Ho Son Pagoda Festival

Ho Son Pagoda Festival where Princess Huyen Tran is worshiped On the 9th day of the 4th lunar month every year, at Ho Son Pagoda, Lien Minh commune (Vu Ban), villagers organize a festival to commemorate Princess Huyen Tran. Princess Huyen Tran (1287-1340(?)), was the daughter of King Tran Nhan Tong, sister of King Tran Anh Tong. According to history books, in 1301, once in Champa, Emperor Tran Nhan Tong promised to marry Princess Huyen Tran to the Lord of Champa, Che Man. In 1306, Huyen Tran took a palanquin to Champa to become Che Man's wife. However, the short marriage lasted for more than a year because Che Man suddenly passed away due to illness. According to the customs of Champa, Huyen Tran was the person most loved by Lord Champa, so he had to go to the funeral pyre. However, at this time Huyen Tran had just given birth to the crown prince Che Da Da. Hearing that news, King Tran Anh Tong sent a delegation led by Nhat Noi, Minister Ta Bac Tran and An Phu Dang Van, to Champa to find a way to bring back Princess Huyen Tran and crown prince Che Da Da. Upon arriving, Tran Khac Chung advised the Champa people to set up a cremation pyre along the coast and then, taking advantage of the cloudy weather, took the princess straight to the sea. Princess Huyen Tran, after returning to the capital, went to Non Son pagoda in Ho Son village, ancient Thien Ban district, now Lien Minh commune (Vu Ban) to meditate and open the scene. In Tien village, west of Tiger Mountain, there is Princess Thuy Bao, the superior (uncle) of Princess Huyen Tran, who is creating An Lac flower garden and setting up a pagoda to practice here. The two of them practiced together, served Buddhism, and took care of the increasingly prosperous lives of the people in the area. After the two women passed away, the people of Ho Son village set up a shrine on Non Son pagoda to pay tribute to their merits. The annual Ho Son Pagoda Festival is held from April 9 to April 14 of the lunar calendar. According to the elders in the village, April 9 is the day Princess Huyen Tran died (many historical documents say that she died on January 9). As for Princess Thuy Bao's death date, it was January 5th. The death anniversary worship was organized by Tien village, Tam Thanh commune. On these days, Ho Son and Tien villages carry palanquins to show filial piety to each other. On the morning of April 9 of the lunar calendar every year, Ho Son villagers organize a palanquin procession to the pagoda, take the two princesses' incense sticks to the village communal house for the ceremony, and then on the afternoon of April 14, the lunar calendar returns to the pagoda. During the festival days, villagers often hold competitions to make vegetarian meals and make day cakes to offer to the saints. Today, the Ho Son village festival is organized simply and economically but still ensures solemnity. The lineages appointed people to prepare offerings so that their descendants could take turns offering offerings to the pagoda, then process the holy palanquin around the village. On both sides of the road, families placed incense burners and offerings to pay homage.     With unique historical and architectural values, in 2006, Ho Son Pagoda was recognized by the Provincial People's Committee as a Provincial Historical and Cultural Relic./.