Wednesday, November 22, 2023
Held on the 20th day of the 9th lunar month every year, Bac Le Temple Festival has become a spiritual tourist destination for Vietnamese people in all parts of the country contributing greatly to promoting cultural values and developing tourism in Lang Son province. Let's find out what makes this festival so unique and famous.
Introducing Cong Dong Bac Le Temple
Bac Le Temple (Ba Chua Thuong Ngan Temple) with the literal name "Bac Le Linh Tu" - is a relic complex located on a hill in the middle of the southern area of Bac Le Village, in Tan Thanh commune, Huu Lung district , Lang Son province.
According to the stele engraved in the 4th year of Khai Dinh (1919), before that the temple was just a small shrine, often caught by fire, then the people donated and built it into a 3-compartment house with 3 palaces:
First - Second - Third (forbidden palace). During the second (1933) and third (1940) repairs, the old 3-room house was returned and the Third Palace was built at the back. A large and tall Tam Quan gate was built outside the three steps leading up to the temple. After that, due to other conditions and reasons, Cong Dong Bac Le temple went through a number of repairs.
Bac Le Temple located on a hill in the middle of the southern area of Bac Le Village
Although it has undergone many renovations, the current temple still retains its traditional appearance, always attracting a large number of tourists from all over to worship, practice beliefs and admire the natural beauty.
Bac Le Temple is associated with the legendary story of Thuong Ngan Thanh Mau of Bac Le region, revered as "Thuong Ngan Holy Mother Cao Son Goddess", about the epiphany of Holy Mother Lieu Hanh on the road to Lang Son; about Chau Be Bac Le, a goddess who helps Thuong Thousand Thanh Mau and becomes the famous Adoration Saint who governs the Bac Le region...
Through the changing process of history, through many layers of miracles, Bac Le Temple is not only a place to worship the community of saints Son Lam - Son Trang but also a community of the belief system of worshiping Mother Goddess Tam Phu - Four Palaces of Vietnamese people should be called "Cong Dong Bac Le" temple.
Traditional festival of Cong Dong Bac Le temple
The main festival of Bac Le Temple annually attracts thousands of people to worship and visit. Bac Le temple festival includes main ceremonies: Throne bathing, main banquet and procession.
Festival time
The traditional festival of Cong Dong Bac Le temple (also known as Bac Le temple festival) is held on the 20th day of the 9th lunar month. Previously, in the consciousness of local people, the traditional festival of Cong Dong Bac Le Temple was the biggest Tet of the year, held within 3 days from the 18th to the 20th of the 9th lunar month.
This interesting festival is held on the 20th day of the 9th lunar month
During the 3 days of the festival, the temple organizes meals at the temple. Up to now, people only organize it on the afternoon of the 20th, when everyone gathers for a banquet with the concept that "a piece of holy fortune is equal to a burden of naked fortune."
Important rituals
Besides, the festival also has main ceremonies: Throne bathing ceremony, main banquet ceremony, procession ceremony... The throne bathing ceremony takes place before the procession. In particular, people took spring water from Bac Le Temple to clean the statue of the First Mother of Thuong Ngan and the throne of their father, the Jade Emperor. The main ceremony always has a feast of three animals as sacrifices.
In addition, there are many other ceremonial offerings such as elephants, horses, boats, hats, and dolls. A feast of three students is offered to the Council, to the Five Gods, and a vegetarian meal (sometimes even salty) is given to the Mother. After that, the procession of the Mother Goddess to see the festival is carried out with the bustling sound of gongs and drums. The procession went to Deo Keng temple (a relic related to Bac Le temple) to perform the ceremony. After being a high priest at Deo Keng Temple, everyone returned to be a high priest at Cong Dong Bac Le Temple.
The hectic atmosphere of the Cong Dong Bac Le temple festival
The atmosphere of the ceremony is mixed with the sound of gongs, bustling drums with music and colorful costumes of the San Tien dance. People here believe that the dance will bring luck and peace.
The traditional festival of Cong Dong Bac Le temple not only reflects the cultural and religious activities of the people but is also associated with the process of fighting against foreign invaders and the cultural activities of indigenous people but is also The day of the military festival to celebrate the victory in the battle of Ai Chi Lang of the Le Loi insurgent army (September 20, Dinh Mui year - October 10, 1427).
And the unique and traditional cultural feature of the Cong Dong Bac Le Temple festival in Bac Le - Lang Son is that in addition to praying... pilgrims and those participating in the festival can also listen to adoration and watch literature and listen to the songs, dances, and musical instruments full of sounds and colors.
Along with historical and cultural values, Bac Le Temple Festival is becoming one of the most famous festivals in Vietnam. The S-shaped country has many other unique cultural festivals. If you want to learn more, join our Vietnam tours package to have the opportunity to discover interesting and interesting things.
