The Cap sac ceremony of the Dao people in general and the Dao Quan Chet people in Xuan Thuy commune, Yen Lap district in particular is one of the rituals, cultural activities, and beliefs with long-standing folk cultural values. For the Dao Quan Chet people, only when they are Cap sac, will the man be officially recognized by his ancestors and gods as an adult, have the right to participate in worship ceremonies, and be qualified to take on the work before the clan and community. The Cap sac ceremony of the Dao Quan Chet people in Xuan Thuy commune was recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2019.
Performing rituals in the Cap sac ceremony of Mr. Duong Kim Thuc, Xuan Thuy commune, Yen Lap district.
In the last days of December, the family of Mr. Duong Kim Thuc in Zone 10 (Tan Lap area) of Xuan Thuy commune was bustling with people coming to help and participate in the ritual of his ordination. In the middle of the house hung a set of worship paintings, in addition to the shamans, the ordination recipients, the people who know how to sing and dance in the area could also participate in singing and dancing during the ordination ceremony.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Ha, mother of Duong Kim Thuc, shared: "Thuc is the youngest child in the family. Recently, after attending the Nom Dao class, he has learned more about the customs and practices of the ethnic group. We have prepared a set of worship paintings and traditional costumes for Thuc and his wife because this is a very important ceremony for our son. In addition, we also have to prepare pigs, chickens, rice, and sticky rice for the ceremony and for the villagers to come and celebrate with the family."
According to the Dao people's concept, only after going through the Cap Sac ceremony will a man have the heart and virtue to distinguish right from wrong, be recognized as a descendant of Ban Vuong, be qualified to worship ancestors, and take on the work of the family. The date of the Cap Sac ceremony is carefully chosen, avoiding coinciding with the death dates of family members. The person receiving the ceremony absolutely avoids doing bad or evil deeds.
The Dao Quan Chet's Cap Sac ceremony combines various forms of folk performing arts. Through the rituals, the folk performing arts in the Cap Sac ceremony, from costumes, decorative arts, dances, songs, music to the typical cuisine of the Dao people, are preserved and their traditional cultural values are promoted. In the Dao Quan Chet's Cap Sac ceremony alone, there are 11 dances and 36 different melodies, including the bell dance and turtle dance, which are imbued with the cultural identity of the Dao people.
In the Cap Sac ceremony, the rituals are performed in the following order: Ancestor invitation ceremony, Master welcoming ceremony, "hanging painting" ceremony, Spirit entering ceremony, Name giving ceremony, "Qua Tang" lamp offering ceremony, Incense offering ceremony, Jade Emperor invitation ceremony, Pest and disease extermination ceremony for crops, Military reward ceremony... The duration of the ceremony is usually 3 days 2 nights, or 2 days 2 nights, but today, many families choose to shorten it to 2 days 1 night to suit actual conditions. The ceremonies are held at different times, locations and spaces, some are held during the day, some are held at night, some are held indoors, some are held in the yard.
Mr. Phung Sinh Thinh - a person who is knowledgeable about customs and writing in Xuan Thuy commune said: Unlike other Dao groups, the Dao Quan Chet only performs the Cap Sac ceremony for one person, there is no age limit for the ceremony but it depends on the conditions of each family to organize. Therefore, every time the Cap Sac ceremony takes place, members of the community participate in helping from preparing offerings to participating in the practice of rituals. Activities in the worship ceremony, especially the practice of rituals, must follow traditional customs and practices, under the supervision of gods, shamans and other families.
The Cap Sac ceremony holds a particularly important position in the culture of the Dao people. Through the Cap Sac ceremony and other cultural and religious activities, the village and neighborhood relationships become more closely connected and strong, together preserving and passing on to the younger generation so that they can better understand, love and join hands to preserve and promote the traditional cultural identity of the Dao people.
Phuong Thanh
Source: https://baophutho.vn/doc-dao-le-cap-sac-cua-nguoi-dao-quan-chet-226035.htm
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