Tay Thien Festival attracts tourists not only by its solemn rituals but also by its rich cultural and artistic activities. Among them, the humpback banh chung wrapping contest is a special highlight, attracting a large number of locals and tourists to participate.
Tay Thien Festival, taking place at Tay Thien scenic relic site (Tam Dao district, Vinh Phuc), is one of the most important traditional festivals in the Northern midland region.
Not only does it have spiritual significance, commemorating the Mother Goddess of Tay Thien Lang Thi Tieu, the festival is also an opportunity for the community to review traditions through many unique cultural activities, including the humpback banh chung wrapping contest.
Teams participating in the humpback banh chung wrapping contest at the Tay Thien festival 2024.
Humpback Chung cake is a characteristic of the people of the midlands, different from the traditional square Chung cake.
Instead of being square, the humpback banh chung has a slightly raised back, symbolizing the sturdy posture of the mountain people.
Not only does this cake symbolize abundance and prosperity, it also represents the spirit of solidarity and the ingenuity of those who wrap it.
Every year at Tay Thien festival, there is a contest to wrap humped Chung cake, Gio cake, and Giay cake to recreate the activity of making offerings to Tay Thien National Mother; at the same time, honoring the traditional cultural values of the nation; arousing pride in history and creativity in labor and production.
From there, contributing to preserving and promoting the unique values of the cultural heritage of the Hung Kings period and the Tay Thien Mother Worship belief.
Like every year, preparations for this year's contest to wrap humpbacked banh chung, banh gio, and banh giay have been paid attention to and prepared by women's unions at all levels and local authorities.
From selecting contestants, ingredients to making cakes, and finding ways to present unique and impressive entries.
The competition usually gathers teams from many communes, wards and craft villages in the province. Each team has 3-5 members, including both elderly people who are knowledgeable about the craft of wrapping cakes and young people who want to learn.
The ingredients for making the cakes include sticky rice, green beans, pork belly, dong leaves and giang strings. Teams have a certain amount of time to complete the required number of cakes.
Humpback Chung Cake Wrapping Contest.
The judges will evaluate based on the beauty of the cake, the firmness of the wrapping, the harmonious ratio of the filling, and the evenness of the doneness after boiling.
The atmosphere of the competition is always lively and bustling from early morning. The nimble hands of selecting leaves, washing rice, arranging stuffing and tying strings show dexterity and sophistication.
Not only the elderly, but also young people and teenagers are excited to participate, continuing the tradition.
Many tourists are also invited to experience making the cakes themselves, contributing to creating a connection between the community and tourists from all over.
The humpback banh chung wrapping contest is not only a playground but also has profound cultural significance.
In the modern context, when many traditional customs are gradually fading away, the contest helps preserve precious values.
The elders have the opportunity to pass on the secret of making banh chung to the younger generation, ensuring that this cultural beauty is not forgotten.
Humpback Chung cake and gio cake are prepared for display.
Besides, the contest also plays an important role in promoting local specialties.
Vinh Phuc's humpbacked Chung cake with its delicious flavor and unique shape has become a meaningful gift that tourists often look to buy after attending the festival.
Thanks to that, not only preserving traditions, the contest also contributes to promoting the local economy through tourism and specialty production.
In addition to its cultural value, the humpback banh chung wrapping contest also helps increase the appeal of the Tay Thien Festival.
Tourists come here not only to burn incense and enjoy the scenery, but also to experience the vibrant festival atmosphere and learn about the traditional beauty of Vinh Phuc people. This creates a special highlight, contributing to the development of spiritual tourism combined with cultural tourism.
Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/doc-dao-trai-nghiem-thi-goi-banh-chung-gu-tai-le-hoi-tay-thien-192250311222204457.htm
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