Nhat Tan communal house festival

Nhat Tan communal house festival Time: February 8 to February 11 of the lunar calendar Location:  Nhat Tan Communal House, Au Co Street, Nhat Tan Ward, Tay Ho District, Hanoi City. Object of worship: His Holiness Uy Do Dai Vuong Tran Linh Lang (Uy Linh Lang). Nhat Tan communal house was originally called Nhat Chieu temple, but under the reign of Khai Dinh, it was changed to Nhat Tan. The communal house worships the Holy Uy Do Dai Vuong Tran Linh Lang (Uy Linh Lang), the son of Queen Chinh Cung Minh Duc, born at the hour of the Snake on February 2, the year of At Suu (1265). Uy Linh Lang is famous for his intelligence, literature and martial arts, and is known from near and far. During the reign of Tran Nhan Tong, the Nguyen Mong invaders brought 400,000 troops, led by enemy general Toa Do, to attack our country. He submitted a petition asking his father to be allowed to go fight the enemy and wrote an appeal, which the people enthusiastically responded to. He founded an army called "Thien Tu Quan", attacked the Yuan army and won a great victory. When the enemy was defeated, the King proclaimed him Dam Dam Dai Vuong (Great King of West Lake). He died at the hour of the Horse on the 8th day of the 8th month in the year of Canh Ty (1300). The King mourned and built a temple at the place where he died so that people could worship with incense and smoke, and called it Nhat Chieu temple, and was ordained Hien Minh Duc. To commemorate the merits of Uy Linh Lang, every year people in the area hold sacrifices on February 10 (main holiday) and August 15 of the lunar calendar every year.  The main festival is held every 5 years and usually lasts for 4 days. February 8: This is the opening day of the festival, starting with the offering ceremony and the ceremony of wrapping statues and offerings in the morning. In the afternoon, there is a traditional folk music program performed by the village's performance team.  February 9: In the morning, the elders in the men's worship team hold a ceremony to open the communal house, allowing people and visitors to come in for the incense offering ceremony. In the afternoon, as is tradition, there is a ceremony to commend children who pass exams, pass exams, and families who live in good order and have made contributions to the country. Next is the sacrificial ceremony opened by the female sacrificial team. The festival continues with cultural performances. Next, the ovulation ceremony attended by a large number of people took place on the Red River at midnight. February 10: The main day of the festival takes place with the procession of Gods leaving the palace performed by the sacrificial teams and palanquin procession teams of 10 cantons in the early morning. The procession consists of 9 palanquins, the first is the Long Dinh palanquin team worshiping the Holy Emperor's community spirit, then the procession of Uy Do Dai Vuong, followed by the procession of Holy Mother Chinh Cung Minh Duc, the team of procession of Saints Bach Giap, Hoang Giap, Hac Giap, Thanh Giap, Chu Giap, Tu Giap. Finally, the water procession team is led by young girls aged 15 to 18. The procession goes from the communal house to Nhat Tan palace (where the Great King was born), then returns to the communal house, the water procession team goes to the river, gets on a boat and takes water in the middle of the junction  of the three rivers. This water is kept at the temple for 5 years. Every year, on the 2nd day of the 2nd lunar month (birthday of the god) and the 8th day of the 8th lunar month (feast of the god), people come to the communal house to take this water and offer it to the village tutelary god, praying for peace in the country and people. When the palanquins return to the palace, the men's worship teams perform the An Vi ceremony at the communal house so that villagers and tourists from all over can come and offer incense and worship. February 11: The men's worship team conducts a thanksgiving and farewell ceremony, with the participation of villagers and guests from all over. Interwoven in the festival, there are many traditional games and cultural performances such as Cheo singing, Tuong performances, performances of national musical instruments, human chess, cockfighting, shrimp nest fighting... Nhat Tan communal house festival is rich in traditional culture and national identity, expressing the respect and admiration of local people for Uy Linh Lang who has contributed to the country and people, suppressing foreign invaders to protect the Fatherland.