(CLO) The Ba Pagoda Festival embodies the unique religious beliefs of the residents of the Nuoc Man Port area, commemorating and honoring the pioneering contributions of their ancestors who transformed the coastal swamp into a bustling trading port.
On the afternoon of February 27th, the opening ceremony of the Ba Pagoda - Nuoc Man Port Festival took place at the Ba Pagoda historical and cultural site (An Hoa village, Phuoc Quang commune, Tuy Phuoc district, Binh Dinh province).
This is one of the largest and earliest traditional festivals in Binh Dinh, traditionally held from the last day of the first lunar month to the second day of the second lunar month.
The elders pay their respects to the deities before performing the rituals. Photo: Ngoc Nhuan
This year, the festival is being held from February 27th to March 1st (the 30th day of the first lunar month to the 2nd day of the second lunar month).
As is customary, in addition to the state-organized opening ceremony, the festival features many traditional folk rituals. Starting at 3 PM, the Ceremony of Welcoming the Deity and Carrying the Sacred Decree takes place. This is the opening ritual for the traditional ceremonies of the Ba Pagoda Festival.
This ceremony is meticulously prepared, involving hundreds of participants, including a procession with four palanquins symbolizing fishermen, woodcutters, farmers, and herdsmen; a ceremonial team; a flag bearer; and a lion dance troupe.
After the ceremony at Ba Pagoda, the procession departs from Ba Pagoda, carrying palanquins to Ong Pagoda (Quan Thanh Temple), Ba Hoa Temple, Thanh Hoang Shrine, and Ong Ho Temple to bring the sacred tablets of the deities back to Ba Pagoda for the ritual.
The subsequent ceremonies include: Offering sacrifices to the Heavenly Empress, the Mother of Childbirth, and the local tutelary deity, praying for the deities' blessings and protection for the people, wishing them good fortune in their endeavors, ensuring safe childbirth, and a prosperous life; and reciting prayers for national peace and prosperity...
The festival includes many activities: volleyball competitions, traditional card games, folk games, traditional opera performances… to entertain the people and visitors who come to the festival.
Ba Pagoda has been a place of communal worship for the entire local community since the late 16th century. The pagoda festival emerged later but quickly became a large-scale religious event in Binh Dinh province. The festival embodies the unique cultural and religious characteristics of the residents of the Nuoc Man port city, commemorating and honoring the pioneering contributions of their ancestors who transformed the coastal swamp into a bustling trading port city.
The ritual procession of the deity during the festival. Photo: Ngoc Nhuan
This festival is also a time for residents to pray to the deities for blessings upon seafarers and traders, and for protection of their spiritual and material lives. In 2022, the Ba Pagoda - Nuoc Man Port Festival was included in the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage.
To protect and promote the heritage value of the Ba Pagoda Festival - Nuoc Man Port, Tuy Phuoc district has developed a plan to protect and promote the heritage until 2030; at the same time, it plans to expand the historical and cultural relic site of Ba Pagoda, and build a new road leading to Ba Pagoda to better serve the religious needs of the people and develop tourism .
T. Toan
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/khai-hoi-chua-ba--cang-thi-nuoc-man-hon-400-nam-tuoi-o-binh-dinh-post336428.html
![[Video] Sunset at Lap An Lagoon – Where the sun sets over the fishing nets](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2026/05/31/1780192137701_beach-landscape-sea-water-nature-grass-745871-pxhere-com.jpeg)
Comment (0)