Receiving the National Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Du Yen Temple Festival

Thanh Ba district conducted a ceremony on February 23 (lunar January 14) to obtain the National Intangible Cultural Heritage “Du Yen Temple Festival” and launched the event in 2024. Ho Dai Dung, a member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, and a representative from the Department of Cultural Heritage - Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, attended the ceremony.

Ho Dai Dung, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, delivered a flower basket to congratulate the Party Committee, administration, and people of Chi Tien commune in Thanh Ba district.

Du Yen Temple in Chi Tien commune honors female commander Nguyen Thi Hanh, the head of Hai Ba Trung’s army. In 1993, the Ministry of Culture and Information designated the Temple as a National Monument. The feasts are celebrated on lunar January 15, lunar February 15, and lunar January 10. Among them, lunar January 15 is the most significant holiday. According to legend, Hanh Nuong picks men from Bong Chau hamlet to recruit troops, and organizes a welcome party to encourage them. She offered tributes to heaven and earth before leading his troops back to meet Hai Ba Trung.

The Du Yen Temple event lasts three days (from January 13 to 15) and is a serious ritual and event. The festival has a variety of events, including a Banh Giay pounding tournament, an art competition, a shrimp nest fighting competition, a cockfighting competition, a women’s volleyball competition, a men’s volleyball competition, and a chess competition mixed with traditional games. The most distinctive are the water procession from the Red River and the Canh Tien dance (fairy dance).

The Party Committee, administration, and people of Chi Tien commune, Thanh Ba district, were presented with the National Intangible Cultural Heritage - Du Yen Temple Festival certificate by representatives from the Department of Heritage and Culture, Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.

In recent years, the Du Yen temple festival has attracted widespread attention from the public and local officials at all levels, attracting participants from all walks of life. Preserving and promoting the significance of the Du Yen temple festival not only strives to create and improve the people’s cultural and spiritual lives, but it also helps to promote tourism, the economy, and society in Chi Tien commune, Thanh Ba district, and Phu Tho province in general. Since February 2023, the Chi Tien Commune People’s Committee has gathered papers and produced a dossier to propose that the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism place the Du Yen Temple Traditional Festival on the construction list. Prepare a profile to rank intangible cultural heritage at the national level. After conducting study and evaluating documentation, the Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism signed Decision No. 3428/QD-BVHTTDL on November 10, 2023, acknowledging the inclusion of the Du Yen Temple Festival and Chi Tien commune on the list of national intangible cultural assets.

Representatives from the Department of Cultural Heritage - Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism presented the National Intangible Cultural Heritage - Du Yen Temple Festival certificate to the Party Committee, administration and people of Chi Tien commune, Thanh Ba district, during the event. Ho Dai Dung, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, and other delegations gave flowers in congratulations.

Thuy Phuong