Du Yen Temple Festival: Preserving the Sacred Thread Amidst Modern Life

These days, the festive atmosphere has become palpable around the Du Yen Temple area (Chi Tien Commune). Along the roads leading to the historic site, Party, national, and festival flags are neatly displayed; at the temple courtyard, service teams are diligently reviewing every final detail. The rhythmic sounds of drum rehearsals blend with the daily activities of the village, signaling the arrival of a new festival season.

The 2026 Du Yen Temple Festival, taking place during the full moon of the first lunar month, serves as a familiar spiritual destination and a prime opportunity to witness how the local community prepares, preserves, and practices a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in contemporary life.

A scenic view of Du Yen Temple.

According to the plan, the 2026 Du Yen Temple Festival will be held over two days, March 2 - 3 (the 14th and 15th days of the first lunar month), at the Du Yen Temple National Historic and Cultural Site. Located in the ancient land of Bong Chau Thuong (now Village 2, Chi Tien Commune), the temple is affectionately called Mother Temple by locals. It has stood quietly for centuries as a spiritual anchor for people far beyond the commune’s borders.

The temple is dedicated to General Nguyen Thi Hanh, also known as Princess Ngoc Loan or Quoc Mau Dai Vuong (Great Queen Mother). A female general under the Trung Sisters' era, she is legendary for her role in repelling invaders and safeguarding the borders during the early days of nation-building and defense. Over nearly 2,000 years, Du Yen Temple has been meticulously preserved and was officially ranked as a National Architectural and Artistic Monument in 1993.

The palanquin procession ritual of the Queen Mother.

The heart of the festival lies in its Ceremonial Section, which converges traditional rituals preserved and practiced by the Chi Tien community over many generations. The sequence begins with the water procession from the Red River to the temple, embodying prayers for favorable weather, bountiful harvests, and a peaceful life. This is followed by the statue bathing ritual, the anouncement ceremony, and the palanquin procession of Saint Mother Nguyen Thi Hanh from the temple to Thien Lam Pagoda and back on the main festival day, creating a seamless and solemn ritual chain.

Within this sacred space, the incense offering and deity worship ceremonies are conducted with utmost care, featuring various specialized groups: the sacrificial team, palanquin bearers, the bat am (eight-instrument) ensemble, flag-bearing teams, and celestial dancers. Each ritual and team reflects the community’s role as the “custodian” of the heritage, ensuring the festival is not merely a reenactment of old customs but a living part of today’s cultural fabric.

Chairman of the Chi Tien Commune People’s Committee Do Anh Chien noted that local preparations began early, with a focus on maintaining traditional rites while ensuring order and safety. "The Du Yen Temple Festival is the locality’s largest spiritual and cultural event of the year. Therefore, we are determined to organize it with rigor and methodology, ensuring every ritual is meaningful and free from superficiality or distortion," emphasized Mr. Chien.

Parallel to the solemn rites, the Festive Section opens a unique community space where village life merges with the holiday spirit. Activities are organized over several days, linked to the familiar routines of local residents, satisfying the need for spring celebrations and social interaction for both locals and tourists.

The palanquin procession moves to the riverbank for the sacred water-taking ritual.

According to the Chairman, numerous folk games and sporting events—such as banh giay (round sticky rice cake) pounding, tug-of-war, volleyball, and Chinese chess—are organized, attracting enthusiastic participation from residential areas and mass organizations. Additionally, public art programs featuring folk melodies, Xoan singing, and traditional dances are elaborately staged, enriching the festival space with the sounds, colors, and cultural memories long associated with this land.

Comprehensive measures for security, traffic safety, environmental sanitation, food safety, fire prevention, and healthcare have been synchronized. The management of service activities within the festival area has been strengthened to minimize offensive behaviors and create a healthy, civilized festival environment.

More than just a seasonal playground, the festive section is an opportunity for the community to assert its role in safeguarding heritage. From elders guiding rituals and residential art and sports teams to youth union members supporting organization, everyone contributes a specific task to ensure the festival is safe and orderly. This voluntary participation ensures that heritage remains inseparable from community life, creating a sustainable resonance through every season.

From the solemn rituals to the vibrant village festival space, the 2026 Du Yen Temple Festival demonstrates how a national intangible cultural heritage is preserved—not by formal imitation, but through the proactive engagement of its people. When the community does not just “attend” but directly prepares, practices, and passes down cultural values, heritage becomes a vivid and breathing part of the present.

Huong Giang