Spring festivals show traditional cultural beauty

Community cohesion

With nearly 8,000 festivals, particularly those festivals held in spring, Vietnam is known as a country of festivals. Each festival has its own cultural characteristics of each locality and region.

Cultural experts have named four typical types of festivals in Vietnam, which are: Traditional festivals, forms of community-based cultural activities organized according to traditional rituals in order to meet people’s cultural and spiritual needs; cultural festivals with activities to introduce and promote the values of Vietnamese culture, sports, tourism, and people; professional festivals that promote traditional professions, honor outstanding organizations and artisans who have made great contributions to preserving and developing professions; and festivals of foreign origin including activities to introduce foreign economies, cultures, and societies to the Vietnamese people.

The Dong Da Mound Festival

Regardless of the types, those festivals are held to educate the tradition of patriotism, national pride, honor ancestors; and promote the values of relics, and good traditions of the festivals. These good values are an opportunity for people to return to their roots, show community solidarity, and meet the cultural and spiritual needs of people of all walks of life.

Each festival is a story about history

Talking about spring festivals, we cannot avoid mentioning the Dong Da Mound Festival (Hanoi) which opens on the 5th day of the first lunar month every year, serving to honor and commemorate the great contribution of Emperor Quang Trung - Nguyen Hue and Tay Son troops who made Ngoc Hoi - Dong Da victory.

In addition, Huong Pagoda Festival (Hanoi), which takes place from the 6th day of the first lunar month and lasts until the end of the 3rd lunar month, is one of the largest festivals in the country, attracting millions of tourists every year. This is not only an occasion for people to go to the pagoda to pray for luck, but also an opportunity to immerse themselves in the majestic nature, enjoy the charming beauty of the sacred Buddhist land.

In Nam Dinh Province, the Tran Temple Seal Opening festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month is also one of the important cultural events, to pay tribute to the merits of the Tran Kings and pray for a peaceful and prosperous New Year.

Tourists come to Huong Pagoda Festival

Especially, Bac Ninh Province is known as the land of festivals with more than 547 traditional festivals taking place all year round. Among them, there are festivals that attract tens of thousands of domestic and foreign tourists, such as Ba Chua Kho Temple Festival, Lim Festival, and more.

Cultural experts say that traditional festivals have become an indispensable part of the spiritual life of the Vietnamese people every time Tet comes. Depending on each region, the festivals will have different colors, but in general, the rituals and activities of the festivals all show gratitude, solidarity, and belief in good things.

Cultural researcher Nguyen Hung Vi emphasized that each Spring festival is a story about history, spirituality, and art, reflecting the cultural depth of the Vietnamese people, and is an important bridge to link the past and present, helping younger generations understand and be prouder of their national identity.