Tra Ong Mausoleum Festival

Tra Ong Mausoleum Festival The Mausoleum of Ong Tien Quan, Marshal Dieu Bat, in Giong Thanh Bach hamlet, Thien My commune, Tra On district, Vinh Long province, was restored and renovated in 1937, 1953, 1960, 1963, 1967, 1992, 1994, 1997 and most recently in 2004. In Ong's Mausoleum, other figures are also worshiped such as: Deputy Marshal. Nguyen An, Nguyen Trung Truc, Truong Cong Dinh and Le Van Duyet. From ancient times to the present, the Mausoleum of Ong Tien Quan Nguyen Van Ton's Mausoleum festival has been held at the beginning of spring in the relic site, carried out by the Kinh - Chinese - Khmer community in Tra On area. Lang Ong Festival originated from the death anniversary of Mr. Nguyen Van Ton on January 4, Canh Thin year (1820), attracting many people in Tra On district and surrounding areas to participate: Mang Thit (Vinh Long), Cau Ke, Cang Long (Tra Vinh),... The festival is full of traditional worship rituals such as: Tuc Liet, Chanh Te, offerings to Tien Hien, Hau Hien, worshiping and singing boi, performing ceremonial music of 03 ethnic groups Kinh, Chinese, Khmer: Kinh people organize singing boi, Chinese people organize lion dance, Tua Lau Cau music, and Khmer people perform five-syllable music and dance and sing according to ethnic traditions. Previously, on the day of the festival, people in Tra On region held an investiture procession with drums, gongs, bunting, and everyone wore ancient Nguyen dynasty martial arts uniforms with red belts or green turbans to celebrate. Nowadays, the custom of procession is no longer practiced. Although the festival takes place mainly on 2 days: January 3 and 4, people in Tra On area actually join the festival from December 30. The beginning of the rituals of his death anniversary is the custom of planting a neem tree, making cakes such as banh tet, banh it,... and offering fruit. Planting a tree in the first days of the new year is a typical cultural feature of Asian Culture, but here it also has the meaning of signaling that the festival is about to begin. The bamboo chosen to build the bamboo tree must be "sunken", small, strong, and stay fresh for a long time. The branches and bamboo leaves are stripped off, leaving only the buds with leaves remaining. On December 30, the elders made offerings to heaven and earth and to Marshal Tien Quan Dieu Bat and then set up a tree in front of the mausoleum. People who choose bamboo as a tree must have a bamboo node when counting to the top node of the birth palace before cutting the root. On the bud of the bamboo tree, hang a talisman called a talisman and a symbolic object such as a carp made of earth or wood, a bell, a bell, etc. When the wind blows the tree, it makes light and soft sounds. People here believe that the tree is used to show the way for Mr. Tien Quan, Marshal Dieu Bat, to return to celebrate Tet and prepare for his death anniversary. Tra On's Mausoleum Festival demonstrates the deep gratitude of the people of the Kinh, Chinese, and Khmer ethnic groups to the general who made contributions to the people and the country. At the same time, through the festival, arousing the spirit of solidarity and love of the Kinh, Chinese and Khmer ethnic groups in the community to work together to build a rich and beautiful homeland and country. Tra On's Mausoleum Festival is a synthesis and unity in the diversity of folk art forms but brings unique features of each Kinh, Chinese, and Khmer ethnic group living in Tra On land. At the same time, folk performances such as five-syllable music, Sa - Dam dance, Khmer folk dance, lion dance, Tua Lau Cau music, opera,... have recreated the ancient cultural activities of the people of Tra On area. Lang Ong Festival is also a "string" that connects the community, solidarity, love and help each other. This is a profound human value that helps people move towards the values ​​of truth - goodness - beauty.