Highlights of the Loyalty Oath Ceremony to celebrate the 995th anniversary of Dong Co Temple

The traditional festival celebrating the 995th anniversary of Dong Co Temple and announcing the Decision to register the "Loyalty Oath" at Dong Co Temple, Buoi Ward, Tay Ho District (Hanoi) as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2023 will take place on May 21-22 (April 3-4, Quy Mao Year).

Photo caption — The Loyalty Oath at Dong Co Temple, Tay Ho District (Hanoi) was recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The festival includes many rich activities, ensuring tradition and good customs. On May 21 (ie April 3 of the lunar calendar), the ceremony is solemnly held, with the following rituals: Clans gather to perform the ritual, carry the two village tutelary gods from Dong Xa communal house to Dong Co temple, the ritual of carrying the Saint, offering gifts from clans, offering incense for women or men at Dong Co temple. On this day, there is also a festival with friendly volleyball matches, friendly bridge matches, other friendly sports activities and art performances to welcome the festival... The opening program takes place at 7:00 p.m. on May 21 at Dong Co temple, including the following rituals: Incense offering ceremony, opening speech, reportage "Loyalty and Filial Piety Oath - Shining Vietnamese History", announcing the Decision and awarding the National Intangible Cultural Heritage certificate, drumming to open the festival, art programs...

On May 22 (April 4 of the lunar calendar), the program was carried out according to the local traditional rituals. In particular, the oath of loyalty and filial piety ceremony was attended by leaders of the District Party Committee, Tay Ho District People's Committee, local organizations and people. This ceremony is considered the "soul" of the festival, creating a unique feature that few festivals have. There are many other activities to celebrate the 995th anniversary of the Dong Co Temple Traditional Festival in 2023: Organizing an exchange of festival organization experiences at Dong Co Temple, Dan Ne Village, Yen Tho Commune, Yen Dinh District, Thanh Hoa Province; a seminar on Protecting and Promoting the Value of the Intangible Cultural Heritage "Dong Co Temple Oath"; organizing extracurricular programs to educate students on historical and cultural traditions for Tay Ho District; cultural and artistic activities, mass sports.

Dong Co Temple was built in 1028, during the Ly Dynasty, to worship the very sacred Dong Son god, associated with the "Loyalty and Filial Piety Oath" with profound morality. According to historical books and inscriptions, the Dong Co Temple Oath was initiated by King Ly Thai Tong (1028 - 1054) with the purpose of teaching the mandarins, soldiers and people in the world. On the festival day, a high altar was built in front of the temple, surrounded by flags flying in the sky, neat ranks, spears and swords covering the ground. In the middle of the altar was the altar of Dong Co god, the incense burner was filled with smoke, and the oath supervisor presided over the oath. All civil and military mandarins from the East entered the temple, came to the altar, knelt before the god and recited the oath: "Being an unfilial son/Being a disloyal subject/May the gods destroy me". During the Tran and Le dynasties, the oath was still maintained. Today, the Dong Co Temple Festival is held on the 4th day of the 4th lunar month, simulating the historical oath of the past...

Dong Co Temple is a relic of special value in the system of Vietnamese Cultural Heritage, demonstrating the patriotism, loyalty and filial piety of the Vietnamese people. Dong Co Temple Festival is associated with the Bronze Drum, representing the material and spiritual strength of the Vietnamese people. Dong Co Oath is an oath with profound content and meaning in educating morality, ethics and national traditions, with the effect of regularly reminding the tradition and cause of the invincible strength of the Vietnamese people: Solidarity - Love.

The festival aims to arouse and promote national pride and self-esteem, educate the historical and cultural traditions of our ancestors; affirm the cultural identity of loyalty to the Fatherland, filial piety to ancestors, grandparents and parents; at the same time, honor, preserve and conserve the unique features of the Intangible Cultural Heritage "The Oath of Loyalty and Filial Piety at Dong Co Temple" recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and listed in the List of National Intangible Cultural Heritage. Through that, Tay Ho district propagates, widely promotes, preserves, promotes the value of heritage and promotes tourist destinations which are historical relics associated with the Traditional Festival at Dong Co Temple.