The Hung Temple Festival 2011, held by Phu Tho People’s Committee from the 6th to the 10th of the third lunar month, achieved a bright outcome. Although this year, the festival was held in a provincial scale, the festivity still enjoyed the participation and “anniversary contribution” of many provinces representing the three regions of the country, including Tuyen Quang, Hoa Binh, Yen Bai, Nam Dinh, Quang Ngai and Dong Thap, with many special cultural activities.
Cultural heritage honoured
Hung Temple Festival took place with many cultural and artistic activities. Right from the beginning of April, there were many activities to celebrate the festival, such as the ceremony of drum giving by Vietnam Cultural Heritage Association, the exhibition of calligraphy and documentary books with the topic of “Coming back to the ancient festival of Vietnam”, and the object exhibition with the topic of “The love of people throughout the country and international fellows toward Hung Temple.”
On April 9th (March 7th lunar calendar) there were a variety of activities such as the exhibition of handicrafts, the contest of wrapping and cooking Chung cakes and grinding Giay cakes, Tea culture festival and sports competition including badminton, volleyball, Chinese chess, rowing, traditional wrestling and archery. The new features of Hung Temple Festival this year built up to the ceremony of the Hung Kings. The organizers promoted the ceremony to honour the National Forefather Lac Long Quan and the Mother of the country Au Co at the site of Hung Temple with many solemn and traditional rites. These activities involved presenting offerings from all the communes, districts and cities surrounding the Hung Temple site on 6 March, lunar calendar. On the main day of the festival (10 March lunar calendar), in the Provincial House of Culture, there was the play named “Magic crossbow” by Hong Van Theatre (Ho Chi Minh City) which was broadcast live.
With the theme of exploiting, honouring and promoting the cultural values of the Hung Temple Festival and the traditional features of the ancestral land, the festival found its new image with the completion of a variety of infrastructure items, the religious beliefs and the plentiful and diverse events and activities. “Xoan Music Festival” was held on 10 April at Hung Vuong Museum, with the participation of 15 clubs from throughout the province. These activities promote the work of completing the profile of “Xoan Music of Phu Tho province” for UNESCO approval as an intangible cultural heritage which needs urgent protection.
Besides that, there were also many activities of the festival held on the site of the Hung Temple and Viet Tri City. Especially, on this occasion, the international seminar “Religion in worshipping Hung Kings” will be held on 13April. This activity promotes the proposal for UNESCO approval as an intangible human cultural heritage.
A well orchestrated event
The festival organizers have been successful in ensuring the security of the festival. Safety was a particular concern, with many specific and detailed plans implemented to ensure absolute security for the leaders of the Party, Government and the delegates attending the ceremony.
Phu Tho province repaired roads leading to the site and implemented proper plans of traffic control to avoid traffic jams during the time of the festival. Viet Tri city also redecorated the city and made preparations to welcome and serve those attending the ceremony. Transport authorities also worked to avoid the situation of passengers clinging outside of vehicles to get into the station, to ensure festival security.
The organizers of the festival this year focused on avoiding the hazard of passengers hanging outside of vehicles, cut-throat prices for common items and the messy view which has existed at this festival for the last few years. There were two co-coordinating working shifts of police, troops, market management, culture and medicine established to work 24/7 at the site to regularly check and deal with any violations.
The Provincial People’s Committee also directed the management board of the Hung Temple site to cooperate with other departments in implementing plans to prevent and fight forest fires, and ensure environmental hygiene during the festival.
Guest houses, restaurants and other food providers had to quote their prices and provide a hotline telephone number so that visitors could contact authorities if any violation occurred. The organizers also planned areas of grouped services to prevent disorder, which caused traffic jams, and also asked visitors to check prices and verify bargains to avoid hassles.
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