Every year, the Bao Ha Temple Festival is held on the 17th day of the 7th lunar month, which is the anniversary of the death of Mr. Hoang Bay, a man who contributed to protecting the national border on the upper reaches of the Red River in Lao Cai province.
On these occasions, Bao Ha Temple attracts hundreds of thousands of people from all over the country who come to visit, offer incense in remembrance of the legendary hero, and pray for a peaceful and happy life, and good fortune in business.
The Bảo Hà Temple Festival 2023 was a resounding success (Photo: Lao Cai Newspaper)
The Bảo Hà Temple Festival 2024 begins with the Opening Ceremony on the 1st day of the 7th lunar month, followed by the Prayer for Peace Ceremony and the release of floating lanterns on the evening of the 15th day of the 7th lunar month, the Offering Ceremony for the Soldiers on the afternoon of the 16th day of the 7th lunar month, and a special art program celebrating the Bảo Hà Temple Festival with the theme "Bảo Hà - A Sacred Land" on the evening of the 16th day of the 7th lunar month at the Festival Grounds - Bảo Hà Temple National Historical and Cultural Monument.
The procession, following traditional rituals, begins early in the morning of the 17th day of the 7th lunar month, starting from the provincial-level historical and cultural relic site of Co Temple (Tan An commune, Van Ban district), crossing the Red River bridge to the national-level historical and cultural relic site of Bao Ha Temple.
Next, the main ceremony takes place on the traditional 17th day of the 7th lunar month, including welcoming performances, an epic reenactment; drumming to open the festival and the offering of incense at the Bao Ha Temple National Historical and Cultural Monument.
On this occasion, Bao Yen district also organized traditional folk sports and games in 2024, the 3rd Bao Ha Temple Cup football tournament, a friendly volleyball match in Bao Ha commune, a local traditional craft competition for making horse-shaped effigies, and a trade fair to promote local agricultural and forestry products in 2024.
According to the Office of the People's Committee of Lao Cai province, Bao Ha Temple is a place of worship for the deity Hoang Bay, a mountain hero who fought against invaders from the North to protect his village and was later canonized. This is a national historical and cultural relic site, recognized by the State in November 1997.
According to historical records, during the late Le Dynasty, specifically the Canh Hung era (1740-1786), the entire Quy Hoa region, including Chau Thuy Vi and Chau Van Ban (now part of Lao Cai province), was constantly raided and plundered by invaders from the North, who killed innocent civilians. Faced with this tragic situation, General Nguyen Hoang Bay was entrusted by the court with the important task of raising an army to quell the rebellion in the border region.
His army advanced along the Red River, driving out the enemy, liberating Chau Van Ban, and consolidating Bao Ha into a major base. In an unequal battle against the enemy, he bravely sacrificed himself. His body floated down the Red River to Bao Ha, where it was recovered by the local people, buried, and a temple was erected to commemorate his heroic deeds.
Hoang Bay was awarded the title "Tran An Hien Liet" by Emperors Minh Mang and Thieu Tri (Nguyen Dynasty), and the Bao Ha Temple where he is worshipped was granted the title "Than Ve Quoc" (Guardian of the Nation). Local ethnic groups revere him as a benevolent deity.
Pham Ngoc Trien
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