Tran Hung Dao God Festival

Honoring: King Tran Hung Dao (the legend general, politician and writer in Tran dynasty).

Location: 1.

• Temple Kiep Bac (Hai Duong province)
• Temple Bao Loc (Nam Dinh province)
• Temple Yen Cu (Ninh Binh province)
• Temple Tran Hung Dao (Ho Chi Minh city).

Time: Main time: 20^th of eighth lunar month (when the king died)

Feature: Organized in many places throughout the country.

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Origin

Tran Quoc Tuan (another name for Tran Hung Dao) was born in 1228 in a noble family. He was praised to be the unusual talent. Until the time he was given the heavy responsibility of control the inferior, he also knew the way.

Tran Quoc Tuan is the mainstay general in Tran dynasty, who defeated the Chinese enemies for three times. When he was died, the king praised him to be the wang and built a temple for him in Hai Duong province.

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Celebration

Kiep Bac Temple Festival

Kiep Bac Temple is located in Hai Duong province which has been famous for beautiful landscape and reckoned to be the national vestige. Since 16^th of eighth lunar month, visitors from every part of country have flocked to the temple for thousands of people. Thousands of boats are set in the river port which reminds the image of fighting boat in the past. People from the mountainous area or sea land also come to the festival to remember the old legendary hero.

In the past, there are some magical activities like going into a trance to wish for the property favored by the hero. But this makes the festival more complicated and disorder, nowadays, there is only offering incense and procession.

Through the smoke of fragrant incense, the mighty statue of the God appears in the main palace. Beside is the princess Thien Thanh (his wife) and princess Quyen Thanh (his first daughter), and princess Anh Nguyen (second daughter), and other inferior statues. All are made from bronze.

After the incense offering is the big ceremony. Drums and gongs are played among the firecracker burnt. The offering will be followed by the procession from the temple yard. Palanquin, flag, flowers, and dragon dance are carried on around to the river bank. All the sounds are made to bring the resounding atmosphere for the festival.

The procession is carried on the river for about two hours before ending the the festival.

The other three festival is on his homeland (Bao Loc temple in Nam Dinh province), in the place where the phenomenon of fish gathering on festival day (Yen Cu temple in Ninh Binh province) and in the South for those who could not come across the country to attend the festival (Tran Hung Dao temple in Ho Chi Minh city). These celebrations are smaller but people play enough rituals like in the main place of Hai Duong province.