Mieu Vu Festival

Temple of Vu (Bac Tu Liem district) Vu Temple is located in Nhang village (also known as Nhang area), Xuan Dinh ward, Bac Tu Liem district, Hanoi. The temple is located northwest of Hanoi capital, about 8km from the city center. Based on the divine genealogy and according to folk legend, Vu Temple originated during the Ly dynasty. Based on the physical architecture and the collection of relics left in the relic such as decorative carvings on the architecture, palanquins, and altars, we can guess that the temple was built around the Le Dynasty and was repaired many times during the Nguyen Dynasty. The saints worshiped at Vu temple are the local tutelary god Mr. Dau and Mrs. Dau. It can be said that there are few temples in Hanoi that are as grand in scale as Vu Khu Nhang Temple. The temple was built on high ground in the middle of the village. The temple faces south, built in the "nail" style, including: 5-room altar with 2 match-stacked roofs, 3-room harem, inside the temple can seat 300 people, outside the yard can accommodate 500 people. Vu Temple used to have a large and beautiful landscape, on the outside was a square pond, followed by a 2-storey Tam Entrance with a roof built on a gable wall with relief statues of "good man", "evil man" and 3 table-shaped doors. The main temple is built on a foundation 80cm higher than the yard level with steps made of smooth green stone slabs. The architectural layout is a house running along the style of 4 roofs, two main roofs running along the folds of the house, two secondary roofs covering the front and back roofs, on the roof are covered with scrolls decorated with tiger charms, the 4 banks are covered with 4 crocodiles running towards the corners of the roof. The temple opens with 3 airy doors like convenient bars. The inside is divided into 5 vertical spaces with a rich truss system and carved decorations in the style of the Le Dynasty. The square tiled floor has 8 rows of columns supporting the roof, of which some wooden columns have been replaced by brick columns. The roof is covered with funny-nosed tiles, and the architectural decoration focuses on pillars and pillars with themes: Five Spirits Gathering; dragon, li, tortoise, phoenix; Dragon-aged bamboo, especially the 4 ends in the middle are delicately carved in the shape of a dragon, meticulous carvings bearing the artistic style of the 18th - 19th centuries. Every year, on the 30th day of the 11th lunar month, the villagers hold a holy ceremony. On February 10, there is a big festival according to local rituals and customs. The village festival at Vu temple has a palanquin offering from the temple to Trung hamlet's communal house according to the custom of sacrificing the Nong god to pray for good harvests. The offerings include sticky rice, fat cows, young hens, and fruits according to the god's wishes before transformation. The festival has folk games such as dancing, making money, planting elm trees, praying for noi, kite flying competitions... Traditional games such as pigeon releasing, human chess, ca tru singing, ancient opera, cheo... Vu Temple was recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Information as an architectural and artistic relic in 2000.