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| Hue Nam Temple Festival Receiving the Title of a National Intangible Cultural Heritage |
Earlier, at the end of 2024, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued Decision No. 3981/QD-BVHTTDL, inscribing the traditional “Hue Nam Temple Festival” on the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The traditional Hue Nam Temple Festival (commonly known as Hon Chen Temple Festival) is held mainly at Hue Nam Temple, located in Hai Cat Village, Long Ho Ward, Hue City. Despite being a folk festival, it blends with royal cultural elements which are distinctive features of Hue.
Having developed over hundreds of years, Hue Nam Temple Festival continues to attract a growing number of local residents and visitors from afar, reflecting the enduring vitality and cultural significance of the festival. In its early stages, the festival was held within the boundary of the temple, but over time, it expanded with the involvement of villagers of Hai Cat, thence gradually becoming widely celebrated among the people.
Today, the traditional Hue Nam Temple Festival reflects the spiritual practices of followers and devotees to the Mother Goddess in Vietnam and has truly become one of the most representative cultural events of Hue. The festival also exerts a strong cultural influence on many regions across the country.
Though going through various historical phases, Hue Nam Temple Festival continues to be held regularly twice a year, in the third and seventh lunar months. Key rituals include the Procession of the Holy Mother and deities from the Sanctuary at 352 Chi Lang Str. (Phu Xuan District) via both land and water routes, the Offering Ceremony and the Main Worship Ceremony at Hue Nam Temple and Hai Cat Village Communal House, along with spiritual practices and traditional Hau Dong Rituals (Spirit Mediumship) performed on Ceremonial Platforms.
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| The Procession from 352 Chi Lang heading towards Nghinh Luong Dinh Pavilion |
According to Mr. Phan Thanh Hai, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports, since the country achieved full independence exactly 50 years ago, for the first time within the framework of Hue Festival 2022, Hue Nam Temple Festival in March included the land Procession of the Holy Mother and the Four Palaces Council, with the aim to re-enact the unique and large-scale folk procession of the Holy Mother once held during the 1960s. This event laid the foundation for the organizers of Hue Nam Temple Festival and the Mother Goddess worship community to continue holding the land Procession every two years, preserving the ritual in the traditional manner passed down by previous generations.
Hue Nam Temple Festival is a form of folk cultural and religious practices that fulfill the community’s spiritual and religious needs, while also enriching the cultural life of the local area. Rituals such as the Procession of the Holy Mother and deities, the Offering Ceremony, the Main Worship Ceremony, and Hau Dong, along with the offerings presented to the Mother Goddess - typically homegrown or homemade products from farming, livestock, or fishing - vividly demonstrate the deep respect of followers and devotees toward the divine.
Traditional elements like Ancestral Worship Ceremony, the Procession of Holy Mother, Hat Van (Vietnamese ritual singing), and Hau Dong performances showcased during the Nam Temple Festival are considered a “living museum” that preserves history and culture over time. They embody a rich treasure of legends and myths associated with the Holy Mothers and deities in the Mother Goddess belief system. The festival also serves as a vibrant environment for ritual performances, music, dance, traditional decoration, philosophical views on life, culinary arts, and Vietnamese traditional dress. Altogether, these elements create the unique cultural value of the festival.
Mr. Hai stated that the recognition of Hue Nam Temple Festival as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage was a great honor and pride for Hue. He emphasized that this was a shared heritage of the community - owned, protected, and promoted collectively. “To further enhance the value of this precious heritage, the Department of Culture will propose and advise the City People’s Committee to issue plans and initiatives for the preservation and promotion of the traditional Hue Nam Temple Festival,” he said. “This also reflects the strong commitment and determination of the government and people of Hue City to conserve, promote, and further spread the value of Hue Nam Temple Festival as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in the context of modern society,” affirmed Mr. Hai.
Before the official Recognition Ceremony, the festival organizers conducted a land Procession of the Holy Mother and deities from 352 Chi Lang Str. to Nghinh Luong Dinh Pavilion, with the participation of hundreds of people. After completing the rituals there, the Procession boarded boats and continued upstream along the Perfume River toward Hue Nam Temple.
Images from the Procession and Recognition Ceremony:
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| A large number of Mother Goddess followers, devotees and visitors from across the country and abroad participating in the Procession |
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| The Procession making its way into Nghinh Luong Dinh Pavilion |
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| A solemn and respectful atmosphere surrounding the participants in the land procession |
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| The organizing committee offering incense at the Ceremonial Area in front of Nghinh Luong Dinh Pavilion |
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| The recognition of Hue Nam Temple Festival as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage being a great honor and pride for Hue |