Tro Tram Festival

Phu Tho: Tro Tram Festival is recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage Tro Tram Festival, also known as the "Miscellaneous love affair" festival, is held annually on the night of the 11th and the morning of the 12th of the first lunar month (lunar calendar). This is one of the unique Vietnamese festivals that is respected and preserved by the people, aiming to honor the beliefs of prosperity and reflect the typical culture of the agricultural population. The festival began with the performance "Four people's profession", also known as "hundred arts of humor" - a fun folk play depicting the four main professions in life: scholar, farmer, worker, and merchant. Next, the offerings of the village elders are performed from 10:30 p.m. on January 11 to 0:00 a.m. on January 12. The most attractive and attracting the attention of viewers is the "Secret ceremony" performed at 0 o'clock on the 12th day of the first lunar month (lunar calendar) at Tro temple. That is, after the ceremony, Mr. Thu from Tro temple lit incense and processioned "No Nuong" - two objects symbolizing male and female gender (made of wood and painted red) worshiped in Tro temple and gave to the couple chosen by the villagers in advance. After that, all the lights and candles inside and outside the temple were turned off, the celebrant shouted "Miscellaneous love phot" and the two main characters, a shirtless man wearing a loincloth holding No, and a woman wearing a dress and peach bib holding Nuong, performed symbolic actions of sexual intercourse. Three hits will result in a lush, bountiful crop; If you win twice this year, you will have a good harvest; Once you win, business is bad... In the dark of night, the celebrant hears three "clicks" and the lights turn on again. That minute is called the "sacred" minute, "banging" gongs and drums to celebrate and respectfully announce to the gods, heaven and earth that the "Hot Secret Ceremony" has been successful. Legend has it that at the time of "release of contracts", according to custom, outside the forest, couples and villagers are free to do everything and the woman must keep something belonging to the man as a pledge. If a girl gets pregnant on that occasion, the village's "hem" ceremony is a success, bringing good luck for the whole year to her family and the entire ward. And children born on the night of "miscellaneous love affairs" are accepted by the village because they believe that those children will bring prosperity to the whole village. After the Secret Ceremony, on the morning of January 12 is the "Divine Rice Procession" ceremony to pray for good weather and good crops. The rice flowers harvested from the previous crop and worshiped in the temple are taken and carried to Xa Loc temple to worship General Phung Lan Ho of the Tran dynasty, then continue to be carried around the village. While carrying rice on the village streets, performances continue to be performed at Tro temple to create a festive atmosphere. The last worshiping ceremony is performed at Tro temple to end the festival.