On the 14th to 16th days of the third lunar month in Trung Thanh village, Yen Le commune (now Yen Cat town), the Tho ethnic people in Nhu Xuan solemnly organize the Dinh Thi festival to show gratitude and commemorate the merits of General Le Phuc Thanh - the one who reclaimed land, built villages and hamlets; at the same time, pray for a year of favorable weather, a peaceful and prosperous life.
According to recorded documents, Dinh Thi was built in 1495, worshiping Duong Canh Bach Y Thuong Dang Toi Linh Than and General Le Phuc Thanh. In 1949, the temple was degraded, and it was not until 1990 that it was restored and embellished. In 1995, Dinh Thi was recognized as a provincial historical and cultural relic. The characters worshiped in the temple include General Le Phuc Thanh and his four sons. Currently, Dinh Thi still preserves two royal decrees from the Nguyen Dynasty granted by King Khai Dinh and Bao Dai in 1922 and 1934. Previously, Dinh Thi festival often had buffalo sacrifices, palanquin processions and many folk games and performances imbued with the cultural nuances of the Tho ethnic group, but due to objective conditions, many values of the festival were lost over a long period of time. Since 1990, along with the restoration of the communal house, the Dinh Thi festival has also been restored. In addition to the sacrificial rituals and offerings, some games and performances have also been collected and restored. The Dinh Thi festival used to be held every 3 years, now it is held every 5 years, lasting from the 14th to the 16th of the third lunar month, called the grand festival; every year, incense offerings are held to commemorate the famous general on the 16th of the third lunar month, called the small festival.
The ceremony includes a palanquin procession from Dinh Thi to the tutelary god's tomb and vice versa, then a ceremony is held at the communal house. In addition to the ceremony, the festival often includes gong and drum singing, love songs, throwing con, walking on stilts, cockfighting, tug of war, playing cards and other sports activities.
This is a unique, typical and only festival still preserved by the Tho ethnic group in Nhu Xuan.
Article and photos: Khanh Linh
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