Proclamation ceremony held to ask permission to open Con Son – Kiep Bac Spring Festival

The organizers, local authorities, and residents of Hung Dao commune bring offerings into Bac yard in front of the temple of Saint Tran to ask permission to open the Con Son – Kiep Bac Spring Festival

At 8 am, the organizers, authorities and residents of Hung Dao commune, Chi Linh city, a sacrifice team, and visitors respectfully offered incense, flowers, articles, and vegetarian and meaty feasts in the yard of Bac house in front of the temple of Saint Tran according to traditional rituals.

The sacrifice team, consisting of local elders, held a ceremony to pray for national peace and prosperity, good weather, bumper crops, elimination of diseases, world peace, and a smooth and safe spring festival.

Proclamation is an indispensable ritual before each festival to ask permission of Buddhas and saints to open the festival.

Nguyen Thanh Trung, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, Standing Deputy Head of the Organizing Board of the Con Son – Kiep Bac Spring Festival, offers incense at the proclamation ceremony

This is the first ritual, opening a series of traditional ceremonies, folk games, contests, etc. at this year's Con Son – Kiep Bac Spring Festival.

After a period of shortening ceremonies due to the influence of the Covid-19 epidemic, this year, the Con Son – Kiep Bac Spring Festival will be held with sufficient ceremonial and festive parts.

Before the festival opening ceremony, scheduled for February 6, there will be a banh chung and banh day (square and round glutinous rice cakes) making contest and cake and sacrifice offering ceremonies at the temples of Nguyen Trai and Tran Nguyen Dan.

The elders pray for national peace and prosperity and a smooth and safe spring festival

After the opening ceremony, a heaven and earth sacrificing ceremony will be held on Ngu Nhac mountain on February 7, the death anniversary of Venerable Huyen Quang, the 3rd Patriarch of Truc Lam Zen, and the Mong Son Thi Thuc (Requiem for Forsaken Spirits) will take place on February 13.

Activities of the spring festival will mainly happen at Con Son relic. On this occasion, there will also be a lot of activities at Kiep Bac relic, such as the banh chung and banh day offering ceremony and folk games, with the Culture, Tourism, and Trade Promotion Week as the highlight.

TIEN HUY