Re-enactment of the ceremony to request the royal decree of Phu Khanh communal house

Ritual to invite the gods.

According to the elders in the commune, in the past, this land was divided into 2 villages, each village had 2 hamlets. Separated by an empty field, the 2 upper hamlets, Binh Khanh and Phu Long Phung, were called Tan Khanh village; the 2 lower hamlets, Giong Cac, Phu Hoa - Phu Loi, were called Dong Phu village.

In 1812, with the common wish of praying for favorable weather, good crops, and national prosperity, the villagers joined hands to build a small, solemn communal house on a ^24,000m2 plot of land donated by the chief worshiper Pham Van Sum. In the 5th year of King Tu Duc's reign (1852), the communal house was granted a royal decree.

In 1904 (Giap Thin), a big storm caused the trom tree next to the communal house to fall and completely collapse the communal house. The royal decrees were brought back to be kept by the worshipers one after another. On the other hand, the elders in the Celebration Committee at that time tried their best to mobilize farmers inside and outside the commune and benefactors to donate money to buy good wood to build a new communal house.

It took 10 years for the project to be completed and erected in the spring of the year of the Tiger 1914. In 1938, Tan Khanh and Dong Phu villages were merged into Phu Khanh commune until today. Every year, the communal house organizes two worshiping ceremonies: Ha Dien on the 12th of the 4th lunar month and Thuong Dien on the 12th of the 11th lunar month. In 2018, Phu Khanh communal house was ranked as a provincial historical and cultural relic by the Provincial People's Committee.

Over time, the ritual of inviting the royal decree at communal houses in Ben Tre in general and Phu Khanh in particular has been lost. In order to promptly preserve and promote the cultural values ​​of folk rituals, with the support of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the People's Committee of Thanh Phuc district organized a reenactment of the ceremony of inviting the royal decree of Phu Khanh communal house. The program was advised by Dr. Mai My Duyen, former Deputy Head of the Graduate School, Ho Chi Minh City University of Culture and Master, Musician Phan Nhut Dung, Lecturer at Ho Chi Minh City University of Theater and Cinema.

The ceremony of requesting the royal decree includes two rituals: carrying the royal decree from the commune People's Committee to the communal house and placing the royal decree in the temple. After the ceremony of requesting the royal decree, the Festival Committee will perform the annual ritual of worshiping the Upper Field.

News and photos: Bui Huu Nghia

Source: https://baodongkhoi.vn/van-hoa/van-hoc-nghe-thuat/phuc-hien-le-thinh-sac-than-hoang-dinh-phu-khanh-a139625.html