The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism requests to rectify wrong practices in the practice of the Mother Goddess Worship in Bac Ninh.

(To Quoc) - On October 25, the Department of Cultural Heritage (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) issued document No. 1175/DSVH-PVT to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Bac Ninh province regarding the rectification of activities that distort the practice of the Vietnamese Mother Goddess worship heritage in the area.

According to the document of the Department of Cultural Heritage, regarding the rectification of wrong activities in protecting and promoting the value of the Vietnamese Mother Goddess worship heritage, a heritage that was inscribed by UNESCO in the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has continuously issued guiding documents such as: Official Dispatch No. 618/BVHTTDL-DSVH dated February 12, 2018 to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism/ Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of provinces and centrally-run cities on rectifying the activities of spirit mediumship in the practice of the Vietnamese Mother Goddess worship heritage; Official Dispatch No. 2973/BVHTTDL-DSVH dated July 21, 2023 of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on strengthening the management, protection and promotion of the value of intangible cultural heritage.

A price for the contest of the Bac Ninh Saint Worshiping Song Club - Photo: Bac Ninh Newspaper

However, on October 24, 2024, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Bac Ninh province coordinated with the People's Committee of Yen Phong district to organize the 2nd Bac Ninh Province Hat Van and Chau Van Festival - 2024 held at Ly Thuong Kiet Temple, Tam Giang Commune, Yen Phong District from October 24-25, 2024.

Through actual inspection, the name of the activity is Hat Van and Hat Chau Van Festival, but the content of the activity taking place on the evening of October 24, 2024 is the performance of the practice of worshiping the Mother Goddess of the Three Palaces on stage by a number of artisans and excellent artisans inside and outside the province (artisans Nguyen Tran Tuan Anh, Tran Thi Chung, Dao Dinh Hoc - Bac Ninh, Excellent Artisan Nguyen Van Duoc - Hung Yen...).

According to the Department of Cultural Heritage, this is a performance of the spirit mediumship that is not true to the nature and practice space of the heritage of the Vietnamese people's practice of worshiping the Mother Goddesses of the Three Realms; violates customs, taboos and distorts the value of intangible cultural heritage, is not in accordance with the spirit of the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage and the Law on Cultural Heritage of Vietnam, and violates Decree No. 39/2024/ND-CP stipulating measures for managing, protecting and promoting the value of intangible cultural heritage in UNESCO's lists and the list of national intangible cultural heritage.

Opening performance, the price of Tuan Tranh by Meritorious Artisan Nguyen Tran Tuan Anh at the Festival - Photo: Bac Ninh Newspaper

The document also stated: “Vietnam is preparing a National Periodic Report to submit to the Intergovernmental Committee for the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, to be submitted on December 15, 2024. (Bac Ninh has also participated in a training course on preparing the Report organized by the Department of Cultural Heritage on October 17-18, 2024 in Hung Yen).

Serious violations of the 2003 Convention and the Ethical Principles for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO as above, if shown in the National Report, may be reminded by UNESCO, even considered, and the title withdrawn, and will affect the heritage subject community in more than 22 provinces and cities of Vietnam, especially affecting the reputation and image of Vietnam as a member of the Intergovernmental Committee of the 2003 Convention of UNESCO for the term 2022-2026".

The Department of Cultural Heritage requests the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Bac Ninh province to immediately rectify the illegal spirit mediumship activities in the area, comply with the directives of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, ensure strict implementation of Articles 4 and 5 of Decree No. 39/2024/ND-CP stipulating principles in the practice, management, protection and promotion of intangible cultural heritage values; report the results of handling to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (through the Department of Cultural Heritage) before November 1, 2024.

Source: https://toquoc.vn/bo-vhttdl-yeu-cau-chan-chinh-hoat-dong-sai-lech-trong-thuc-hanh-tin-nguong-tho-mau-tam-phu-tai-bac-ninh-20241025194513069.htm