Performed by: Nam Nguyen - Quang Phong | February 22, 2024
(Fatherland) - At around 11:30 p.m. on February 21 (January 12 of the lunar calendar), after the sacred fire was lit at Chu Ba's tomb at the Van Noi Village Traditional Festival (Phu Luong Ward, Ha Dong, Hanoi), thousands of people used bamboo poles to bring the sacred fire for good luck to light up the ancestral altar.
Van Noi communal house (Phu Luong ward, Ha Dong district, Hanoi) worships the village's tutelary god "Cu Suy Duc Bao Tuong Quan Chu Ba", a talented general, both literary and martial, during the Trung sisters' uprising (40-43 AD).
On the 11th and 12th of the first lunar month, the Van Noi Village Traditional Festival is held here, with valuable traditional rituals such as: the ceremony to welcome the holy house, the procession, the farewell ceremony and the burning of votive papers at the tomb of General Chu Ba... On the night of the 12th of the first lunar month, there is a custom of carrying the votive papers and the sacred fire from the communal house to the tomb of "Cu Suy Duc Bao Tuong Quan Chu Ba" to perform the ceremony and burn votive papers.
This is a special traditional procedure, a cultural and spiritual belief that has been passed down from ancient times in the Van Noi village festival. This cultural feature is perhaps unique among all festivals in Vietnam.
Thousands of people and tourists stood waiting at Chu Ba's tomb, using bamboo poles to tie incense sticks to prepare for the sacred fire.
The coffin was brought to the ceremony at Chu Ba's tomb.
The festival attracts tens of thousands of people from inside and outside the commune, near and far to perform the ceremony and attend the festival.
After the elders finished the ceremony, at exactly 11:30 p.m., the celebrant took out the sacred fire to burn the votive paper.
The new fire broke out, hundreds of people rushed in, jostling each other to get the sacred fire.
Villagers and visitors from all over the world ask for the sacred fire to light up the ancestral altar, hoping to receive the blessing, protection, and care of the Saint, to have health, luck, and a more peaceful and prosperous life.
The fire was big and hot with high temperature. Even though I used a bamboo pole, I still felt burned when I took the sacred fire.
Hundreds of people used bamboo poles to make fire at the same time.
It takes about 40 minutes for the fire to burn out the pile of votive paper.
Because the fire is hot, many people try to divide the fire into small pieces so that it is easier to light incense.
After getting the sacred fire, people bring it home to light on the altar. Mostly people use big incense sticks so everyone is slow and not in a hurry. People here believe that the gold and incense offered as offerings are the blessings of the saints, passed on to the villagers through the sacred fire when burned.
Some people use oil lamps to carry fire home.
Everyone was happy and excited to get the sacred fire to bring home.
"After getting the fire, I will come back and burn incense on the altar to pray for health and luck for my family," a resident shared.
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