Highlights of Pho Cat Temple Festival

On the morning of March 27, in Van Du town, the People's Committee of Thach Thanh district organized the Pho Cat Temple Festival 2024.

Comrades Pham Van Thuy, Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism); Nguyen Van Hung, Member of the Standing Committee, Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Organizing Committee; Dau Thanh Tung, Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee and many delegates and people attended the festival.

Attending the festival were comrades: Pham Van Thuy, Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Tourism Administration (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism); Nguyen Van Hung, Member of the Standing Committee, Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Organizing Committee; Dau Thanh Tung, Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; representatives of leaders of Nho Quan district (Ninh Binh), Lac Son (Hoa Binh) and districts, towns and cities in the province.

According to historical records, Pho Cat Temple belongs to Pho Cat scenic relic, located in Van Du town, built under the reign of King Le Canh Hung (1740 - 1786), is a place to worship Holy Mother Lieu Hanh - a goddess in the concept of Four Immortals of Vietnamese folk beliefs.

Comrades Pham Van Thuy, Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism); Nguyen Van Hung, Member of the Standing Committee, Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Organizing Committee; Dau Thanh Tung, Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee performed the incense offering ceremony.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Dau Thanh Tung beat the drum to open the festival.

According to legend, Holy Mother Lieu Hanh is the Fairy Princess Quynh Nuong, daughter of the Jade Emperor, beautiful and talented. Because she made a mistake by dropping a jade cup during a ceremony to pay respect to Heaven, she was punished to go down to earth to experience human life with 3 reincarnations. Of which, the first 2 reincarnations took place in Nam Dinh with the names Le Giang Tien and Pham Tien Nga.

However, when the time of her reincarnation expired and she was called back to heaven by the Jade Emperor, the Fairy Princess' heart was still attached to the earthly life. Understanding her daughter's heart, the Jade Emperor allowed her to manifest herself for the third time in Pho Cat (Thach Thanh), a place with beautiful scenery, favorable terrain, high mountains, blue water, and charming mountains and rivers, as a place to do good deeds and help others. This was the longest reincarnation she stayed on earth.

Chairman of Thach Thanh District People's Committee Dinh Van Hung read the opening speech of the festival.

Having gone through "three lives and three transformations", throughout the generations, Holy Mother Lieu Hanh has become a symbol of a woman with perfect talent and beauty, virtue and speech, with a filial heart, loyalty and virtue, a good heart to save the world, and talents in playing the zither, chess, calligraphy and painting, supernatural powers, destroying evil and helping the people and the country, her good name will last forever.

She was granted many titles by feudal dynasties from the Later Le Dynasty to the Nguyen Dynasty, honored as "Mother of the world - Mother of all people", "Che Thang Bao Hoa Dieu Dai Vuong", "Princess Ma Hoang", "Duc Bao Trung Hung Cac Dang Than", she is the Holy Mother who heads the system of Tam Phu, Tu Phu worshiping the Mother Goddess, and is a goddess in the system of Four Immortals of Vietnamese gods.

Gate to Pho Cat Temple.

In particular, among the temples of the Holy Mother, Pho Cat Temple (Thach Thanh) is the first place in the country where the King bestowed a decree to confer the title of Supreme God on the Holy Mother. From that, we can see the special position of Pho Cat Temple in the Mother worship belief in our country.

Since the establishment of Pho Cat Temple, King Khai Dinh visited the temple and composed poems during his trip to Thach Thanh district. At the beginning of the 20th century, next to the stream in front of the temple, the Governor of Thanh Hoa built a hexagonal fish-watching tower for King Bao Dai to sit and enjoy the scenery. Later, due to historical changes, the temple was no longer intact, only the main gate and the watchtower remained. Between 1990 and 1995, the local government, the people, and philanthropists donated to restore the temple to its present state.

The central area of ​​Pho Cat scenic spot is Mau Temple - the temple worshiping Holy Mother Lieu Hanh, in addition there is Quan Giam Sat Temple worshiping Quan Lon De Nhi Thuong Ngan or also known as Quan De Nhi Giam Sat. Holy Mother Lieu Hanh and Quan De Nhi Giam Sat are the gods that the people here worship with the hope that the gods will protect and shelter the villagers' lives in peace. Therefore, the legends and myths of the gods have incarnated into human life. The respectful worship of the gods who protect peace, bring favorable weather, bountiful crops, and prosperity for the people has been deeply ingrained in the subconscious of the people here for generations.

Art program at the festival.

Previously, Pho Cat Temple Festival was held on a large scale from January 15 to March 3 of the lunar calendar, the main ceremony was on February 18 of the lunar calendar with activities such as worship, prayers, spirit mediumship and folk games. Over time, over the years, Pho Cat Temple Festival has gradually faded away, not yet restored and organized in a systematic manner, in accordance with the scale, stature and important position of the temple.

The restoration of Pho Cat Temple Festival demonstrates the determination of Party committees and authorities at all levels, meeting the expectations and aspirations of the people and tourists. From there, it enhances the sense of responsibility in preserving and promoting the traditional cultural values ​​of the nation. At the same time, it promotes the cultural and tourism potential, the image of the land and people of Thach Thanh to friends inside and outside the province.

Ritual at the festival.

The 2024 Pho Cat Temple Festival is held with solemn and respectful rituals and a unique theatrical art program with the theme "Sacred Mother Goddess of Pho Cat Temple Festival". The most special activity in the festival is the procession of the Mother Goddess's ball.

The procession of the Virgin Mary.

Art program at the festival.

In addition, the festival is held at Pho Cat temple and Van Du town stadium with many exciting activities such as tug of war, art exchange, folk dance, volleyball competition...

Nguyen Dat

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/van-hoa-giai-tri/dac-sac-le-hoi-den-pho-cat/210105.htm