Currently, Vietnam has about 8,000 festivals held a year. In Vietnam there are four forms of the festival include: Folk Festivals (88.36%); Revolutionary History Festivals (4.16%); Religious Festivals (6.28%); abroad imported Festivals (0.5%) such as Christmas Catholic holidays are becoming meaningful. Imported beauty mingles with the people living in Vietnam. People were aware of activities honoring the nation’s traditional culture; therefore, many festivals are restored and developed. Specially, ceremonies are held in the spring attracting many people, and become traditional cultural beauty of Vietnam.
The biggest festival in Vietnam is Hung King‘s death anniversary. This anniversary also known as Hung King Temple Festival-is celebrated on the tenth day of the third Lunar month. It is the ethnic pride, and ethnic origin of Vietnam. Hung King’s festival attracts about 4 million people every year.
Being one of the public holidays of Vietnam, this festival is for worshipping Hung Kings, those who make great contribution in building the country in its very first start. Death anniversary of the Hung Kings has the purpose of educating the young generation of Vietnam society about their traditional root. On this special day, Vietnamese people, not only at home but also abroad, turn their souls and hearts towards Nghia Linh Mountain, Viet Tri City, Phu Tho Province—the sacred land where Hung Kings established the country centuries ago. Apart from the part of ceremonies, Death anniversary of the Hung Kings also consist of several cheerful activities like performances of Cheo singing, Quan Ho singing, Xoan singing as well as games of chess playing, rice cooking and chicken kicking.
Ba Chua Xu Temple Festival is also major festival in Vietnam. The festival is hold annually from the 23rd day to 27th day of the fourth lunar month, in Ba Chua Xu Temple, Nui Sam (Sam Mountain) ward, Chau Doc commune, An Giang province. The temple was constructed in 1820 as according to folklore, in the early 1800s, local people there had found a female statue made of marble in the forest—they considered her as their ‘country lady’, Ba Chua Xu. They built the temple to worship the lady with the hope that she would bring them greater crops as well as happier and wealthier lives. Yearly, the festival attracts about 2, 5 million people.
Tourist can take part in this event when visiting Chau Doc in their tours in Vietrnam. Following is the timeline for the event:
Bathing the statue: on the 23rd day at midnight and the 24th day at early morning
Inviting Thoai Ngoc Hau’s spirit: on the 24th day at 3PM
Tuc Yet: on the 25th day at midnight and the 26th day at early morning
Establishing altar: right after Tuc Yet
Chanh Te: on the 26th day at 4AM
In addition, Thoai Ngoc Hau’s spirit will be returned back to his mausoleum on the 27th day of the fourth lunar month, at the afternoon.
Time: 23rd-27th of 4th lunar month
Purpose: worship Ba Chua Xu for greater crops and happier, wealthier lives
Activities: five ceremonies and entertaining activities
Another festival also attracts about 1.5 million people from the North to the South of Vietnam is Ba Den Mountain festival (Tay Ninh town, in the middle of Mekong Delta). Local people establish the custom of holding Ba Den Mountain festival during the first lunar month in order to commemorate the Saint. Pilgrimages from all parts of the country especially Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam’s southern cities—join together to pay Nui Ba a visit and enjoy the amazing view as well as religious atmosphere there. Apart from being a religious event, Nui Ba Festival is a remarkable activity representing South Vietnam folklore culture as well as a special occasion for people to spend valuable time having fun together in their Mekong Delta trip.
One of the most major Religious Festivals is Yen Tu Festival. It is also one of the country’s most famous spring festivals, opened on February 28 in Thuong Yen Cong commune, Uong Bi city, and Northern Quang Ninh province. The festival is traditionally held on the 10th day of the Lunar New Year and runs until the end of the third lunar month. Yen Tu Festival is expected to receive over two million visitors, including 2,500 Buddhist pilgrims every year. Tourist can visit Yen Tu before or after enjoying their Halong Bay Cruises because Yen Tu is only 50 km far from Ha Long.
Besides, there are many interesting festival that attracts hundred thousand people to attend such as Con Son Kiep Bac ( Hai Duong province); Tran Temple, Phu Giay ( Nam Ding province ); and Huong Pagoda (Ha Noi)…
