Unique Kim Ngan Communal House Festival: Gold and Silver Procession Around Hanoi's Old Quarter

The huge procession of Kim Ngan communal house festival "walks" around the old town ( Video : Huu Nghi).

Kim Ngan Communal House Festival (Hang Bac Street) is a demonstration of respect and gratitude for the merits of the founders of the goldsmith profession associated with the traditional goldsmith profession in Hang Bac Street, Hang Bac Ward.

According to documents preserved to this day, from the reign of King Le Thanh Tong (1460-1497), the Minister of Personnel Luu Xuan Tin was allowed by the King to set up a silver ingot foundry in the capital. He brought people from Chau Khe village to do this job. The photo of the "Saint" in the communal house was carried out by the people to start the festival at 4 p.m. on April 22.

Gradually, the people of Chau Khe went to Thang Long to do the silver casting business more and more, from the silver ingot casting business to silver exchange, money exchange, gold and silver craft and jewelry, forming guilds and then becoming the Hang Bac craft town today. In the photo is a palanquin carrying gold and silver ingots.

The procession of Kim Ngan communal house festival may be the largest ever on the scale of a traditional festival in Hanoi's Old Quarter.

According to information from the Management Board of Hoan Kiem Lake and Hanoi Old Quarter, the Kim Ngan Communal House Festival and the Goldsmiths' Association 2023 will start from April 22 to May 7, with many attractive traditional cultural activities, contributing to preserving and promoting the traditional cultural identity of the nation.

People in the old quarter eagerly watched the procession through the old streets.

Mr. Nguyen Huy Hung, a goldsmith at 93 Hang Bac Street, dressed neatly to welcome the festival procession in front of his house.

The procession departs from Kim Ngan communal house at 4 p.m. and passes through the following streets: Hang Bac; Hang Be; Hang Dau; Dinh Tien Hoang; Hang Khay; Le Thai To; Hang Dao; Hang Bac. In the photo, the procession passes Hoan Kiem Lake at 5 p.m.

The procession offered incense at the statue of King Ly Thai To by Hoan Kiem Lake.

The palanquin carrying the founder of the goldsmith profession passes the turtle tower.

After the procession through the old streets and around Hoan Kiem Lake, the group received a warm welcome from many tourists and Hanoi residents.

18:10, the group returned to Kim Ngan communal house, where the founder of the profession was enshrined.

Then there is the sacrificial ceremony in Kim Ngan communal house.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/van-hoa/doc-dao-le-hoi-dinh-kim-ngan-ruoc-vang-bac-quanh-pho-co-ha-noi-20230423004728817.htm