Ceremony to receive the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Certificate "The custom of visiting temples, shrines, ancestral houses and houses" on New Year's Eve in Gao village

Gao Village (Qua Linh) is an ancient Vietnamese village, formed during the Hung King period, associated with the legend of 18 ancestors of the clans who came to open up fields and establish hamlets. Gao Village still preserves many customs, practices, and folk beliefs imbued with national cultural identity, including the "Custom of visiting temples, shrines, ancestral houses, and houses" on New Year's Eve. This custom deeply reflects the traditional morality of "When drinking water, remember its source" of the local people towards the village's tutelary gods and ancestors. In particular, at the moment of transition between the old year and the new year, the earth - sky - people are in harmony, resonate, containing profound spiritual values ​​about beliefs and aspirations for a year of favorable weather, good wind, lush trees, bountiful crops, "healthy people and prosperous things", all the best things coming to everyone, every home. The activities of worshiping, torch-carrying, incense-offering, offering gifts, etc. demonstrate the spirit of village community, solidarity in overcoming difficulties and challenges, and together building the homeland and country to become increasingly rich, beautiful, and civilized.

With historical and cultural values, on December 10, 2024, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued Decision No. 3990/QD-BVHTTDL to include the "Custom of visiting temples, shrines, ancestral houses, and houses" on New Year's Eve in Gao village, Thanh Loi commune (Vu Ban) in the List of National Intangible Cultural Heritage under the category of "Social customs and beliefs" heritage.

Also on this occasion, the People's Committee of Thanh Loi commune (Vu Ban) organized the opening ceremony of the " Thai Binh Xuong Ca" Festival in the year of At Ty - 2025.

The “Thai Binh Xuong Ca” Festival (Gao Village Festival) is a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. According to historical documents, from the Dinh - Tien Le Dynasty to the Tran Dynasty, Qua Linh Village was the place where the royal court set up a granary (Dinh Dun) to store food; there was an army to transport food, making an important contribution to the Tran Dynasty's army and people defeating the Yuan - Mongol invaders three times (13th century). Legend has it that after the third victory over the Yuan - Mongol invaders on the Bach Dang River (1288), recognizing the villagers' contributions in ensuring logistics for the army and soldiers to fight the invaders, King Tran granted special rewards to the people of Gao Village to hold a singing festival to celebrate the victory, bringing peace to the country.

In gratitude to the king, since then the village has maintained the organization of the festival every three years in the years of Dan, Than, Ty, Hoi, from the 9th to the 11th of the third lunar month, with many traditional activities concentrated at the Communal House - Pagoda of Gao village, Dam Hat, Dong Temple, Bong pond, Hoi Dong Communal House, Hat hamlet cultural house with rituals: proclamation ceremony, procession of the Saint's palanquin and incense altar of the 18 founding ancestors, establishment of the hamlet, worship of male and female mandarins, Ban Da ceremony... clearly showing the community's customs and practices in the worship of ancestors, the village's tutelary god associated with the culture of the wet rice farming residents. In addition to the solemn rituals, this year's festival features many traditional cultural and sports activities, and exciting folk games: Cheo singing, Quan Ho singing on the river, weaving on the lake, rowing boats to transport food on the river, racing to hit balloons, playing swings, cockfighting, catching ducks in the pond, catching ducks on land, blindfolded pot-breaking, crossing the bridge, catching pigs, playing lantern flags underwater, Chinese chess, singing Trong Quan, Tam Cuc Diem, To Tom Diem, Dragon Cloud Dance, Lion-Monk Dance... attracting a large number of local people and tourists from all over the world to participate.

Khanh Dung

Source: https://baonamdinh.vn/tin-tuc-su-kien/202504/le-don-bang-di-san-van-hoa-phi-vat-the-quoc-gia-tuc-xong-den-xong-dien-xong-nha-tho-ho-xong-nha-dem-giao-thua-lang-gao-a2358aa/