The Tien pagoda festival in Phu Nghia commune, Lac Thuy district will be held as a provincial-level event from February 12-14, said Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Toan.
Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Toan and local officials direct preparations for the Tien pagoda festival.
Toan, who is also head of the festival organising committee, said that the Tien (Fairy) pagoda festival is a cultural and folk belief activity that is restored and held annually to preserve, promote the traditional cultural values, and meet the spiritual needs of people. It also contributes to promoting the great solidarity among ethnic groups and boosting tourism of the district and Hoa Binh province.
Regarding the festival organisation this year, the provincial official said that an incense offering ceremony will take place on February 12 morning (the third day of the lunar year) and a ceremony on the afternoon of the same day with rituals asking local gods for permission to open the festival.
On February 13, the festival will officially start with palanquin processions: the procession of the Three Monsignors from Trinh Temple; the Procession of the Holy Mother's palanquin from the Thanh Mau Temple; the Procession of the palanquin of the god worshipped in the communal house from the Trung communal house. They are followed by the official festival opening ceremony with numerous activities such as musical performances, lion/ dragon dancing, stilt walking, bamboo dancing, and the Muong Gong ensemble.
Festive activities include folk games, and volleyball friendly matches among teams from districts of Yen Thuy, Kim Boi, Lac Son, Tan Lac and Lac Thuy.
Visitors can also enjoy a folk art exchange programme featuring ethnic musical instruments, Muong gong art performances, folk singing and demonstrations of the belief of worshipping the Mother Goddess of the Three Palaces by artisans from Trinh temple, Mau temple, and Tien pagoda.
Within the framework of the festival, a spring fair also takes place with over 40 booths that offer agricultural products, handicrafts, One Commune-One Product (OCOP) products, and local food.
Hoa Binh province has carried out multiple programmes and initiatives to revive its cultural heritage which has gradually fallen into oblivion through the ebbs and flows of history.
The most prominent and defining feature in the prehistoric era of Hoa Binh is the Hoa Binh Culture. The Culture was first discovered in Hoa Binh. The significant prehistoric culture represents not only Vietnam but also Southeast Asia and southern China. Through excavations of cave sites in the limestone regions of Hoa Binh, French archaeologist M. Colani introduced the world to a "Stone Age in Hoa Binh province – Northern Vietnam" in 1927. On January 30, 1932, the First Congress of Far Eastern Prehistorians, held in Hanoi, officially recognised the Hoa Binh Culture.
Known as the "Land of Epic History”, Hoa Binh province, the gateway to Vietnam’s northwest, boasts a strategic location and a unique cultural tapestry woven by its ethnic minority communities.
The People's Committee of Luong Son District recently held a ceremony to receive the certificate recognizing Sau Communal House in Thanh Cao Commune as a provincial-level historical and cultural site.
Recognising the importance of cultural heritage preservation in protecting and promoting the value system of Vietnamese culture, and serving socio-economic development in the new period, Party committees and local administrations in Hoa Binh province have identified it as a key task in the cultural development strategy. The province has been making efforts in mobilising resources, creating consensus among people and engaging ethnic communities in preserving and promoting cultural identity.
Hoa Binh province has captured growing attention both domestically and internationally for its distinctive cultural heritage and rich history. Most notably, it has been renowned for its famous Hoa Binh culture, considered the cradle of ancient Vietnamese civilisation. Looking ahead to significant milestones in 2025 and the 140th anniversary of province establishment in 2026, Hoa Binh Newspaper presents a comprehensive overview of the province's development across economic, social, cultural, tourism, and security domains.
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