In March, we return for the anniversary of the death of Mother Tien La.

“As children of both mother and father, we return in the third month of the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day (10th day of the 3rd lunar month).” Every year, on the occasion of the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day (10th day of the 3rd lunar month), in the joyful spirit of the entire nation turning towards the roots of the Vietnamese people, in the ancient land of Da Cuong Huong (now Hung Ha district), people and visitors from all over flock to the Tien La festival to pay tribute to the great contributions of General Vu Thi Thuc. With many rituals preserved according to ancient traditions, the festival is an opportunity to express the devotion of today's generation to national traditions, while affirming the role of women in the history of the struggle against foreign invaders.

People enthusiastically participate in the Tien La festival.

The sacred Mother Goddess protects the nation and brings peace to the people.

According to legend, during the Han dynasty, in Phuong Lau camp (in Phu Tho province), Vu Thi Thuc was a woman who was not only beautiful in appearance and character but also skilled in both literature and martial arts, and deeply patriotic and compassionate towards the people. When the governor To Dinh forced her to marry him, she refused. Enraged, To Dinh massacred her family and destroyed Phuong Lau camp. Thuc Nuong was sheltered by villagers and boarded a boat, sailing down the Red River to Tien La, seeking refuge at a Buddhist temple. There, she recruited soldiers and trained troops to avenge her family, raising a banner bearing the inscription "General of the Eight Calamities." At that time, the banks of the Tien Hung River echoed day and night with the sounds of sharpening swords and practicing martial arts. Driven by a great cause and personal devotion, and at a time when the Trung Sisters were issuing proclamations urging the people to rise up and drive out the Han invaders, Thuc Nuong led the army from Da Cuong to join forces against the invaders.

Tien La Temple in Doan Hung commune (Hung Ha district) was recognized as a national historical site in 1986.

In the spring of 40 AD, the Trung Sisters' rebellion was victorious, ending the first period of Chinese rule. After ascending the throne, Queen Trung rewarded her soldiers and bestowed the title of Dong Nhung Grand General upon Bat Nan, placing him at the head of all generals. She refused the title and, after paying respects to her father, sailed to Tien La to join the people in expanding the market, cultivating mulberry trees and raising silkworms, and repairing temples and shrines.

To avenge their defeat, the Han dynasty sent General Ma Yuan, a seasoned warrior, with 200,000 troops to reoccupy our country. General Vu Thi Thuc, commanding the vanguard, fought fiercely against the Trung Sisters. Facing overwhelming enemy forces, the Trung Sisters retreated to Hat Mon, Phu Tho, where they bravely sacrificed themselves. General Bat Nan and his soldiers retreated to Da Cuong village to continue the resistance. When their supplies ran out, she committed suicide at Kim Quy Hill. Generations of people have honored her, passed down her story, and erected temples to commemorate her merits, offering incense day and night. Subsequent dynasties posthumously bestowed upon her the title of deity. During the reign of Emperor Le Thanh Tong, she was granted the title of Princess Y Duc Doan Trang Trinh Thuc. During the reign of Emperor Minh Mang (Nguyen dynasty), she was granted the title of Duc Bao Trung Hung Linh Phu Chi Than. During the reign of Emperor Khai Dinh, she was granted the title of Duc Bao Trung Hung Linh Phu Thuong Dang Than…

Nearly 2,000 years have passed, and the complex of relics dedicated to General Vu Thi Thuc in the ancient land of Da Cuong has gradually become worthy of the great contributions of this national hero, and is one of the unmissable cultural and spiritual tourism destinations in the rice-growing region of Thai Binh. Distinguished artisan Dang Vu Tran Nha, head caretaker of Tien La Temple in Doan Hung commune (Hung Ha district), expressed: "Thanks to the collective efforts of the people, and after many renovations and restorations, Tien La Temple, dedicated to General Vu Thi Thuc, now boasts a large scale and unique features in both its location and appearance. On occasions such as the Lunar New Year and the Tien La Temple festival, the relic site welcomes a large number of local people and tourists from all over to offer incense, admire the scenery, and remember and express gratitude to the heroic female general who made great contributions to her homeland and country."

People enthusiastically participate in the Tien La festival.

A destination for cultural and spiritual tourism.

The Tien La Festival takes place annually at the Tien La Temple, Buom Temple, and Ray Temple, national historical sites located in Doan Hung and Tan Tien communes (Hung Ha district). Although the Tien La Festival officially opens on the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month, from the beginning of the month, local people and visitors from all over flock to the temple to worship the Mother Goddess, pray for health and peace, and hope for good fortune. They also participate in and witness the spirit medium rituals, as the Tien La Festival is incomplete without the spirit medium performances by mediums from all over. To ensure a solemn and authentic spirit medium performance, the costumes, music , and acting are elevated to a refined artistic level. In each performance, the medium focuses their spirit to portray the character and life of the deity possessing the medium, showcasing their glorious achievements in helping the people and the country, through dances ranging from majestic and graceful to joyful, captivating the audience. The meticulous preparation further enhances the festive atmosphere of the spring festival. The Tien La Festival has become a popular destination for tourists from all over the country.

Mr. Duong Van Phong, a tourist from Quang Ninh province, enthusiastically shared: "Every year, as the anniversary of the Mother Goddess approaches, our entire family comes to Tien La Temple to immerse ourselves in the festive atmosphere and pray for health and peace for everyone. We hope that these traditional cultural values ​​will always be preserved so that when people participate in the festival, they can together recall the glorious history and the tradition of remembering our roots. The stories about General Bat Nan and the folk songs praising the female general further enhance our national pride."

Practicing the spirit medium ritual at Tien La Temple.

According to the esteemed artisan Vu Xuan Thang, from the management board of Tien La Temple relics: Since 2016, the Tien La Festival has been recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage, affirming the importance and profound cultural value of this event. This year, the festival's ceremonial activities include: the opening ceremony, the worship ceremony, and the incense offering ceremony commemorating the death anniversary of General Vu Thi Thuc, Dong Nhung, taking place according to ancient traditions. The diverse festival activities include: rice cake pounding competition, flag-waving competition, a festival of traditional opera clubs, betel leaf making, firecrackers, folk singing festival, tug-of-war, etc., which will attract participation from people inside and outside the district.

Revisiting the glorious history through the festival is an opportunity for everyone to feel more proud of the nation's glorious traditions, to love and be more attached to this resilient homeland with its rich cultural, historical, patriotic, and revolutionary traditions. At the same time, with the active participation of all sectors of the population, the series of activities at the Tien La festival will contribute to the development of tourism based on promoting traditional cultural values ​​– one of the tasks set out in Resolution No. 09-NQ/TU on developing tourism into an important economic sector of the province.

Tu Anh

Source: https://baothaibinh.com.vn/tin-tuc/19/221303/thang-ba-gio-mau-tien-la-thi-ve