Go to Yen Truong to see the Ky Phuc festival.

Tracing back through history, Yen Truong village is one of the ancient villages located in the auspicious land of "Three Peaceful Fronts, Five Blessings in the Back." In the past, Yen Truong was also known as An Truong. According to local historical records and the stories told by the elders in the village, Yen Truong is a land blessed with the sacred energy of the mountains and rivers, and is therefore praised by the people as "a blessed land where birds perch."

One of the activities in the ceremonial part of the Ky Phuc festival in Yen Truong village, Tho Lap commune (Tho Xuan district).

According to the History of Tho Lap Commune: In the early 10th century, a man named Vu from Yen Truong village followed Duong Dinh Nghe in fighting the Southern Han invaders. Towards the end of the 10th century, when Le Hoan ascended the throne and prepared to launch an uprising against the Song invaders, the monk Cu Lam received a divine dream: "An Truong, a strategically important place, is blessed by divine spirits / Protecting the nation, helping to repel the Song invaders." Legend says that after the monk Cu Lam reported this to King Le Dai Hanh in Hoa Lu, the king returned to the area and prayed for three days and three nights. Indeed, in the spring of 981, he successfully defeated the Song invaders.

In the 15th century, when King Le Loi of Binh Dinh raised the banner of rebellion to drive out the invading Ming forces, many people from Yen Truong participated in the Lam Son uprising. During the Le Trung Hung period, the Yen Truong area was again chosen by the Le dynasty to build the "resistance capital" of Yen Truong - Van Lai to fight against the Mac dynasty.

During the pre-revolutionary period before the August Revolution and the two national resistance wars, Yen Truong was known as a typical revolutionary homeland of Thanh Hoa province. In particular, in 1930, a momentous historical event for the people of Thanh Hoa took place at the home of Comrade Le Van Sy: the founding conference of the Thanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee, chaired by Comrade Nguyen Doan Chap. The conference decided on many policies and tasks that marked the beginning of the Party Committee's revolutionary movement in the province.

To express gratitude to the deities and ancestors, the people of Yen Truong organized the Ky Phuc festival. Through this festival, they also contribute to strengthening the spirit of unity and solidarity within the community, fostering neighborly love and solidarity to work together to build a prosperous homeland and a strong nation.

According to the book "Vietnamese Customs" by Phan Kế Bính, published by the Literature Publishing House in 2006, regarding the Kỳ Phúc festival: "The Kỳ Phúc festival was originally the Kỳ Phúc Sacrifice - a popular ritual in the Red River Delta and North Central regions of Vietnam. Every year, during the four seasons or the two seasons of spring and autumn, there is a week-long grand ceremony called the Kỳ Phúc Sacrifice, meaning praying for the people's peace...". The word "Kỳ" is understood as a regular, annual event at a specific time. The word "Phúc" means "good fortune" or "lucky event".

At Yen Truong village communal house on the 11th and 12th of the second lunar month every year, a large number of people have the opportunity to witness the traditional Ky Phuc festival. The festival consists of two parts: the ceremony and the festivities. The ceremony is solemn, with traditional processions and offerings to the village's guardian deity; the festivities feature lively folk games and performances, with many unique activities such as cultural exchanges, arts, sports , and traditional games like cockfighting... attracting a large number of locals and tourists.

According to Tran Van Luc, Secretary of the Party Committee of Tho Lap commune, “The Ky Phuc festival at Yen Truong village communal house is deeply humane and rich in the folk culture of Vietnamese villages. During the traditional festival, the people of the commune, as well as their children studying and working throughout the country, and visitors from all over, have the opportunity to gather to express their gratitude and remembrance of the contributions of their ancestors who pioneered and established the village. Through the festival, people can enhance their community solidarity, foster neighborly love, and work together to build a prosperous homeland and country.”

Tho Lap commune is known for its rich cultural and revolutionary traditions. Therefore, the unique Ky Phuc festival at the beginning of spring in Yen Truong is an activity that contributes to preserving and promoting intangible cultural values, meeting the spiritual and cultural needs of the people in the commune and visitors from all over, and also aiming to build a cultural village tourism destination in the district.

Text and photos: Le Phuong

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/ve-yen-truong-xem-le-hoi-ky-phuc-241564.htm