From mid-March to May (lunar calendar) every year, communal houses simultaneously organize the Ky Yen festival to express their faith and hope for a peaceful, prosperous life and a bountiful harvest. In harmony with that long-standing cultural feature, on May 9-11 (lunar calendar), in Binh Thuy commune (Chau Phu district), there are bustling activities to celebrate the Ky Yen festival, attracting a large number of people to participate. The Binh Thuy communal house relic is an architectural work of art with cultural and historical value, associated with the process of reclaiming land and establishing villages on the ancient Nang Gu island. This is where local people place their faith and belief.
The process of building Binh Thuy communal house is associated with the name of Mr. Duong Van Hoa - the person who pioneered and gathered people in the old Binh Lam land (former name of Binh Thuy commune). Previously, Binh Thuy communal house was built with simple leaves on a large plot of land, about 200m from Rach Chanh estuary, but then caught fire. In 1850, the village officials and people mobilized people to contribute and rebuild the communal house on the land of Mr. Duong Van Thu (great-grandson of Mr. Duong Van Hoa), about 200m from the old communal house. Through the process of restoration and embellishment, Binh Thuy communal house still retains its ancient and solemn architecture.
The main communal house has a “Tam”-shaped architecture, three-level roof, and ancient roof; the lower roof is covered with Phu Huu tiles, the middle and upper roofs are covered with yin-yang tiles. On the roof of the communal house is a statue of “two dragons fighting for a pearl”, implying that everything is smooth and favorable. The structure of the front of the communal house is a harmonious combination of bricks and stones combined with wood; the decorative art on the front of the communal house combines two Eastern and Western cultural elements, enhancing the architectural features, making the communal house stand out in the middle of the river island area.
The Ky Yen festival at Binh Thuy communal house meets the spiritual needs of the people.
With its outstanding architectural value, Binh Thuy communal house was ranked as a provincial-level architectural and artistic relic by the Provincial People's Committee according to Decision 286/QD-UB, dated February 18, 2000. Binh Thuy communal house worships the local tutelary god and the ancestor Duong Van Hoa. Currently, Binh Thuy communal house regularly performs worship ceremonies throughout the year, such as: Ky Than Festival, Ky Yen Festival and Lap Mieu Festival. In particular, the Ky Than Festival of Binh Thuy communal house (taking place on January 21-22) has the same rituals as the Ky Than Festivals of other communal houses in the whole province, but the more special point is that the Ky Than Festival of Binh Thuy communal house is also the death anniversary of the ancestor Duong Van Hoa.
The Ky Yen Festival (taking place from the 9th to the 11th of the 5th lunar month) is an occasion for villagers to worship the local tutelary god, the god of agriculture, the god of the land, praying for favorable weather, prosperity for the people and the country. The Ky Yen festival also includes a ceremony to pay homage to ancestors, descendants and elders in the village toeducate the next generation about the tradition of "remembering the source of water when drinking". The Ky Yen festival at Binh Thuy communal house has rituals and festivals that are all associated with the cultural and spiritual life of the residents of the river area. Each Ky Yen festival will help the people of Binh Thuy island see again the rituals passed down from their ancestors.
The Lap Mieu festival (held on the 19th and 20th of the 12th lunar month) is held to thank the gods for a year of favorable weather and a successful harvest, with the following rituals: Worshiping the god of agriculture, asking for blessings, offering prayers, offering prayers, and offering prayers to the gods. Among the three major ceremonies of Binh Thuy communal house, the Ky Yen festival and the Lap Mieu festival attract a large number of people to participate. In particular, over the years, the Ky Yen festival has created a unique community cultural space, an activity that plays an important role in the spiritual life of Binh Thuy people.
Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairwoman of the People's Committee of Binh Thuy Commune, Bui Thi Ngoc Le, shared: “The village communal house is a cultural and religious institution, a symbol of community. Through the annual Ky Yen festival of Binh Thuy communal house, it is an opportunity for Binh Thuy people far from home to gather to attend the village festival, strengthen the relationship between the village and the neighbors, and remember and show gratitude to the ancestors who reclaimed and established Binh Thuy village. We hope that the bustling atmosphere of the Binh Thuy communal house festival will bring visitors the experience of a festival in the countryside with the typical features of the Mekong Delta and meet the spiritual needs of the local people.”
The annual Ky Yen festival at Binh Thuy communal house is not only a religious activity, but also a symbol of the intersection between tradition and modernity, demonstrating the enduring vitality of national culture in the hearts of the people. Within the framework of the Ky Yen festival at Binh Thuy communal house this year, along with the solemn ceremony, there is also a vibrant festival with sports activities serving local people and visitors to enjoy and experience the festival, such as: Traditional boat racing, flower car competition, traditional chess tournament and fun folk games...
Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/luu-giu-van-hoa-dinh-lang-giua-thoi-hien-dai-a421980.html
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