On the evening of April 16th (corresponding to the 8th day of the 3rd lunar month), at the National Architectural and Artistic Heritage Site of Saint Nguyen Temple (Gia Tien and Gia Thang communes, Gia Vien district), the District Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee, and Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Gia Vien district organized the opening ceremony of the 2024 Traditional Festival of Saint Nguyen Temple.
Attending the opening ceremony of the festival were: Comrade Doan Minh Huan, Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee; Mai Van Tuat, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council; Pham Quang Ngoc, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; leaders of the Provincial People's Committee; leaders of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the province; representatives of several provincial departments and agencies; districts and cities; the Provincial Tourism Association; the Provincial Traditional Medicine Association; leaders of the District Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee, and Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the district; representatives of district departments, agencies, and organizations; the District Buddhist Association; communes and towns in the district; and a large number of local people from Gia Tien and Gia Thang districts and tourists from all over.
On behalf of the Gia Viễn district leadership, Comrade Phạm Văn Tam, Deputy Secretary of the District Party Committee, Chairman of the District People's Committee, and Head of the Festival Organizing Committee, delivered the opening speech for the festival.
The speech stated: Zen Master Nguyen Minh Khong, whose given name was Nguyen Chi Thanh, was from Dam Xa village, Dai Huu commune, Truong Yen prefecture (now Gia Thang and Gia Tien communes, Gia Vien district). He was a talented Zen Master who made many contributions to the political , intellectual, and cultural life of Dai Viet during the Ly Dynasty. He is one of the few Zen Masters whose events are recorded in the Dai Viet History Chronicle. The fact that the Zen Master was appointed National Master, the highest position in the Ly Dynasty's monastic system, clearly demonstrates his importance in the history of Buddhism during the Ly Dynasty in particular and the history of Vietnamese Buddhism in general.
Zen Master Nguyen Minh Khong, from real life, entered folklore steeped in legends and myths, possessing many powers, magical abilities, and considered the founder of medicine and the founder of bronze casting. The life and career of Zen Master Nguyen Minh Khong are surrounded by a cultural space rich in history and legend. He is one of the very few historical figures canonized by the people (along with Hung Dao King Tran Quoc Tuan) and holds a special place in the hearts of the Vietnamese people and in Vietnamese culture.
After the Zen Master's death, to commemorate his contributions, King Ly issued a decree that all the people of the kingdom, the household deities of the village, and all the people of Dam Xa perform rituals at the place where Minh Khong passed away, bringing his divine name back to establish a temple for worship... from Son Tay to Ai Chau, all worship him, with Dam Xa as the main place of worship. To date, there are over 570 places of worship in various localities throughout the country.
The Temple of Saint Nguyen in Dam Xa has long been renowned as one of the most sacred temples in the Gia Vien region, celebrated as one of the "Four Guardian Temples of Hoa Lu". The entire complex, situated on a plot of land exceeding 4000 m2, is built in the "Inner courtyard, outer enclosure" style, with a unique and ancient architecture dating back to the Late Le Dynasty. The historical and cultural relic of the Temple of Saint Nguyen was recognized as an architectural and artistic monument by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 1989.
To show reverence for the National Master of the Ly Dynasty, it is customary for the people to hold a festival at the Nguyen Temple from the 8th to the 10th of March in the lunar calendar. The timing of the festival is not tied to the birth or death anniversaries of Saint Nguyen; nor is it linked to any particular season, but is held in the spring, based on the folk belief that spring is the season of renewal and growth, and that people are invigorated and filled with the vibrant energy of spring in their new lives.
The traditional festival at the Thánh Nguyễn Temple is deeply rooted in history and culture, closely associated with the life, career, and legends of Zen Master Nguyễn Minh Không. It plays a particularly important role in the cultural and spiritual life of the community and is a creative product that demonstrates community cohesion.
In recent years, with the people's reverence for Saint Nguyen, and in order to preserve the relics, maintain the unique cultural features, and promote the historical and traditional values, the Saint Nguyen Temple festival has been held annually and has been upgraded in scale, content, and venue.
As the proud and honored homeland of Saint Nguyen, the Party Committee, government, and people of Gia Vien district have been striving to build a more developed Gia Vien, especially by continuing to promote and exploit the values of cultural heritage, particularly cultural heritage related to Zen Master Nguyen Minh Khong, contributing to the cultural and economic development of the district.
Following the opening speech, Comrade Doan Minh Huan, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, beat the drum; and Comrade Hoang Manh Hung, Secretary of the Gia Vien District Party Committee, struck the gong to officially open the festival.
Next was an epic art program titled "Following in the Footsteps of Saint Nguyen," performed by the Gia Vien district's amateur art troupe and local people.
*Before the opening ceremony, traditional rituals such as the temple opening ceremony, the bathing ceremony, the sacrificial ceremony, the procession of the hundred gods, and the incense offering took place at the National Architectural and Artistic Heritage Site, aiming to express the principle of "Drinking water, remembering the source," commemorating and expressing gratitude for the great contributions of National Master Nguyen Minh Khong to the nation's history.
Attending the incense offering ceremony were Comrade Bui Mai Hoa, Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and Head of the Provincial Propaganda Department; leaders of the Gia Vien District Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee, and Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee; representatives of the district's departments, agencies, and organizations; Gia Tien and Gia Thang communes; and local people.
The festival includes unique cultural activities deeply rooted in the immense contributions of Zen Master Nguyen Minh Khong to the nation's medical field, such as: the Diem village market, Yoga performances, a "Returning to the Roots of Saint Nguyen" tour, the final round of the 2024 "Nurturing Tourist Guide Talent" competition, boat racing, and traditional folk games...
Organizing festival activities contributes to reviving the tradition of love for the homeland and national pride among generations, and raising awareness and responsibility among all levels of society in participating in the preservation, promotion, and exploitation of cultural heritage values.
Bui Dieu-Minh Quang
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