A place where the historical and religious heritage of Southern Vietnam converges.

Every year, the commemoration ceremony for Commander Dương and Commander Kiều, and the festival honoring the Goddess of Gò Tháp at the Gò Tháp National Special Historical Site (Đốc Binh Kiều commune, Đồng Tháp province) attract hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the country. This is a place that preserves long-standing cultural and religious values ​​and is currently being strongly promoted by the local authorities.

Tourists visit the Lady of the Land Shrine at Go Thap.

Folk festival at Go Thap

In early 2026, at the Go Thap National Special Historical Site, a ceremony was held to receive the Certificate of National Intangible Cultural Heritage for the Commemoration Ceremony of Thien Ho Duong and Doc Binh Kieu and the Via Ba Chua Xu Go Thap Festival, two of the largest festivals of the year in the Southwestern region of Vietnam.

The Go Thap National Special Monument is one of the important archaeological and architectural sites of Dong Thap province. This complex of national special monuments contains many relics of the Oc Eo culture from the 2nd-6th centuries AD; it is a place that marks the struggle against French colonialism by two national heroes, Thien Ho Duong and Doc Binh Kieu, in the early stages of the resistance war against French colonialism; Go Thap was the base of the Southern Regional Party Committee, the Southern Administrative-Resistance Committee, and the Zone 8 Party Committee during the years from 1946-1949...

Besides its cultural and historical significance, reflecting the nation's struggle for independence, Go Thap possesses unique and special characteristics, particularly as a repository of long-standing cultural and religious values ​​that are still being preserved and strongly promoted by the local people, as evidenced by the annual festivals of Ba Chua Xu Go Thap (the 15th day of the 3rd lunar month) and Thien Ho Duong and Doc Binh Kieu (the 15th day of the 1st lunar month).

Before 1975, the Via Ba Chua Xu Festival, voluntarily organized by the people near the Go Thap historical site, was very simple, from the rituals to the offerings. “Over more than a century, the Via Ba Chua Xu Festival at Go Thap has been preserved and promoted by the people, attracting an increasing number of pilgrims. The festival has benefited from the community's inheritance and creativity, thus expanding in scale and influence, spreading not only throughout the Southwest region but also to neighboring areas,” said Le Dinh Lang, Deputy Head of the Dong Thap Provincial Relics Management Board.

The Đồng Tháp Mười region is a name closely associated with the pioneering and settlement efforts of Vietnamese migrants. The Gò Tháp area (within the Đồng Tháp Mười region) is a famous landmark inseparable from the names of two national heroes: Thiên hộ Võ Duy Dương (Thiên hộ Dương) and Đốc binh Nguyễn Tấn Kiều (Đốc binh Kiều). From 1860 to 1945, Gò Tháp was known as the main base of resistance against the French colonialists led by Thiên hộ Dương and Đốc binh Kiều. The resistance forces under their command stirred up the Đồng Tháp Mười region, striking fear into the hearts of the French invaders. To demonstrate the principle of "drinking water, remembering the source," and to commemorate the contributions of these two heroes, the people have erected shrines, temples, and statues at the site of their former base.

According to Mr. Le Dinh Lang, along with focusing on the infrastructure for building the temples, the local government and provincial leaders pay great attention to organizing the commemoration ceremonies for the two national heroes, Thien Ho Duong and Doc Binh Kieu. This is a unique cultural, spiritual, and religious activity of the people of Dong Thap province. Both festivals not only have spiritual significance but also serve as a gathering place for the unique cultural, historical, and folk art values ​​of the Southern region.

Preserving and promoting the value of heritage

The commemoration ceremony for Commander Dương and Commander Kiều, and the festival honoring the Goddess of Gò Tháp, have been included in the list of national intangible cultural heritage, holding great significance and pride for the Gò Tháp National Special Monument, the local people in particular, and Đồng Tháp province in general. Through the rituals of the commemoration and festival, the people express their hopes for a peaceful life, favorable weather, abundant harvests, and national prosperity; at the same time, they clearly demonstrate the rich, humane, tolerant, and community-cohesive culture of Southern Vietnam.

Alongside the pride comes a great responsibility in preserving and promoting the value of heritage so that it truly becomes a spiritual resource and driving force for sustainable development. Dong Thap province is striving to preserve, restore, and promote the value of the Commemoration Ceremony of Thien Ho Duong and Doc Binh Kieu, and the Via Ba Chua Xu Go Thap Festival, thereby preserving cultural values ​​and paying tribute to the contributions of our ancestors.

Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Dong Thap Province, Huynh Minh Tuan, affirmed: "The province is committed to continuing to manage, preserve, and effectively promote the Go Thap cultural heritage; linking the preservation of traditions with historical education , sustainable tourism development, and building a compassionate, dynamic, and creative Dong Thap people." Mr. Huynh Minh Tuan requested that local authorities continue to strictly fulfill their responsibilities in state management of heritage, creating conditions for the people to participate extensively in the process of preserving and promoting the value of the heritage. The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism should proactively develop long-term programs and solutions, improve the quality of festival organization, and link heritage preservation with sustainable tourism development. The Go Thap Festival Management Board should continue to play a core role in preserving and ensuring that traditional cultural values ​​are always inherited, disseminated, and developed.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/noi-hoi-tu-di-san-lich-su-and-tin-nguong-nam-bo-post942706.html