As a place of thousands of years of civilization, traditional festivals in Hanoi are also preserved and passed down from generation to generation. As an indispensable part of the spiritual life of the people of the capital, contains typical good cultural values imbued with national identity.
Unique traditional festivals in Hanoi
1. Co Loa Temple Festival
The festival takes place within 10 days, from the 6th to the 16th of the first lunar month every year at An Duong Vuong Pagoda, Dong Anh, Hanoi. People come to the temple ceremony and participate in many interesting activities such as:
– Ceremony part : solemnly held with a procession of 12 palanquins carried around Trong Thuy well and stopped at the village gate, along with many traditional activities, farewell ceremony on the last day.
– The festival part : there are folk games of tug of war, wrestling, rice blowing contest, swinging, watching ca tru singing, fireworks,…
Photo: @hanoi_life
2. Dong Da mound festival
Dong Da mound festival commemorates the famous Ngoc Hoi – Dong Da victory of the hero Quang Trung – Nguyen Hue. One of the oldest and most important festivals in Hanoi has existed for 200 years. Every year, on the 5th of the Lunar New Year, people once again see the festival with a grand palanquin procession from Khuong Thuong communal house to Dong Da mound. Dragon dances, games showing chivalry are worth coming to attend.
Photo: @hanoimoi
3. Perfume Pagoda Festival
One of the traditional festivals in Hanoi attracts a large number of tourists from all over the world to participate. The Perfume Pagoda Festival in My Duc district lasts from January 6 to the end of the third week of the lunar calendar. Coming to this festival, everyone wishes to ask the Buddha for peace and luck. In addition, you can also sit on a boat to watch the dreamy Yen stream, explore Huong Tich cave, climb mountains, listen to folk songs,…
Photo: @thangcanhchuahuong
4. Thay Pagoda Festival
Thay Pagoda , the place to worship the ancestor of traditional Vietnamese water puppetry art – shaman Dao Hanh is located in Sai Son commune, Quoc Oai, Hanoi. This festival takes place from the 5th to the 7th of March, with many spiritual activities as well as special water puppet shows. Go to Thay Pagoda to admire the green mountains and participate in the festival to learn more about the unique culture of the people here.
Photo: @vinacel
5. Bat Trang Village Festival
Bat Trang Pottery Village is not only a place to experience pottery or buy quality ceramic products. According to the experience of Hanoi handbook in every spring, coming here you can also participate in an impressive traditional festival. The festival aims to honor the long-standing pottery profession left by the ancestors. On the other hand, this is also an opportunity for people to come and pray for peace and luck for the new year.
Photo: @baotintuc
The festival is held in the communal house of Bat Trang village from the 14th to the 16th of the second lunar month every year. There, many meaningful activities are held such as: water procession, tablet bathing and finally, tablet procession to the communal house . In addition, tourists also have the opportunity to watch the game of human chess and listen to worship singing. Interesting experiences in the pottery village that you and your family should come to in the first days of the year.
Photo: @mia.vn
6. Giong Soc Son Temple Festival
Every year, on the 6th to 8th of the first lunar month, the people of Soc Son district hold a festival to commemorate Saint Giong – the hero who had the merit of fighting the An enemy. This is a famous traditional festival in Hanoi and is interested by many people because it not only preserves the traditional beauty but is also very important to the spiritual culture of the people here. The festival has impressive rituals such as the monumental elephant procession, the inauguration ceremony, the ceremony of offering bamboo flowers to Thuong temple, …
Photo: @vietnamplus
>>> See more: Guide to visit Giong Soc Son temple relic site
7. Hai Ba Trung Temple Festival – Me Linh
There are many places in our country that worship and regularly organize festivals to commemorate Hai Ba Trung. In Hanoi, there are many places where Hai Ba Trung festival is held, but the most famous are 3 places:
– Ba Hai Trung Temple Festival in Hat Mon Commune: Local people place 49 floating cakes on the river and pour into the sea as a symbol of the 49 sons of Lac Long Quan.
– Ba Hai Trung temple festival in Ha Loi commune is the biggest and most important. The festival has a procession procession with attractive folk rituals and games.
– Ba Hai Trung Temple Festival in Dong Nhan Ward: outstanding with the performance of 12 beautiful girls wearing colorful dresses dancing altar lights.
However, the festival taking place on January 6 in Ha Loi village, Me Linh, Hanoi has its own special meaning. Through the procession and performance, people understand more about the beauty of this festival.
Photo: @ Kinhtedothi
8. Vong La Festival
Coming to Dong Anh on the first days of the new year, besides visiting Co Loa citadel, do not forget to spend time participating in the exciting Vong La festival. The festival honors Quoc Cong Dai Vuong with his wife and 3 children. A year usually takes place on 2 occasions: January 13 – 15 and August of the lunar calendar . The brilliant scenery with fluttering banners, and many activities of Quan ho singing, lion dance, bamboo swing,… bring many attractions to tourists.
Photo: @mia.vn
9. Le Mat Village Festival
On the 13th of the third lunar month, people in Le Mat village, Viet Hung, Gia Lam, Hanoi hold a festival to commemorate the citadel Hoang Duc Trung – a man who had great merit in establishing the ancient Thang Long citadel. and is Ba Dinh district today. There are many interesting activities taking place here such as: the procession of carp to the communal house; water procession around the village well area; cooking contest from fish, frog,. .. The most unique is the dance to defeat the snake, symbolizing the will of the son of the Hoang family who defeated the sea monster.
Photo: @vnexpress
10. Tan Vien Son Thanh Festival
This is one of the leading special festivals of Hanoi that is held on a large scale in 2 communes Minh Quang and Ba Vi of Ba Vi district. On the occasion of January 13-15, at the cluster of relics of Upper, Middle and Lower temples which have been recognized as National Intangible Cultural Heritage. The unique cultural activities of the Dao and Muong ethnic groups not only preserve and promote the traditional beauty but also attract tourists from all over the world.
Photo: @hanoimoi
Experiencing traditional festivals in Hanoi is an opportunity for you to review many important historical landmarks, visit monuments, and participate in many unique activities. Above all, you can enjoy beautiful scenery and have meaningful times and memorable journeys when coming to your capital.
Photo: Internet