Mach Lung Temple Festival

Mach Lung Temple Festival is held for 3 days from February 10 to 12 of the lunar calendar every year, in Dai Mach commune, Dong Anh district. Mach Lung Temple is a historical relic worshiping three national heroes of the 18th Hung King period. The genealogy stored at Mach Lung temple said: Van Lang country had a younger brother named Hung Trang, the Chief of Hai Duong, who married the daughter of the Chief of Cuu Chan's household, Soa Nuong. She has been at her husband's house for eight or nine years but has not yet given birth. Soa Nuong burned incense day and night to pray to heaven and earth for 3 or 4 years. As a result, one night, Soa Nuong dreamed of three dragons coming from outside, transforming into three sons. The older brother called himself Elder, the younger called himself Second, the youngest called Third, all of them volunteered at the Aquarium to be reincarnated as children. Then she got pregnant. On August 14, the year of the Rat, she gave birth to a bundle, giving birth to three sons, all of whom had extraordinary talents. Growing up, all three brothers were smart. After studying for a few years, they had mastered all the scriptures and books. On the astronomy wall, on the ground, there was nothing they didn't know, and nothing they didn't know. The three brothers contributed to helping people fight floods and droughts, teaching people to sing, study, grow mulberry trees, raise silkworms... The three brothers were highly rewarded by the king. The three of them went to Mach Lung village and set up another palace to welcome their mother, Soa Nuong, to live. People in the area, from old to young, love it very much. The three brothers also helped the king command the navy to defeat foreign invaders and protect the integrity of the territory. The King issued a summons. At that time, the three of them returned to the front of the palace to pay their respects, then each of them took off their weight belts... transformed into dragons and disappeared. That day was July 13, the sky and earth were dark, and the smoke was fragrant. The king then ordained all three brothers as Minh Mo Dai Vuong Thuong Thuong, and sent envoys to welcome them to Mach Lung site to worship. From then on, the people who often appeared to help the country, save the people, pray for rain, and pray for an end were all very spiritual, so the emperors all conferred beautiful temples to place incense and smoke... The temple was restored and expanded many times. The best known time was during the reign of Le Trung Hung. The scale was majestic and had high artistic value. The temple's architecture is made in the style of a mallet, the door opens to the West - South, overlooking the Red River. During the 3-day festival, delegations representing production teams, same-year groups, senior groups, peers... and families take turns bringing offerings to the temple for incense offerings. Well-off families can offer up to 5 large trays of pork, sticky rice, chicken, betel and areca nuts, green rice cake... and the poorest families also show their sincerity with plates of sticky rice and meat slices. All major family events such as filial piety, weddings, house construction... must stop to focus on the Holy Day. The ceremony includes traditional rituals such as male offerings, female offerings, fox offerings, and palanquin procession. The festival has many folk cultural activities such as cockfighting, chess, blindfolded pot banging, quan ho singing... attracting a large number of people and tourists to participate.