Containing many profound values and bearing the typical mark of the residents of the Red River Delta, the traditional festival of Bong Dien, Tan Lap commune (Vu Thu) has been recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage. In particular, the custom of praying for sutras, carrying water and carrying palanquins at the festival has its own unique features, which are the highlight of the festival.
The procession of the Mother Goddess's palanquin at the Bong Dien festival.
Legend has it that during the reign of King Hung, King Tinh Bo Long Hau and King Tap Bo Thuy Than were two talented and brave generals who died in battle on the Red River when they were just over 20 years old. Admiring the spirit of the two young generals, the villagers of Bong Dien worshiped them as the village's tutelary gods and built a communal house to worship them. Bong Dien communal house is now the place to worship these two gods.
According to legend, at the beginning of the first century, in the old Bong Dien Trang, now Tan Lap Commune, Vu Thu District, there was a couple named Do Hung and Le Thi who gave birth to a daughter named Que Hoa, who was extremely talented, beautiful, and had a great spirit. At that time, the greedy and cruel governor of Giao Chi District, To Dinh, had plundered and killed many innocent people. Hearing of Que Hoa's beauty, he arrested and murdered Do Hung in order to submit to Que Hoa but failed. Hating the enemy, Que Hoa recruited thousands of righteous men to follow the Trung Sisters and General Bat Nan to raise the flag of uprising, repelling the invaders from the North. In a fierce battle in Lam Thao District, being cornered by the enemy, Que Hoa threw herself into the Red River, determined not to fall into the enemy's hands. Her body followed the river to Huong Dien Village, now Viet Hung Commune (Vu Thu), and washed ashore. Villagers recognized Que Hoa's body and buried her, built a mausoleum right on the riverbank and established a temple to worship her in her hometown of Bong Dien.
In addition to building communal houses and temples, since ancient times, every year on the 13th - 15th of the third lunar month, Bong Dien villagers hold festivals to commemorate the merits of the female general Que Hoa and the village's tutelary deities who fought the enemy and protected their homeland. The traditional festival has many traditional and unique rituals such as: the ceremony of asking for prayers and carrying water; the ceremony of worshiping Ha Ba on the river; the ceremony of welcoming the incense bowl; the procession of the Mother Goddess's palanquin... In which, the custom of asking for prayers and carrying water and the procession of the Mother Goddess's palanquin are important spiritual rituals, attracting a large number of people to participate.
The ritual of praying for sutras and carrying water takes place on the opening day of the festival. At the communal house and Bong Dien temple, the head of the incense burner and the strong worshipper will carry the incense bowl from the forbidden palace and place it on the palanquin. At the exact hour of Ty, the water procession will depart from the relic site of the communal house and Bong Dien temple, with drums and flags waving, and proceed to the Red River wharf. Leading the procession are the sacred flags, drums and gongs, the eight-sound instrument, the eight-treasure instrument, the halberd, the Buddha palanquin, the hammock palanquin, the male and female ritual instruments, the dragon palanquin, the eight-cong palanquin, the rear palanquin, followed by the villagers. When arriving at the Red River, in the past there would be bamboo boats, but now there are boats and ferries carrying the Zen masters and representatives of the procession to the middle of the Red River junction where the water is clear and the water is clean to perform the ritual of chanting sutras, inviting Buddha, worshiping the water god, the Holy Mother, praying for favorable rain, wind, and good trees, and asking for sacred water in two large jars to be carried back to the communal house and temple. At noon, the procession will turn around and dock at the Red River, carrying the sacred water back to the communal house and temple... This sacred water is worshiped at the Bong Dien communal house and temple. Throughout the year, on holidays, full moon days, and the first day of the lunar month, clan leaders and villagers often go to the communal house and temple to burn incense and ask for some sacred water to bring luck and fortune to their clan and family.
The procession goes to the Red River junction to perform the ritual of praying for sutras and carrying water to the communal house and temple.
In addition to the water procession, the Bong Dien festival also features the procession of the Mau palanquin (the palanquin of female general Que Hoa) from the temple to her tomb in Huong Dien village, Viet Hung commune. On the main festival day, the Mau palanquin procession is colorful with festival flags, resounding drums and gongs, and the majestic eight treasures, as if recreating the ancient military expedition of female general Que Hoa.
Ms. Dang Thi Huyen, Tan De village, Tan Lap commune, who once played the role of a strong female worshiper and the head of the Mother's palanquin at the Bong Dien festival, said: The procession includes hundreds of strong and healthy men selected from virtuous families. The procession route is about 5km long, so during the procession, the Mother's palanquin will stop at a temple or pagoda in the village. Here, the men and the palanquin bearers are treated to a feast by the villagers to celebrate their achievements. After that, the procession continues its journey, to the mausoleum, the Mother's palanquin often rotates, symbolizing the joy of the saints and gods. After the thanksgiving ceremony at the mausoleum, the procession will return to the Bong Dien communal house and temple relic site. The journey to carry the Mother's palanquin is arduous and difficult, but the villagers still eagerly participate with the wish that the Holy Mother will bless them with good fortune and good luck in the year.
Through the ups and downs of history and time, the traditional Bong Dien festival today still retains intact its good cultural values and ancient, unique customs and rituals imbued with the identity of the residents of the Red River Delta.
 Mr. Tran Van Tam, Chairman of Tan Lap Commune People's Committee (Vu Thu) The traditional festival of Bong Dien becoming a national intangible cultural heritage is a great honor but also requires a higher responsibility of the Party Committee, government and people of Tan Lap in preserving and maintaining the traditional cultural values of the festival. Along with the work of educating and raising people's awareness of the value of the festival, the locality will strengthen the management and orientation of the festival organization in the direction of encouraging the restoration, preservation and promotion of cultural activities, customs and traditional rituals of our ancestors.  Mr. Nguyen Song Toan, Deputy of relic management board, Deputy of organizing board of Bong Dien traditional festival The traditional Bong Dien festival annually requires the mobilization of about 400 - 500 people to participate in traditional rituals and ceremonies. Therefore, a few months before the festival takes place, we have a meeting, assign tasks to members, and allocate forces to each village and hamlet. A beautiful cultural feature of Tan Lap village is that from ancient times to the present, people from all villages in the commune have participated and supported enthusiastically, some contributed labor, some contributed money, united, encouraged each other to participate in preparing, organizing, and serving the festival to ensure solemnity and excitement. Being recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage, we are even more excited, proud, and determined to preserve and conserve the unique cultural values of our hometown festival.  Mr. Nguyen Van Han, Bong Dien Nam village, Tan Lap commune This year I am 86 years old. I was chosen to be a palanquin bearer in the procession when I was only 13 years old. I myself witnessed the old Bong Dien festivals still taking place regularly despite the obstruction and prohibition of the feudal government and the invaders. For myself and every Tan Lap resident, the hometown festival is not only an opportunity to express deep gratitude to our ancestors who fought against the enemy to protect the country, but also has a very special spiritual meaning and value. I really hope that the hometown festival will be preserved and maintained for generations to come. |
Quynh Luu
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