Thanh Am communal house and pagoda festival (Viet Hung ward, Hanoi) is one of the long-standing traditional festivals imbued with the cultural imprint of the Duong riverside region with a history of more than 400 years. The festival is held annually on March 9th and 10th of the lunar calendar, an occasion for people to remember the merits of their predecessors, and at the same time preserve and promote the traditional cultural values of their homeland.
Built from the late 16th century, Thanh Am communal house worships three village tutelary gods, including two martial generals of the Hai Ba Trung period, Dao Ky, Phuong Dung and Trang Trinh Nguyen Binh Khiem of the Mac dynasty.
The highlight of the festival is the water procession ritual from the Duong River. At exactly 7 am on the 9th of March, the procession departed from the village communal house with a full lineup: flags, palanquins, drums, gongs, senh dance troupe and elders in traditional costumes.
The delegation moved to the river wharf, where the water procession performed the ritual of taking 12 baskets of sacred water in the clearest river.
Sacred water is then brought to the village communal house and placed in the rear palace for use in rituals throughout the year, incense is burned on the full moon and the 1st day of the lunar month, offered to the saint for 12 months of the year and 4 Tet days: February 20th of the lunar calendar is Spring Tet, August 15th is the death anniversary of Mr. Dao Ky, December 23rd is the death anniversary of Tranh Trinh Nguyen Binh Khiem and the Thanh Minh village festival.
This symbolizes the wish for favorable weather, bumper crops, and a peaceful life for the people. This ritual not only has spiritual meaning but also reflects the long-standing bond between Thanh Am residents and the Duong River.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Huy Vinh - Vice Chairman of Viet Hung Ward People's Committee - affirmed that the festival is an opportunity for Thanh Am people to express their sincerity to those who have contributed to the country, an opportunity for cultural exchange, a bridge to connect the past, present and future.
Following the ritual part is the ritual of offering incense, offering wine and offering fruits of the ritual teams, harmonizing with the sound of drums to create a solemn and traditional space. After about two hours of completing the ritual part, people in the village take turns to offer incense, praying for a peaceful and favorable year.
These rituals are repeated on the morning of the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month, closing the main activities of the festival in solemnity and community cohesion.
Mr. Nguyen Hong Quang - Head of the Relic Management Board - shared: "Organizing the festival is extremely meaningful and necessary to educate younger generations to promote the good traditional culture of the homeland.
Besides the solemn ceremony part, the festival also has many unique folk cultural activities, attracting a large number of people and tourists to participate. Over hundreds of years, Thanh Am communal house and pagoda is not only a religious space but also a cultural symbol of an ancient Vietnamese village, a place that preserves historical memories and community identity.
The Thanh Am communal house and pagoda relic complex has been ranked as a historical and cultural relic by the Ministry of Culture and Information since 1990, becoming a familiar place for religious activities, research and sightseeing for people and tourists.
Today, the Thanh Am communal house and pagoda relic continues to be a meaningful destination, contributing to traditional education, fostering the spirit of love for the homeland and preserving the sustainable cultural values of the Capital.
