International Temple - A place to preserve the unique ritual of the Cocoon Robbing Festival

Located on the gentle Bua River, the International Temple in Di Nau Commune (old), now Tho Van Commune, has long been a famous spiritual destination for the people of Phu Tho. Not only does it have unique cultural and historical values, this place is also associated with the cocoon snatching festival - a unique folk ritual, expressing the wish for a bountiful harvest, a prosperous and happy life of the residents of the Northern midlands.

According to legend, the International Temple was built to worship the generals of the Hung Kings who fought and defended the country. Over hundreds of years, the temple has been preserved and restored by the people, becoming a sacred symbol of the spirit of "remembering the source of water when drinking". In particular, this place has been recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a National Historical Relic, further affirming the great historical and religious value of the relic.

According to legend, the Quoc Te Temple was built in 258 BC and is a very important place to hold the festival of the procession of the gods along with the "Hundred Arts Presenting the Village" and the "Cocoon Robbing" game on the 4th of January.

International Temple from the outside

The play “Hundred Arts Presented to the Village” is a humorous play from the Hung King period depicting many hard but joyful jobs such as: Buffalo plowing, rice planting, carpentry, painting, teacher teaching, students taking exams... After the play, the villagers also organized a “cocoon snatching” event. The cocoon tree is a young bamboo tree hung with 18 baskets and 18 baskets symbolizing the fertility beliefs of agricultural residents.

Villagers perform the play "A Hundred Arts Presented to the Village" at the International Temple

According to custom, on the main festival day, young men in the area gather at the temple yard to participate in the game of “cocoon snatching” – symbolizing the capture of the blessings of heaven and earth. People believe that whoever snatches the cocoon will have good luck, a bountiful harvest, and a prosperous family. The bustling festival atmosphere, the sound of drums, and cheers blend together to create a festival picture imbued with national identity.

The International Temple has silently witnessed the ups and downs of time.

Not only an occasion for fun, the festival is also a place to unite the community, for generations of Di Nau people to come together to remember the merits of their ancestors and review the good traditions of their homeland. Those cultural values ​​have been preserved through many generations, becoming the pride of the people here.

From the cocoon snatching festival, we can see the strong vitality of folk culture in contemporary life. Comrade Tran Cong Chinh - Chairman of Tho Van Commune People's Committee said: Currently, the local government and people are making efforts to preserve, restore and promote the value of the festival, turning this place into an attractive cultural tourism destination. From there, it opens up opportunities to develop spiritual tourism combined with ecology, contributing to creating sustainable livelihoods for the people.

It can be said that the International Temple is not only a sacred place, but also a living testament to the cultural and historical traditions and solidarity of the Tho Van people. Amidst the modern pace of life, the temple is still there as a reminder for descendants to forever remember their roots and preserve their homeland's identity.

Vinh Ha

Source: https://baophutho.vn/den-quoc-te-noi-luu-giu-nghi-le-doc-dao-le-hoi-cuop-ken-242548.htm