Strengthening festival management and organization to prevent offensive distortions

According to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Nam Dinh province, Nam Dinh has more than 100 spring festivals, held from January to March of the lunar calendar. Many festivals are held on a large scale, attracting a large number of local people and tourists from all over the world.

Coming here, people and tourists have the opportunity to visit communal houses, temples, pagodas, shrines, and palaces, immerse themselves in traditional cultural activities, and pray for luck, peace, and happiness in the new year.

In particular, the Tran Temple Seal Opening Festival, Loc Vuong Ward (Nam Dinh City) takes place from January 12 to 16 every year and is one of the major festivals of the province. Attending the festival, people and tourists can learn about the origin and history of the Tran Dynasty, admire the architectural works of the historical and cultural relics: Thien Truong Temple, Co Trach Temple, Trung Hoa Temple and participate in rituals and ceremonies: incense offering, Ngoc Lo palanquin procession, Water procession, Fish worship...

Nam Dinh strengthens management and organization of festivals to prevent epidemics. Image 1 — The Tran Temple Seal Opening Ceremony is held on the night of the 14th to the morning of the 15th of the first lunar month every year. Photo: TL

At Phu Day festival, Kim Thai commune (Vu Ban) and Dai Bi Pagoda festival, Nam Giang town (Nam Truc), the customs and cultural beauty of the village are preserved and promoted through folk songs, folk dances, and folk games such as Cheo singing, Chau Van singing, wrestling, human chess, lion-dragon dance, etc. Traditional cultural and sports activities are organized joyfully, contributing to promoting tourism and introducing the image of friendly and hospitable Nam Dinh to domestic and international friends and tourists.

In the space of the Vieng Xuan fairs (7th and 8th of January) associated with the relics of Dai Bi Pagoda and Phu Day, localities focus on introducing typical agricultural products and traditional handicraft products with the meaning of "buying luck, selling bad luck" at the beginning of the year such as: agricultural tools, flowers, ornamental plants, seedlings, rattan, bamboo, ceramics, worshiping objects, antiques, imitation antiques...

However, the management and organization of festivals still have unpleasant phenomena, such as fighting, jostling, pushing, and jostling for fortune; burning votive papers and votive paper at a number of relics, temples, and shrines, causing environmental pollution, waste, and fire risks; opening and distributing seals that are not consistent with the historical origin and records of the relics...

Faced with these shortcomings, to meet the cultural and religious needs of people on the occasion of the Lunar New Year 2024, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Nam Dinh province has developed a plan and provided guidance on the management and organization of spring festivals.

In particular, focusing on promoting the implementation of civilized lifestyles in festivals, raising awareness, consciousness and responsibility of people and tourists when participating in festivals and religious and belief activities at places of worship, relic sites and scenic spots.

Strengthen the protection, preservation and promotion of the value of tangible and intangible cultural heritages. Replicate good models in the organization and management of spring festivals in the province. Develop plans for zoning relics and festival areas; arrange service stalls and vehicle parking areas appropriately, according to the provisions of law.

Relevant agencies and functional units coordinate to step up inspection, examination and handling of violations in festival activities and cultural services during festivals, so that spring festivals take place safely, healthily and civilly.

The Tran Temple Seal Opening Festival in the spring of Giap Thin 2024 will be held from February 20 to February 25 (ie from January 11 to 16), at Tran Temple, Loc Vuong ward (Nam Dinh city).
In which, on January 11, the Ngoc Lo palanquin procession is held; on January 12, the Water procession and Fish worship ceremony is held; on January 14: from 10:15 pm to 10:40 pm, the incense offering ceremony is performed; from 10:40 pm to 11:10 pm, the Seal palanquin procession is held; from 11:15 pm, the Seal Opening ceremony is performed.
During the Opening Seal Ceremony, the Organizing Committee will close Thien Truong Temple to ensure the solemnity of the traditional ceremony. This year, there will be more than 300,000 Tran Nam Dinh Temple Editions distributed to the people and tourists from all over the world.
From 5:00 a.m. on January 15, the organization will distribute Seals to people and tourists from all directions at 3 Giai Vu houses and Trung Hoa Temple Exhibition House.
On January 16, the Organizing Committee will continue to distribute Seals to people and visitors at Giai Vu houses from 7 a.m. On the same day, there will be a ceremony to worship and celebrate the Thuong Nguyen New Year at Co Trach Temple and a ceremony to present the Chuc Van Hoan Cung.
The Tran Temple Opening Festival in 2024 will have many new activities compared to previous years such as: Bonsai exhibition, traditional folk games, kite exhibition, display of OCOP products of the province, cultural and artistic activities such as Xam singing, Van singing, water puppetry...
The venue for these activities is concentrated in the Dong A square yard in the central area of the Tran festival, expected to attract a large number of people and tourists to attend; thereby contributing to spreading the traditional cultural and humanistic values of the Tran Temple Seal Opening Festival in early Spring.

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