Do Temple Festival

Do Temple Festival is held to commemorate the merits of King Ly Cong Uan, who opened the Ly dynasty and developed Dai Viet civilization; contribute to educating the young generation about the morality "when drinking water, remember the source."

Every year, the Do Temple Festival is one of the most lavish festivals in Bac Ninh, held on the 14th, 15th, and 16th days of the third lunar month on the anniversary of King Ly Cong Uan ascending the throne and issuing the decree to move the capital.

In the past, the Do Temple Festival was held annually according to the ancient tradition on March 15 (lunar calendar), lasting for 4 consecutive days: March 14, 15, 16, 17 (now held concisely in 3 days, the 14th). March 15, 16 and the main festival is March 15.

Legend has it that it is a festival commemorating the coronation day of Ly Thai To (March 15, Canh Tuat year - 1010). That day was auspicious, Ngo himself attained spirituality, Ly Thai To performed an offering ceremony to heaven, established the year name Thuan Thien, hoping for peace in the world, and issued an Edict to move the capital.

Do Temple Festival is a traditional festival from ancient times, a very important custom of Dinh Bang people, exciting the whole Kinh Bac region, Thang Long-Hanoi and other provinces.

The opening ceremony is a very important part, the beginning of good luck for the whole community, so all actions, words, and sounds are strictly followed.

In the ritual, there is the "Tuc Yet" ceremony - this is the ritual to receive Ly Thanh Mother Minh Duc Queen Mother Pham Thi, who had the merit of giving birth to Ly Thai To. This ritual is also understood as a filial piety ceremony, a ceremony to welcome the Holy Mother to attend her child's great ceremony. The procession is held from 1:30 p.m. on March 13 (lunar calendar), from Do Temple to the communal house where the Thanh Hoang and the Sixth Patriarch are worshiped, the heads of the six families who founded the village in the 15th century, through Kim Dai Pagoda, The pagoda worships Dharma Master Dinh Khong, the sixth founder of Buddhism, and then goes to Co Phap pagoda to commemorate Ly Thanh Mau here.

The procession of the Bat De Ly of the festival is carried to Co Phap Pagoda one day later, on the afternoon of March 14, for the night of the 14th to recite Buddhist sutras and prepare all the rituals to process the sacred tablets to the Do Temple on the morning of the 15th. The procession during the Do temple festival is described as "Eight ornately decorated palanquins are carried from Do temple to Co Phap pagoda to listen to monks and nuns chanting sutras, then return to their places. Ly Chieu Hoang's palanquin cannot be carried, it must be carried out and placed in front of the temple so she can welcome the palanquins of the eight kings.

During the Do Temple Festival, there is a dragon dance activity, this is a typical activity of the festival, demonstrating the heroic spirit of Thang Long - a symbol of advancement and the dream of wet rice farmers.

Next is the Great Ceremony. Rituals are a series of movements and acts to express respect and remembrance of the great contributions of the Ly Kings. In a sacred atmosphere, the worshiping procession on behalf of the villagers prayed for protection and gave them faith so that they would have extraordinary strength to overcome all difficulties in life. In the past, the Do Temple Festival often featured eight palanquin processions, but because it takes a lot of effort and money, today only two symbolic palanquins are held.

Ceremonies and festivals are an inseparable unity. If the ceremony is part of belief, part of the spiritual world; The festival part is the gathering of entertainment, it is the daily cultural life that only on these occasions do people have the opportunity to show off their existing abilities, or practice. In particular, there is a summary of life experiences, with attractive traditional cultural games bearing national identity.

At the Do Temple Festival, there are activities such as wrestling, playing human chess, singing quan ho songs, poetry festivals, playing swings, releasing pigeons, cockfighting, clay pot rice cooking competitions... Wrestling is a game. play martial arts at the festival.

Many researchers believe that the temple festival contains two main elements, one is, expressing respect and remembering those who have contributed to the nation, upholding the tradition of "drinking water, remember its source." Second, pray for blessings, expressing wishes for good things, favorable weather, favorable conditions, and harmony between people. Through the festival, activities that were originally arts or rituals are now enhanced to honor the king.

Do Temple Festival is a place to gather people's thoughts and psychology with respect to those who have contributed to the country, meeting the needs of people to return to their roots, mingle with nature, and rediscover their identity. native culture.

The honor and worship of a symbol with the power to protect the community, which is the Eight Immortal Kings of the Ly Dynasty, is expressed centrally in the rituals of the festival. The rituals are institutionalized into an order that demonstrates the relationship between humans and gods, between humans and humans, expressing admiration and honor for the Emperors.