Tien La Temple Festival, also known as King Tran Minh Tong Temple Festival, is annually held on the first day of the second lunar month to commemorate the Tran Dynasty king who was filial, benevolent and knew how to use talented people.

Legend says that the Retired Emperor Tran Anh Tong abdicated the throne to Crown Prince Tran Minh Tong to follow Buddha practice in Vinh Nghiem pagoda (now in Tri Yen commune, Yen Dung district) - the cradle of Truc Lam Zen sect. King Tran Minh Tong often visited his father and passed through La ferry (current Tien La village).

Loving this land, the King ordered his troops to build dikes to prevent flooding and gave land to ferrymen so that people would not have to pay ferry fares. After the King passed away, the people built a temple to worship him at the old ferry wharf and held a festival.

During the resistance war against French colonialism and American imperialism, the festival was not held but the local people still regularly offered incense and worship ritual.

In the 90s of the 20th century, the festival was restored by the community and solemnly organized with rituals such as: pounding sticky rice cakes to offer to the King, carrying water to the sacrifice, offering incense and offerings from the families together with folk games imbued with national identity such as: catching ducks on land, human chess, traditional wrestling, swinging, smashing clay pots and tug of war.

In addition to its religious value, the temple built in the 14th century has a unique architectural work and preserves many valuable documents and artifacts such as the King's statue created during the Le Dynasty, a system of stone steles, ancient royal decrees from the Nguyen Dynasty and stone incense burners among others.

In 2001, the People's Committee of Bac Giang province recognized the temple of King Tran Minh Tong as a provincial historical and cultural relic.

Tien La Temple Festival is representative, expressing the identity of the community and locality, reflecting cultural diversity, human creativity which were inherited through many generations, with the ability to recover and exist for a long time.

The festival reflects the cultural beliefs of agricultural residents, helping connect the village community, sharing beliefs, praying to the gods for health, happiness and peace.

Le Thanh

 

 

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