Unique Incense Offering Festival at Hai Ba Trung Temple

In the first days of the new year, in the border area of Song Ma district, Son La province, a special festival took place, which is the Incense Offering Festival at Hai Ba Trung Temple. This is not only a beautiful feature in the spiritual and cultural life but also a highlight for Song Ma district to promote historical relics, attractive destinations, and introduce the identity of ethnic minorities in the border area.

As a tradition, the Hai Ba Trung Temple Incense Offering Festival is held in January with the participation of a large number of people and tourists from all over the world. The highlight of the festival is the ritual of carrying water from the Ma River to the temple and the incense offering ritual, to pray for favorable weather, bountiful crops, and a prosperous life for the people.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Son, Tan Lap Village, Chieng Khuong Commune, Song Ma District, Son La: The village's water procession ceremony has been passed down for generations. Every year on the 12th, a water procession is held to commemorate the two ladies and the scholar. The procession members must choose old men and women with happy families and successful, obedient children.

The festival brings a vibrant atmosphere with traditional folk games such as wrestling, chess, tug of war, stick pushing, etc. In particular, fun games such as blindfolded duck catching and pot smashing always attract the participation of both locals and tourists.

Pham Thi Mai Linh, Thong Nhat Village, Chieng Khuong Commune, Song Ma District, Son La: I feel very happy and excited every spring, just looking forward to the festival so that I can come with my family and friends to offer incense and play blindfolded pot-breaking games like today.

The Hai Ba Trung Temple Incense Offering Festival is an important cultural event of the border district of Song Ma. This is an opportunity for local people to express their deep gratitude to Hai Ba Trung; at the same time, it is an opportunity to preserve and promote traditional cultural values, creating solidarity in the community.

Mr. Nguyen Duc Thien, Vice Chairman of Song Ma District People's Committee, Son La Province: We identify the Hai Ba Trung Temple Incense Offering Festival as not only a religious activity but also a potential cultural and tourism event. In the coming time, the district will continue to invest in infrastructure, upgrade the temple area and create favorable conditions for tourists to participate in the festival. At the same time, we will also promote cultural experience activities, combined with promoting the image of the festival to attract more domestic and foreign tourists.

The festival has become an indispensable part of the spiritual life of the people of Chieng Khuong commune, a place to preserve and promote cultural values, light up national pride, and is also a spiritual destination attracting tourists to come and worship and learn about the heroic history of Hai Ba Trung, who made the country famous./.

Performed by: Hoang Nghia

Source: https://sonlatv.vn/doc-dao-le-hoi-dang-huong-den-tho-hai-ba-trung-26302.html