The procession takes place from March 10-12 (February 11-13 of the lunar calendar every year), attracting not only many local people but also tourists from all over the country to come and pay their respects.
Through thousands of years of history, the festival of friendly procession between the two villages of Thi Cam and Hoe Thi (belonging to Xuan Phuong and Phuong Canh wards, Nam Tu Liem district, Hanoi) has been preserved and continued through many generations, as a spiritual connection of the community.
Unique mark in the heart of the capital
Each village communal house usually worships a god or a famous person who has contributed to the country, but the special thing in the ceremony between Thi Cam and Hoe Thi villages is that they both worship the same Thanh Hoang - Duc Thanh Phan Tay Nhac.
According to Mr. Bui Thanh Liem, Deputy Organizing Committee of Thi Cam Communal House Festival, the festival begins on March 10 (February 11 of the lunar calendar every year) with the naturalization ceremony, the procession offering incense to the Mother Temple, asking for water from the source of three major rivers: Red River, Da River and Lo River. The water is used to wash the statues and cover the worshiping objects, the rest is worshiped at the village communal house throughout the year.
Mr. Liem said that through the water procession, people pray for a year of favorable weather, good wind, and bountiful crops. In addition, all activities in the procession such as dragon and lion dances, money-making dances, etc. are related to water.
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| The female worship team offered incense to His house, opening the naturalization ceremony. (Photo: Huong Giang) |
Along with the water procession is the procession of the Saint's eulogy from Van Chi (where the names of successful scholars and famous people of the village are recorded on the stele) to the communal house, praying for the Saint to bless the generations of children and grandchildren to study well and become successful.
March 11 (February 12 of the lunar calendar) is the main festival with the spring festival. Mr. Nguyen Van Giang, Head of the organizing committee of the Hoe Thi communal house festival, said that every five years, the village organizes a big festival, with a procession of the male and female palanquins. The highlight is the human chess festival taking place in the morning.
According to Mr. Giang, the human chess festival originated in the 17th century. The human chess style of Hoe Thi is different from other places. The chess pieces are dressed in the style of the Hue royal court, moving and not fixed. Taking on the roles of "Mr. Tong" and "Mrs. Tong" sitting on top of their chess pieces are people chosen from cultured families, with both "male and female" families, and no one in mourning during the selection period.
Origin of the ceremony
According to village legend, during the reign of the 18th Hung King, the famous general Phan Tay Nhac, while recruiting soldiers, passed by two villages along the Nhue River. Amazed by the beautiful scenery here, the general stopped and asked a girl about this land. Fascinated by the radiant smile of the village girl, he immediately named this place Hoe Thi village.
Going up a little further, the general met another girl, but she was just quiet, neither speaking nor smiling. Feeling pity for her silence, he named this place Thi Cam, later renamed Thi Cam.
The elders in the village said that Hoe Thi was considered the elder brother and Thi Cam was the younger sister. Because Hoe Thi was the headquarters of General Phan Tay Nhac in the past, and Thi Cam was the place to train and raise troops to fight the enemy. The festival of friendly procession was born from the close bond between the two villages. In addition, it is to commemorate and show gratitude for the merits of Saint Phan Tay Nhac, who helped the 18th Hung King defeat the Thuc invaders and helped the people farm and weave silk.
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| The dragon - unicorn - monk troupe performs dragon dance on the procession. (Photo: Huong Giang) |
The thread that binds the community
Every time there is a friendly procession, all the alleys of Thi Cam and Hoe Thi villages are decorated with flags and flowers, and people are bustling and joyfully welcoming a new festival season. From the old to the young, men and women, everyone eagerly and excitedly participates in the festival with the desire to continue and preserve the long-standing culture of their homeland.
On the afternoon of March 11, the main procession took place from Thi Cam village to Hoe Thi village. The procession consisted of 14 groups in the order established long ago: Dragon - unicorn - lion dance group, national flag team, weapon team, eight treasures group, senh tien dance team...
In particular, many primary and secondary school students also participated as a testament to the festival's flow through many generations.
Tran Hai Duong, a 5th grader from Thi Cam village, shared: “I joined the Senh Tien dance troupe in 3rd grade. When I first joined, I didn’t understand much about the village festival, but after two years of participating, I heard a lot about the history of the festival, so I understand it better and feel very proud of my hometown. Because not every place can preserve a traditional festival with a long history like here.”
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| The female group carries the incense altar palanquin. (Photo: Tran Hiep) |
The ceremony from Thi Cam village to Hoe Thi takes place over two to three hours, along a route of nearly 1km. In front of each house, people display offerings, showing their respect to the Saint and praying for luck and fortune.
After the Thi Cam village procession completed the ceremony at Hoe Thi communal house, Mr. Liem read the greetings before all the people of the two villages, recalling the story of the Saint's house and emphasizing the spirit of solidarity, preserving traditional customs, and building a civilized residential group.
The organization of the festival is not only to commemorate the merits of Saint Phan Tay Nhac but also an opportunity for the people of the two villages to express their pride and solidarity. Thanks to the joint efforts and strong love for their homeland, in the heart of Hanoi there are two ancient villages that still maintain traditional customs from the Hung King period to the present day, despite many ups and downs in history.
Mr. Liem emphasized, “encouraging young people to participate in the friendly procession is important in preserving and promoting the traditional cultural values of the homeland. This is also a way to educate the next generation about gratitude to their roots and the character of the people of the two villages.”
The festival of the friendly procession between the two villages of Thi Cam and Hoe Thi has long become a unique cultural feature of Xuan Phuong - the ancient land of Tong Canh in the "Mo, La, Canh, Cot - four famous villages" of Hanoi. This is not only an indispensable spiritual food for the people here every Tet holiday but also becomes a local brand.
In particular, Hoe Thi communal house and Thi Cam communal house were recognized as national historical relics by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 1990.
The custom of filial piety is not only based on traditional rituals but also spreads throughout community life, connecting generations to preserve the identity of the homeland. Amidst the modern pace of life, the festival is still the pride of the people of Thi Cam - Hoe Thi, demonstrating the enduring vitality of Vietnamese village culture.
Source: https://baoquocte.vn/kham-pha-tuc-giao-hieu-hai-lang-thi-cam-va-hoe-thi-307346.html
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