Tran Temple Festival - national intangible culture heritage

Hanoi (VNA) - The Tran Temple Festival is annually organised at the national historical complex of the Tran King's shrines and tombs in Hung Ha district of the northern province of Thai Binh from the 13th - 18th day of the first lunar month, attracting a large number of tourists.

The festival aims to honour the Tran Dynasty (1225-1440) for its merits and contributions to national building and defending, thus educating people on the nation’s cultural tradition and patriotism, and national pride.

It also contributes to satisfying the demand of people and visitors for cultural and spiritual activities.

The festival usually begins with an incense-offering rite at the kings' tombs and a ritual for the opening of the gates of Den Thanh (Thanh Temple), Den Mau (Mother Temple) and the Tran Kings' shrines.

It is followed by a ‘water procession', in which about 1,000 people will carry nine ornate palanquins with memorial plaques of the Kings of the Tran Dynasty and members of their royal families.

Folk games imbued with cultural identities of the nation such as  rice cooking contest, wrestling, tug of war, and chess are also organised in the framework of the festival.

The Tran Temple Festival was recognised as national intangible heritage in 2014, while the historical complex of the Tran Kings’ shrines and tombs received special national relic status in 2015.

The festival is part of activities of the locality to preserve and promote the unique cultural values of national heritages.

In the history of  feudal dynasties of Vietnam, the Tran Dynasty was known as a powerful dynasty with outstanding achievements in socio-economic development.

The dynasty repelled the Yuan-Mongols on three occasions, making it one of the greatest periods in the Vietnamese history. 

Thai Binh is considered the birthplace of the Tran Kings, while Nam Dinh province was their first residential area. The festival is also held at the Tran temple complex in the neighbouring Nam Dinh province during the first lunar month every year./.