Con Son - Kiep Bac Autumn Festival 2014

 

After the festival announcement ceremony on September 3, 2014, the casting ceremony of Arhat statues for Con Son Pagoda on September 8, 2014 will open the 2014 Autumn Festival. On the morning of September 9, 2014, the procession ceremony will start from the Ancestral Worship Hall of Con Son Pagoda to Uc Trai Temple in commemoration of the 572^nd death anniversary of Nguyen Trai, a national hero and a world cultural celebrity. Hai Duong Cheo Singing Theatre will perform the drama “Con Son Sage” in honour of the national hero, Nguyen Trai.

 

The festival programme will be followed by the “seal opening” ceremony on September 9, 2014 (the 16^th day of the eighth month of lunar calendar). This is a traditional ritual at Kiep Bac Temple. According to legends, the day before the “taboo day” of the Great Saint, the local government and temple keepers hold a ceremony to print the seal on a yellow strip of silk and ask the Great Saint, or Lord Hung Dao Dai Vuong, for permission to distribute sealed strips to pilgrims.

 

Many important contents will be performed on September 10, 2014, including the procession ceremony of Van Yen and Duoc Son villagers, the commemorative ceremony and the inauguration ceremony of Kiep Bac Temple. The army assembly ceremony on the Luc Dau River is set to take place from 9:00 am to 10:00 am, an important and distinctive ritual of Con Son - Kiep Bac Festival. This repeats the parade of Tran Dynasty army in the fight against Mongol invaders to safeguard the nation. The army assembly ceremony is performed by nearly 5,000 people in Cat Ba and Quan Muc (Haiphong City) and Kenh Giang (Hai Duong province). After dragon and lion dancing performances is the martial art show by 300 performers from Nhat Nam Martial School and 120 club performers from Gia Loc district, Hai Duong province - the homeland of General Nguyen Che Nguyen. On the river is 50 boats decorated with colourful flags and banners. All repeats the scene of assembling the army led by Hung Dao Dai Vuong and the Van Kiep Victory in June 1285.

 

Soul Praying Ritual and Flower and Lantern Festival on the Luc Dau River are characteristic events of Con Son - Kiep Bac Autumn Festival. The Flower and Lantern Festival is to pay tribute to heroes and martyrs sacrificing their lives to the fatherland. The Soul Praying Ritual will worship for the rest in peace of Tran Dynasty soldiers and pray for peace for the nation and the people.

 

Other traditional cultural activities also attract pilgrims, including the Great Saint Death Anniversary held on the 20^th day of the eighth lunar month on Mam Xoi Mount and Kiep Bac Temple. The rite is conducted by monks.