Water procession at Tam Giang Temple

Every year, on the 25th day of the 9th lunar month is one of the three important festivals of the year - the day of the traditional festival of Quan Thanh, Tam Giang Temple (Thanh Mieu ward). In the Tam Giang Temple festival, the water procession is an ancient custom, a sacred ritual, expressing the soul and unique cultural features of the ancestral land. The water procession, besides the purpose of bringing water to burn incense and worship the gods, also expresses people's wishes for the growth and development of all things.

The water procession begins to set off on the boat.

Tam Giang Temple is located at the Hac junction - the confluence of three rivers: Thao River - Da River - Lo River, Bach Hac Ward, old Viet Tri City, now Thanh Mieu Ward. The temple is located in the national historical and cultural relic cluster of Tam Giang Temple and Dai Bi Pagoda. Tam Giang Temple Festival originated from the village festival, associated with the worship of the village's God of Tho Lenh, the hero Chieu Van Vuong Tran Nhat Duat and the Holy Mother Quach A Nuong, who have many merits and contributions to the nation and people of the ancient Bach Hac region.

To commemorate the merits of their ancestors, every year, the people in the area hold a ceremony. The first ceremony is held in early spring from the 3rd to the 5th of January; the second ceremony is held on the 10th of the 3rd lunar month (the saint's birthday) and the third ceremony is held on the 25th of the 9th lunar month (the saint's consecration day).

The boat sets off for the water intake site.

In the Tam Giang Temple Festival, the water procession is one of the most unique and important rituals. Besides the purpose of bringing water to worship the gods, the water procession also represents people's wishes for the growth of all things in nature and human beings.

The procession held a ceremony to ask the gods for permission to take water to worship the saints.

The procession is dressed in traditional costumes. The master of ceremonies is chosen by the elders, has a complete family with both boys and girls, is happy, has obedient and polite children; is not covered with dust (in mourning); wears a red ao dai, a red hat, and red shoes. The male team wears a blue ao dai, shoes, and a blue hat, showing solemnity and respect before the gods and is a beautiful feature in the traditional festival of the people here.

Mr. Tran Quoc Chinh - the celebrant shared: I am very honored to be chosen as the celebrant representing all the people in the region to perform the worship ritual during the Tam Giang Temple festival. It is not only the pride of myself and my family, but also the wish to offer prayers for favorable weather, good crops, and the people of the country to be warm, prosperous and happy...

The celebrant is the first person to get water.

Following behind is the drum and music team whose duty is to play music and beat drums according to the celebrant's command during the ceremony; the palanquin procession team, on which is placed an incense bowl, a porcelain water jar tied with a red bow; a bronze water ladle, a flower vase and a tray of five fruits decorated splendidly. Following behind is the spear-holding team, the eight treasures team, and the male and female worshipers wearing traditional costumes participating in the procession.

The people in the sacrificial team took turns scooping water and pouring it into the jars.

At the auspicious hour, the master of ceremonies gave the signal to start, the gongs and drums began to sound, the water procession from the temple down to the boat dock to go to the water collection location. On the boat, the organizers had prepared a tray of offerings for the master of ceremonies to worship the gods. To get the sacred water, the procession had to go to the confluence of three rivers, often creating clear water on one side and muddy water on the other. According to folklore researchers, Hac junction is where the rivers from above meet, creating a river full of vitality. Taking water from there to perform the bathing ceremony and worship the saints shows the wish for fertility and growth.

The procession returns with sacred water

According to the elders in the village, to get sacred water, in addition to choosing the right location, the person taking it must have experience and fate to choose the right place with the best water with enough yin and yang. Mr. Nguyen Van Cong - Deputy Manager of Tam Giang Temple shared: The custom of carrying water at the river junction is associated with the Tam Giang Temple festival on September 25 and March 10 of the lunar calendar every year. The water-taking ritual is very elaborate, must have a full team of male and female worshippers; perform a ceremony to worship Tho Cong and Ha Ba, ask for permission to bring water back to pray for luck, use it for important village events, worship at the temple, for local people to bring it back to use in worshiping their ancestors and serving the spiritual needs of visitors from all directions...

The ceremonial team stood on both sides to welcome the water procession back.

After the boat reached the Hac junction, the boat stopped, dropped anchor so that the procession could perform a ceremony to ask the gods for permission to take water to worship the saints. Everyone stood solemnly, the celebrant, the head priest and the village elders stood in front of the offering tray. The celebrant lit incense and read a prayer to ask for permission from the gods. After finishing the prayer, the celebrant burned the prayer and paper money, and everyone in the worshiping team released them into the river.

After the water procession ceremony ends, the water in the jar is brought back to the temple for the ceremony.

Before drawing water, people drop a circle wrapped in red or colorful cloth around the water surface to determine the water drawing location and prevent anything unclean from flowing in. According to local beliefs, when drawing water, only scooping within this circle is sacred, then pouring water into the jar. The celebrant is the first person to perform the water drawing ritual, followed by the members of the ceremonial team taking turns scooping water and pouring it into the jar, until it is full, then closing the lid. After the ceremony ends, the group carries the sacred water jar back to the temple to perform the ceremony.

Ritual at Tam Giang Temple

The Tam Giang Temple water procession, despite many changes, is still preserved by the people. The ritual not only has spiritual value but also proves the enduring vitality of the culture of the river region, where the nation's origin begins. In the midst of the whirlpool of development, the drops of sacred water still flow forever as the way the people here preserve tradition and the cultural source of the ancestral land.

Linh Nguyen

Source: https://baophutho.vn/tuc-ruoc-nuoc-den-tam-giang-242753.htm