Keo Pagoda Festival: A unique cultural space in early spring

As one of the major festivals held in early spring, the Keo Pagoda Spring Festival (Duy Nhat Commune, Vu Thu District) takes place from January 4 to 7, the year of the Dragon. The diverse cultural activities taking place during the festival have brought many impressive experiences to visitors when they come to offer incense and worship in the spring.

Preserving traditional cultural beauty

As a tradition, the opening ceremony of the Keo Pagoda spring festival is the solemn opening ceremony of the Holy Temple every year with the participation of Keo villagers from the elderly to the young. This is like a continuation of traditional culture under the ancient temple roof of nearly 400 years old. In the sacred atmosphere, delegates, local people and visitors from all over the country perform the traditional ritual of offering incense and flowers to commemorate the merits of Zen Master Duong Khong Lo, praying for a new year of good luck and prosperity.

Right after the opening ceremony of the Holy Temple, various and exciting festival activities took place, such as drumming, boat singing, running, fire-pulling and rice-cooking competitions... Every year, the villages in Keo village send out 4 teams, each team consisting of 8 members, to participate in the running competition and fire-pulling and rice-cooking competitions. Among them, 2 people with the best health, agility and endurance will participate in the running competition. After the members run 3 laps around the lake and bring back the fullest jar of water, the running competition ends. At this time, the organizing committee selects the winning team in the running competition, and all 4 teams begin the fire-pulling and rice-cooking competition. The spirit of solidarity, smooth coordination in each stage are the prerequisites to help the members complete their team's competition.

As one of the experienced members participating in the traditional competition in the Keo Pagoda Spring Festival, Mr. Dang Van Chinh, Dung Nhue team shared: It has been 7 years since I participated in the fire-making competition, but every year I feel very excited, feeling that this work of the village is like the beginning of a new year full of luck, success and goodness. To prepare for the competition, the brothers in the team put in a lot of effort, from finding fire-making fuel, choosing sticky rice, rice, green beans, all of which are products of the village, to being careful in molding clay to cover the heads of dried vegetables so that they do not explode when cooked. In the stages from making fire to cooking rice, sticky rice, and sweet soup, the stage of making sweet soup so that it is thick, smooth, and clear is the most difficult because the teams cook manually, so there is a lot of dust. Meanwhile, if the sweet soup is cooked with dust, it will not achieve the desired results.

Elaborate, careful in every stage of preparation, enthusiastic, passionate in every stage of the race, fire-making and rice-cooking competition, Dung Nhue team excellently won first prize. Mr. Vu Dinh Nguyen, one of the elders of Keo village, a member of the team shared: Our team won first prize in fire-making and rice-cooking. Only the first two prizes can bring the tray of rice to worship the Saint. I wish all the luck will come to the villagers and all the tourists participating in the festival. We, the people of Keo village, try to promote traditional culture, and gather together at every festival.

In addition to the first prize winning tray offered to the Saint, the second and third prize winning trays were also selected to be offered. This is not only the joy of Keo village on the first day of spring but also the general excitement of tourists when cheering for the competition. Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa, a tourist shared: Every year, on the 4th day of Tet, I am excited and enthusiastic to attend the festival, wishing happiness, peace and prosperity to all families. I hope the festival will develop more and more, and all people will be aware of preserving the identity of their homeland.

In addition to the running and cooking competitions, this year the Keo Pagoda Spring Festival will re-enact the puppetry ritual to serve the Saint on the afternoon of the 5th. Mr. Do Ngoc Trung, Deputy Head of the festival organizing committee, said: This is an ancient spiritual ritual at the Keo Pagoda festival. The festival organizing committee has researched many historical sources and gradually restored this ritual because it is a very unique ritual in Thai Binh in general and Keo Pagoda in particular.

Tourists come to Keo Pagoda festival on New Year's Day.

Encourage the spirit of learning and respect for knowledge

As one of the expanded festival activities at Keo Pagoda Festival this year, the spring writing program attracted hundreds of students, scholars and visitors from all over the world. Regarding the significance of this program, Ms. Pham Thi Nhu Phong, Chairman of Vu Thu District People's Committee, shared: Spring writing is a practical activity that demonstrates the morality of "When drinking water, remember its source", the tradition of "Respecting teachers and valuing education" of the Vietnamese people. The program is organized to show the respect of future generations to their ancestors, to promote learning and respect for the wisdom of Vietnamese people.

At the program, 34 students with excellent achievements in provincial competitions were recognized and rewarded. Trinh Anh Thu, Vu Thu Town Primary School, said: Every year I go to Keo Pagoda festival with my parents in the spring, but this year I feel very proud to be recognized for my academic achievements at the spring writing program. I will study harder and try to achieve many high achievements in my studies.

Teacher Pham Thi Huyen Dieu, Vu Thu Town Primary School informed: My school is honored to have 3 students honored in the spring opening program. Directly teaching the students, I feel very happy and proud, and promise myself to try to have more students attend this spring festival. Being able to participate in the opening program, ask for calligraphy, receive words of encouragement, care and gifts from the district leaders on the first day of the new year is a great encouragement, a motivation for students to strive and conquer the pinnacle of knowledge.

Singing cruise at Keo Pagoda spring festival.

This year’s Keo Pagoda Spring Festival with its diverse ceremonial and festival activities has brought joy and hope to everyone on the first day of the new year. It is not only a belief in continuing the tradition but also helps each young person today love, be more proud and want to contribute more to their homeland and country.

Tu Anh

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