The Sai Temple historical site in Thuy Lam commune, Dong Anh district, was classified as a national historical site by the State in 1986. It is a place of worship dedicated to Saint Huyen Thien Tran Vu, who helped King Thuc An Duong Vuong build the Co Loa citadel.
Sai Temple National Monument
The Sai Temple Festival features a unique and distinctive procession of a mock king in Hanoi .
The Sai Temple Festival originates from the story of King An Duong Vuong building the Co Loa Citadel. The story goes that after defeating the Qin army, Thuc Phan An Duong Vuong ascended the throne, named the country Au Lac, and established his capital in Co Loa. The king ordered the construction of the citadel, but it remained unfinished because it would collapse just as it was about to be completed. The cause was attributed to the White Rooster Spirit (a white rooster spirit). The White Rooster resided on That Dieu Mountain (Sai Mountain) during the day and, at night, brought along a horde of demons to destroy the newly built citadel.
The King received a dream from the Golden Turtle deity, instructing him to meet the deity Huyền Thiên Trấn Vũ at Thất Diệu Mountain, where he defeated evil spirits, demons, and monsters, and built a fortress. Afterwards, the King went to Thất Diệu Mountain to thank the deity Huyền Thiên Trấn Vũ for helping him achieve his wish and ordered the construction of the Kim Khuyết Cung Temple (Sái Temple) to worship the deity Huyền Thiên Trấn Vũ.
Every year, on the 11th day of the first lunar month, King An Duong Vuong would come here to offer thanks. Later, seeing the expense of travel for the people, the King allowed the villagers to perform the Emperor's ceremony in his place, thanking the deity Huyen Thien Tran Vu. A distinguished, elderly person from the village would be chosen to play the role of the King in the ceremony. The Sai Temple procession of the False King originated from this. Besides the procession of the False King and the respectful welcoming of the King, the Sai Temple festival also features the unique ritual of slaying the White Rooster Spirit… The festival is held from the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month to the 15th day of the first lunar month, with the main celebration on the 11th day of the first lunar month each year. Through the festival, the tradition of patriotism, national pride, unity, and self-reliance of the Vietnamese people is educated . The festival also expresses the Vietnamese people's wish for peace, prosperity, and national well-being.
In 2025, the Sai Temple Festival was solemnly organized by the People's Committee of Dong Anh District. In addition to traditional rituals that have been performed for thousands of years, the festival organizing committee also organized many cultural, sports , and entertainment activities for the people.
The festival will take place from January 28th to February 12th, 2025, at the Sai Temple National Monument.
Speaking at the festival, Vice Chairman of the Dong Anh District People's Committee Nguyen Thi Tam suggested: To promote the value of the Sai Temple festival in the current period, each local resident needs to take concrete actions, such as: protecting relics and tangible and intangible cultural heritage values, actively planting trees, and protecting the environment….
Quynh Anh
Source: https://sovhtt.hanoi.gov.vn/net-dep-van-hoa-le-hoi-den-sai/
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