Perfume Pagoda Festival
The Perfume Pagoda (Huong Tich), at My Duc district, 69km south of Ha Noi, is the most famous Buddhist pilgrimage site inViet Nam. Every year, hundred of thousands of pilgrims travel to this sacred cave to pray for happiness and prosperity in the coming year.
The Perfume Pagoda Festival lasts from the 6th day of the 1st month to the end of the 3rd month of the lunar calendar. The Vietnamese believe that Huong Son is Buddha’s Heaven. Huong Son complex is considered the place to worship Brodhisattva Kwan Yin.
Giong Festival
Giong festival is a traditional festival annually celebrated in many localities within Ha Noi on the 6th to 8th days of the first month of the lunar calendar to commemorate and honor the sacred feat of the legendary hero Saint Giong, one of four immortals in Viet Nam’s religious beliefs.
The most special thing in Giong festival is offering of bamboo flowers. They are artificial flowers woven with bamboo laths with cotton dye in artificial colouring in one end which symbolize Saint. Giong’s horse riding-whip. Bamboo flowers are offered in the procession in Thuong temple and then down to Ha temple.
Vieng Market Festival
Vieng market festival is launched on the annual 8th day of the first lunar month, only once in a year, when people have just finished their Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday in Nam Truc and Vu Ban Districts, Nam Dinh province.
The market opens on the 8th of the lunar January; nevertheless, the most spiritual moment falls on the night of the 7th and early the 8th. That is the moment of heavenly-earthly, positive-negative exchange.
Legend has it that Vieng market is linked somehow to the person who brought copper casting to the area, Nguyen Minh Khong, so people who go the market feel that they will get lucky if they buy something made of copper at Vieng market on this day. This spring market displays handicraft products, antiquities and false antiquities, utensils, tools for agriculture production, and many kinds of ornamental plants. Specialities are barbecued beef and “bánh dày” (sticky rice cake).
Yen Tu Festival
Yen Tu Festival, which is held at the Yen Tu historical relic and landscape area, northern Quang Ninh province, from the tenth day of the Lunar New Year through the end of the third lunar month, has become a big spring festival for Buddhists and tourists nationwide.
In the 13th century, King-Monk Tran Nhan Tong (1258-1308), the third king of the Tran dynasty (1225-1400), abdicated the throne when he was 35 and spent the rest of his life on Yen Tu Mountain, practising Buddhism. When Tran Nhan Tong practised Buddhism on the mountain, he founded the first Vietnamese School of Buddhism called “Thien Tong,” Viet Nam Zen Buddhism, turning the site into the capital of Vietnamese Buddhism.
The complex is a demonstration of interactions between human beings and nature, reflecting the uninterrupted residence of people, especially Buddhists, for thousands of years.
Doi Son Ploughing Festival
Tich Dien or the King’s Plowing Festival takes place every year in Doi Son commune, Duy Tien dictrict, Ha Nam province. It is one of many ancient festivals associated with wet rice cultivation and agricultural development.
The Tich Dien festival became a tradition solemnly upheld by the succeeding Ly, Tran, Le, and Nguyen dynasties. The highlight of the festival is a ritual creating King Le Dai Hanh’s act of ploughing to begin the year. It symbolizes the King’s sharing of joys and sorrows with the peasants and encourages the people to work for prosperous, happy lives and a peaceful nation.
Lim Festival
Annually taking place from the 13th to 15th of the first lunar month, the Lim Festival is among the most impressive festivals, ceremonies and singing in Former Kinh Bac, which now account for a majority of villages in Bac Ninh Province.
The most typical Lim Festival feature is Quan Ho singing, a special folk song, which includes betel offering, hailing ferry and others. Stretching back over 500 years and recently recognised by UNESCO as part of humanity’s intangible heritage,
The Quan Ho folk song festival is very well-organised. Visitors from everywhere come to Hat doi’ in Quan ho enjoy the festival and see the performances of “lien anh” (male singers) and “lien chi” (female singers).
Dong Ky Firecracker Festival
Dong Ky village belongs to Dong Quang commune, Tu Son district, Bac Ninh province. Every year, on the 4th day of the 1st lunar month, Dong Ky village holds a firecracker festival.
Crackers made from Dong Ky village meet demands of people everywhere on the occasions of Tet – periods, festivals, celebrations… In the competition of crackers, there are huge crackers which are 10 metres long and two metres in diameter with images of dragons, phoenixes, clouds and other traditional designs splendidly embellished.
Cau Ngu Festival
Cau Ngu Festival or Whale Worship Festival is the biggest event of fishermen in Da Nang City to pray for good weather and fish catches in the new year. The festival takes place annually in the middle of the first lunar month in the central coast city.
The festival offers a chance for local people to honor their ancestors who have reclaimed and expanded the area, and the very first fishermen. Many cultural and entertainment activities took place alongside folk music performances, sports event, folk games, and painting exhibition. The event had an area displaying outstanding seafood products of Da Nang./.
By Huong Giang
Standout Spring Festivals Related image(s)
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