.

The recognition of the festival as part of the national intangible cultural heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is a source of pride and momentum for Van Yen district to continue making breakthrough in spiritual tourism, thus contributing to local socio-economic development.