Ba Ngu Hanh Temple Festival 2023

As a famous tourist attraction in Vung Tau, Ba Ngu Hanh Temple attracts a large number of visitors each year. And Ba Ngu Hanh Temple Festival is also considered one of the famous festivals in this beautiful coastal city. So what's special about the Ba Ngu Hanh Temple Festival?

Introducing the Ba Ngu Hanh Pagoda festival

Pilgrims and devotees gather at this sacred site to pay homage to Buddhist deities and engage in spiritual activities. Let's find out what's special about this temple.

The birth of the Ba Ngu Hanh Temple Festival

In the year of the Dragon 1832, Ba Ngu Hanh Temple was built. Ba Ngu Hanh Temple was awarded the 4th rank of Thien Y A Na Dien Ngoc Phi Thuong Dang by King Thieu Tri after more than 10 years. In the year of Canh Tuat (1850), King Tu Duc again awarded him the 2 honors Thien Y A Na Than Nu Thuong Than and Thuy Long Than Nu Thuong Than.

Ba Ngu Hanh Temple was built in 1832

According to the Eastern philosophical point of view, the universe as well as all things are made up of five elements: yin and yang, five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. And Ba Ngu Hanh Temple worships powerful gods who can influence the operation of all things and the universe.

On the horizontal panel hanging in front of the main door is the name "Ngu Hanh Temple", but most of the gods worshiped in Ngu Hanh Temple are female goddesses, so people often call it Ba Temple. At the main hall of Mieu Ba, worshiping two protectors of the country who were awarded the title of High Class Deity, Ba Thien Y A Na and Thuy Long Than Nu, these are also two deities who make the weather favorable, the sea and sky peaceful, and the ears pass by. The disaster was cured, the harvest was bountiful. On both sides are the altars of 5 girls and 5 boys. On the left is the altar of loyal people Quan Cong, Quan Binh and Chau Xuong. On the right is the Tho Cong altar. In the back is the altar of Tien Hien, Hau Hien and compassionate people in the community.

The scene inside Ba Ngu Hanh Temple

The meaning of the holiday and when it takes place

On holidays, New Year, or the full moon week, local people, especially seafarers, often work as fishermen or go to Ba Ngu Hanh Temple to offer incense and pray to the gods to bless a peaceful life, good weather, good fish harvest, and recovery from disasters...

The Ba Ngu Hanh Temple Festival is usually held on three days, the 16th, 17th and 18th of the 10th lunar month every year. On October 16, people will hold a ceremony to welcome her first at 6 am from Ba Temple on Hon Ba island, located at Back Beach, Vung Tau City. So if you travel to Vung Tau and want to see this festival, please note it in your travel guide!

This festival takes place once a year on the 16th, 17th and 18th of the 10th lunar month

Unique cultural value in the Ba Ngu Hanh Temple Festival

On October 16, at 6:00 a.m., people will hold a ceremony to welcome her first. This ceremony takes place with a procession including the master of ceremonies, students, villagers and palanquins, the altar is decorated with betel and areca nuts, fruits, wine, tea, five items, five element flags, gongs and drums and the lion dance group... moved to Hon Ba temple and then returned to Ba Ngu Hanh temple to worship.

The Ba ceremony has a special feature: the procession will walk on land without using boats. From Hon Ba, the procession will follow Thuy Van street to Phan Chu Trinh and continue to Hoang Hoa Tham street and then to Thang Tam communal house area. After welcoming her back to the temple, the ceremony of worshiping the ancestors and late sages will take place between 8:00 a.m. and 8:30 p.m.

Ba Ngu Hanh Temple Festival is held on three days

After this ceremony is the Five Elements Worshiping Ceremony that begins at exactly 12 noon. This is also the main and most important ritual of the Ba Ngu Hanh Temple Festival. At the beginning of the ceremony, people will beat three gongs and drums, 8 ritual students and 6 Taoist will perform traditional rituals. In front of the five elements altar, there will be up to 4 women kneeling to prepare for the sacrifice. The ceremony will include 1 chief priest, 1 waiter, on both sides are eastern filial piety and western filial piety.

At this time, the master of the ceremony offers one week of incense, three weeks of wine, and one week of tea to pray. After the worship is finished, the ceremony leader performs the ritual. At this time, those attending the ceremony will take turns bowing and praying for their wishes, praying for peace, happiness and luck.

In addition to organizing solemn and spiritual rituals, the Ba Ngu Hanh Temple Festival also organizes cultural and entertainment activities such as boi singing. Usually famous and familiar plays will be performed such as So Van Saves the Price, Phan The Ngoc defeats the stage, the ceremony to honor Marshal Duong Kim Hue... In addition, in the afternoon of the first holiday, a grand ceremony will also be held and perform the opera performance at 3 p.m.

One of ritual of the Ba Ngu Hanh Temple Festival

The Ba Ngu Hanh Temple Festival not only has a strong attraction for Vung Tau city residents but also attracts a large number of tourists from all over. The unique features of the culture, history, beliefs and traditional customs of Vung Tau as well as of Vietnam will be clarified in our Vietnam tours. Plan and depart now to have memorable journeys in your life.