The Tay and Nung ethnic groups in Cao Bang absorb and apply this custom every time they build a house or door. Over time, it has gradually become a beautiful cultural custom in the life of the ethnic community in which they live.
When building a new house, some families in the Tay and Nung communities in Cao Bang often place a horizontal tree in the middle of the roof, which is called: "Pe ban" or "Pe chong ma" (the horizontal tree placed on the roof, in the middle room). This horizontal tree, also called Thuong Luong, is also called "may Thuong Luong" in some places (the Thuong Luong tree also means "Lucky tree" ). Therefore, when building a new house, the ceremony of placing the Thuong Luong tree is an opportunity to express gratitude to the gods who look after the land and house of the homeowner. At the same time, it also expresses the homeowner's sincerity, always hoping that his family's home will be protected, all disasters and illnesses will be reduced; wishing for everything in the family to always be lucky, smooth, and peaceful all four seasons. With such a profound meaning, the Thuong Luong Ceremony is prepared very carefully and elaborately by the homeowner.
First, the homeowner chooses a straight, sturdy piece of wood. If they choose a precious wood such as ironwood, lim, tau, sen... then it is even more precious. Next, the homeowner will invite a reputable master to carve directly onto that piece of wood; or if they do not carve directly onto the wood, the homeowner often chooses a piece of wood from a Mulberry tree or a Jackfruit tree (with the meaning of fragrance and exorcism) to carve words onto that piece of wood and attach it to the selected tree. After careful and thorough preparation, the homeowner often invites people who are knowledgeable about words, especially those who are knowledgeable about Han Nom; Nom Tay characters such as: Do teacher or Tao teacher (feng shui teacher), the teacher will help the homeowner choose a good day, a good hour, and at the same time, the teacher will personally carve words or write lines of words with extremely profound philosophical meanings.
The inscriptions or writings on the Shang Liang tree are often presented in parallel sentences with popular verses such as five or seven words. Thereby, expressing the wish to eliminate diseases; exorcise ghosts and demons; bring prosperity and fortune, helping future generations to always be peaceful, harmonious, lucky, have much fortune and happiness... such as: "Khuong Thai Cong at Khu - Can Nguyen Hanh Loi Trinh" (meaning: the homeowner will always enjoy all the good things from heaven and earth, exorcise ghosts and demons to help the homeowner build a career); Or: "Tu Vi Tinh Chinh Chieu - Phu Quy Tho Khang Ninh" (meaning: the homeowner will always enjoy happiness, longevity, nobility, health, and peace, the family will always encounter good luck and good things).
Next, the homeowner will choose a good day and month to place the Thuong Luong tree on the roof truss or beam, symbolizing the completion of the roof frame. The homeowner will invite the Tao master to perform the ceremony. In a solemn atmosphere, the master will use incense to burn on the purlin to "cleanse, exorcise evil" and pray for peace. Usually, the master will read a prayer with extremely profound meaning:
“ Ten days to choose a smooth, favorable day/A hundred hours to choose a good hour/The hour of heaven's opening, great luck/Asking for a pillar, the pillar is strong for a thousand years/Pac hour, the pillar does not change in all four seasons/Placing Thuong Luong, Thuong Luong is stronger than a mountain/Thicker than a cliff/Forever strong).
After finishing the prayer, Master Tao stood solemnly, near the Thuong Luong tree and wrote in the air in Han Nom or Tay Nom characters: "Nhap" while pressing lightly on the Thuong Luong tree and placing it in the predetermined position.
The Thuong Luong Ceremony marks an important milestone in the process of building a house, when the construction has completed the frame and is about to enter the finishing stage. This is also an occasion for the construction workers, the homeowner, and family members, relatives, and neighbors to congratulate each other and look back on the efforts they have put in to save and build. The custom of performing the Thuong Luong Ceremony helps maintain and transmit cultural values from generation to generation. Although each locality has different rituals, it can be said that this is one of the long-standing customs and is closely associated with the traditional beauty in the house-building culture of the Tay and Nung ethnic groups in particular and the Vietnamese people in general.
Nowadays, the material life of the Tay and Nung ethnic groups has improved, their houses have been solidified, so the Thuong Luong tree-planting ceremony is no longer widely circulated and popularized. However, it can be said that this is an ancient custom with profound humanistic significance, contributing to enriching, beautifying, and enriching the cultural traditions in the spiritual life of the Tay and Nung ethnic groups in Cao Bang.
Source: https://baocaobang.vn/thuong-luong-net-phong-tuc-dep-co-xua-3178865.html
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