Waiting for the 2025 season

Many tourists come to Ba Chua Xu Temple on Sam Mountain

The worship of Ba Chua Xu has profound significance in the spiritual, cultural and community life of the people of the South. This is not only a religious belief, but also brings many important values. It is the spiritual support, the people's wish for peace; it is the community's cohesion, the maintenance of tradition. The worship of Ba helps connect people in the community, creating solidarity and helping each other in life. In every smallest preparation step, all "meet by chance", together organize consistent and methodical religious activities, contributing to preserving and promoting folk culture. Thanks to the trust and respect for Ba Chua Xu, the people have continuously restored and preserved Ba Chua Xu's temple for hundreds of years.

In 2001, with the spread of beliefs about the Holy Mother Goddess and its influence in the community, the Ba Chua Xu Sam Mountain Festival was selected by the Ministry of Culture and Information (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) as one of the typical festivals to organize the National Tourism Festival. By 2014, the festival was listed as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. In 2022, the dossier of the Ba Chua Xu Sam Mountain Festival - An Giang was approved by the Government to submit to UNESCO for consideration and recognition. On December 4, 2024, the festival was officially listed by UNESCO as a Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

“This event is the international community's recognition of the festival's unique values ​​in terms of history, culture and spirituality. This is the 16th intangible cultural heritage of Vietnam, the 2nd intangible cultural heritage of the Southern region (along with the art of Don ca tai tu) to be recognized by UNESCO. Above all, this is the first traditional festival of the Mekong Delta to receive this honor; contributing to affirming the diversity, value and identity of Vietnamese culture in the common cultural picture of humanity. For the Party Committee, government and people of An Giang, this is a priceless reward, affirming the integrity, authenticity and outstanding global value of the heritage; helping the community that owns the heritage to be more fully aware of the value of the festival in the treasure trove of intangible cultural heritage of the nation. Thereby, raising pride, sense of responsibility, aiming at practical measures to preserve and promote the value of the heritage" - Member Party Central Committee, Secretary of An Giang Provincial Party Committee Le Hong Quang affirmed.

The National Action Program to protect and promote the value of the intangible cultural heritage of the Ba Chua Xu Festival of Sam Mountain in the period of 2025 - 2030 of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism sets out 5 contents. Among them, there is the content: "Every year, organize the Ba Chua Xu Festival of Sam Mountain in a solemn, respectful, economical manner, in accordance with the principles of heritage practice, with the participation of the people, contributing to connecting communities, praying for the peace and prosperity of the country". This is a commitment, an honorable but no less heavy responsibility, entrusted to local Party committees and authorities at all levels and the communities that own and practice the heritage. On March 19, 2025 (February 20 of the lunar calendar), at the ceremony to receive the UNESCO certificate recognizing the Via Ba Chua Xu Festival of Sam Mountain as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity, An Giang province coordinated with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to organize the opening of the Via Ba Festival in 2025 - the first festival season after upgrading the heritage.

Currently, the plan to organize the Festival of Lady Chua Xu in Sam Mountain is being urgently built and submitted to the competent authority. It is expected that the ceremony will be held from the opening time to May 24 (April 27 of the lunar calendar). A series of traditional rituals will be solemnly held, including: Sewing clothes to offer to Lady (April 15 of the lunar calendar), The ceremony of presenting and carrying the statue of Lady (April 22 of the lunar calendar), The ceremony of bathing Lady (24:00 on the night of April 23, early morning of April 24 of the lunar calendar), The ceremony of inviting the divine decree (April 25 of the lunar calendar), The ceremony of Tuc Yet, Xay Chau (24:00 on the night of April 25, early morning of April 26 of the lunar calendar); The main ceremony (24 hours on the night of April 25, early morning of April 26 of the lunar calendar), the Hoi sac ceremony (April 27 of the lunar calendar)... The festival is held from April 1 to May 22 (March 4 to April 25 of the lunar calendar), including cultural activities, arts, sports, competitions, cuisine...

“After being recognized by UNESCO, the organization of the Ba Chua Xu Festival on Sam Mountain this year must be worthy of the status of a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity. The Chau Doc City Party Committee assigned the City People's Committee to report to the Provincial People's Committee to request the organization policy and implementation scale, in the direction of assigning Chau Doc City to preside over the implementation of the festival's contents as usual every year. After receiving the province's decision, the locality will implement it accordingly. However, the activities to request the Provincial People's Committee's opinion must be proposed in a practical and effective manner, meeting the needs of the people and tourists; contributing to preserving and promoting the value of the heritage that has just been recognized; serving and retaining tourists when coming to the locality during the peak of the festival" - Chau Doc City Party Secretary Lam Quang Thi emphasized.

In the first 3 months of 2025, Chau Doc City recorded more than 2.4 million visitors (reaching nearly 49% of the yearly plan), more than 303,000 overnight guests (exceeding 103% of the plan). The locality has proposed many solutions to prepare for the increased number of visitors in the upcoming Via Ba season. In particular, strengthening State management of security and order, trade - services, food hygiene and safety, etc.

GIA KHANH

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/cho-don-mua-via-ba-2025-a418847.html