Many attractive activities at Bao Ha Temple Festival, the largest in Lao Cai province

Every year, Bao Ha Temple Festival is held on the 17th day of the 7th lunar month, the death anniversary of Mr. Hoang Bay, who contributed to protecting the country's border on the upper Red River in Lao Cai province.

On these occasions, Bao Ha Temple attracts hundreds of thousands of people from all over the country to visit, offer incense in memory of the legendary hero and pray for a peaceful, happy life and good luck in business.

Exciting Bao Ha Temple Festival 2023 (Photo: Lao Cai Newspaper)

The opening ceremony of Bao Ha Temple Festival 2024 is the Opening Ceremony on the 1st day of the 7th lunar month, followed by the Peace Prayer Ceremony, releasing flower lanterns on the evening of the 15th day of the 7th lunar month, the Military Worship Ceremony in the afternoon of the 16th day of the 7th lunar month, and the Special Art Program to welcome Bao Ha Temple Festival with the theme "Bao Ha - Sacred Land" on the evening of the 16th day of the 7th lunar month at the Festival Ground - National Historical and Cultural Relic of Bao Ha Temple.

The procession was performed according to traditional rituals starting early in the morning of the 17th day of the 7th lunar month from the provincial historical and cultural relic of Co Temple (Tan An commune, Van Ban district) across the Red River bridge to the national historical and cultural relic of Bao Ha Temple.

Next is the main ceremony taking place on the traditional day of the 17th lunar month, including a welcome performance, an epic performance; drum beating to open the festival and an incense offering ceremony at the National Historical and Cultural Relic of Bao Ha Temple.

On this occasion, Bao Yen district also organized traditional sports and folk games in 2024, the 3rd Bao Ha Temple Cup football tournament, Bao Ha commune volleyball exchange, local traditional horse-making competition and trade fair and promotion of local agricultural and forestry products in 2024.

According to the Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee Office, Bao Ha Temple is a place to worship Hoang Bay, a mountain hero who fought against the Northern invaders to protect his village and has become a saint. This is a national historical and cultural relic site, recognized by the State in November 1997.

According to historical records, at the end of the Le Dynasty, Canh Hung era (1740 - 1786), the entire Quy Hoa region, including Chau Thuy Vi and Chau Van Ban (now Lao Cai), was constantly invaded by Northern invaders, looting and killing innocent people. Faced with such a tragic scene, General Nguyen Hoang Bay was assigned by the royal court to raise troops to quell the rebellion in the border region.

His army marched along the Red River to drive out the enemy, liberated Chau Van Ban and consolidated Bao Ha into a large base. In an unequal battle with the enemy, he heroically sacrificed himself. His body floated down the Red River to Bao Ha, where it was recovered by the local people for burial and a temple was built to commemorate his merits.

King Minh Mang and King Thieu Tri (Nguyen Dynasty) awarded Mr. Hoang Bay the title "Tran an hien liet". Bao Ha Temple where he is worshiped was granted the title "Than ve quoc", local ethnic people worship him as a human god.

Pham Ngoc Trien

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nhieu-hoat-dong-hap-dan-tai-le-hoi-den-bao-ha-lon-nhat-tinh-lao-cai-post308039.html