As spring comes, people in Phu Nghia commune in particular and Lac Thuy district in general flock to Tien Pagoda festival to enjoy festive activities during the annual event.
The ritual of palanquin processing from
Trung Temple to Tien Pagoda for the opening of the festival in 2024.
Tien Pagoda festival takes place in the Phu Nghia relic complex in Phu Nghia
commune. This year, the festival was organised at the provincial level,
attracting a large number of visitors.
Vu Huyen Chi, a visitor from Hanoi, said that she took her family to the pagoda
on the fourth day of the first lunar month to enjoy the beautiful landscape of
the site, adding she will visit the site again to further explore the massive
relic area.
Giang My, who was born in Lac Thuy and resides in Hai Phong, also chose Tien
Pagoda festival for her family’s spring trip to pray for a new year of good
health and smooth work, and enjoy the festive atmosphere with various folk
games at the festival. Her family also had a chance to enjoy "Chau van” (trance
ritual singing) and a trade fair.
This year, the opening ceremony of the Tien Pagoda festival took place in three
days from February 12-14, or the third to the fifth day of the first lunar
month, with diverse cultural and sports activities, along with a special art
programme featuring folk art, instrumental music, Muong gong art, Chau van, and
the demonstration of Tam Phu Mother Goddess ritual. The festival lasts for
three months until the end of the third lunar month.
The festival, the largest of its kind in Lac Thuy, carries strong identity of
the Muong traditional culture. The palanquin processing of the festival starts
from three venues of Trinh temple, Mau (Mother Goddess) temple and Trung
temple.
Visitors can also take a journey through the Dong Tien – Chua Tien – Mau Dam Da
relic complex where Au Co Mother Goddess, Tan Vien Mountain Gods, and Tu vi
Thanh nuong (four Holy Mothers) are worshipped.
The Chua Tien landscape and relic complex has 20 relics, including historical,
cultural, archeological ones and landscapes spanning Lao Noi and Lao Ngoai
communes. Particularly, Tien cave landscape site, a famous archaeological site
in the complex, was recognised as a national relic site in 1989.
Currently, the construction of a cable car system in the valley of the Huong
Pagoda-Tien Pagoda-Tam Chuc Pagoda spiritual triangle is underway.
Nguyen Van Hai, Chairman of the Lac Thuy People’s Committee, said that along
with spreading the traditional cultural values of the local community, the
festival is also a chance for the district to promote its tourism to domestic
and foreign visitors, contributing to promoting the local socio-economic
development.
On February 12th (i.e. Lunar January 15), the People's Committee of Hop Tien commune, Kim Boi district organized the Festival of Sim Pagoda Festival in At Ty Spring, 2025. The festival welcomed many people and tourists to visit the pagoda and enjoy the scenery.
The palanquin procession to Sim Pagoda.
As Hoa Binh province is set to host 115 spring festivals, local departments, sectors and localities are joining hands to ensure safety for the events.
In many major cultural events in Hanoi, the sound of the Muong people's gongs has become a special tone, contributing to the unique harmony that praises the cultural values accumulated over thousands of years along with the sacred soul of the capital city.
On the first day back to work and school after the Lunar New Year holiday, thousands of female officials, civil servants, and students from grade nine and above in Lac Son district proudly wore the traditional Muong attire. The vibrant brocade patterns created a striking cultural display, reinforcing the community's commitment to preserving and promoting their heritage.
The provincial-level Khai Ha festival 2025 of the Muong ethnic minority group took place at Phong Phu commune’s stadium in Tan Lac district of Hoa Binh province on the morning of February 5 (the 8th day of the first lunar month of the Year of the Snake).
"Xuong Dong” (going to the field) festival opened in Yen Phu commune of Hoa Binh’s Lac Son district on February 5, or the eighth day of the Year of the Snake, drawing thousands of locals and visitors to partake in a variety of activities.