This year's autumn festival took place with many special contents. This is an impressive and successful festival season with the participation of numerous locals and visitors.
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| Night festival of flower garlands and colored lanterns – one of attractive contents of this year's Con Son – Kiep Bac Autumn Festival. Photo: Thanh Chung |
The Organizing Board of Con Son – Kiep Bac Autumn Festival on the morning of September 13 (20th day of the 8th lunar month) held an offering ceremony to mark Saint Tran's death anniversary and a thanksgiving ceremony to wrap up the 2014 autumn festival at Kiep Bac temple (Hai Duong).
Attending the ceremonies and offering incense were Mr. Nguyen Manh Hien, Vice Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee (PPC), Mr. Le Thanh Van, Vice Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Mr. Nguyen Anh Cuong, Member of the Provincial Party Committee's Standing Board, PPC Vice Chairman, and Mr. Nguyen Van Que, PPC Vice Chairman, Head of the Festival Organizing Board.
The offering ceremony to mark Saint Tran's death anniversary was solemnly carried out in accordance with traditional rituals inside Kiep Bac temple and on Mam Xoi mountain (legendary place where Saint Tran became a sainthood). The Organizing Board prepared 5,000 rations of steamed glutinous rice to distribute to the local people and elsewhere visitors. The organizers also conducted an incense offering ceremony at the temple worshipping Mandrines of Nam Tao (a constellation in the southern sky) and Bac Dau (bright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky).
This year's autumn festival took place with many special contents. This is an impressive and successful festival season with the participation of numerous locals and visitors.
According to the Management Unit of Con Son – Kiep Bac Relics, there have been more than 78,000 sightseeing tickets (over 43,000 for Kiep Bac relic site and nearly 34,000 for Con Son relic site) were sold from 15th day to 20th day of 8th lunar month. On the main festive day (17th day of 8th lunar month) alone, up to 17,000 tickets were sold.
The festival was early and carefully prepared and well organized. Both the ceremony and festival were economically held while their quality was still ensured and contents were restored and upgraded. Security and order were guaranteed. No traffic congestion during the festival has happened.
However, the phenomenon of exchanging small change to earn differences at the main entrance of Kiep Bac temple still existed. Taking advantage of crowds of people, some begging cases occurred during the night when the peace praying ceremony and hoa dang (colored lantern) festival took place.
The festival has further confirmed the dedicated position of Con Son – Kiep Bac relic site in the hearts of people from all over the country.
NGOC HUNG
