The Con Son - Kiep Bac Autumn Festival officially began on September 29 (the 10th of the 8th lunar month).
No more peddling on the stone road to Kiep Bac temple
Thoughtful preparationBefore the festival, Con Son – Kiep Bac relics were splendidly decorated with flags, flowers, and banners. There are up to 1,500 red and holy flags along the road from Con Son to Kiep Bac. In the precincts of the two relics, the organizers hung dozens of large flags, 400 lanterns, 1,000m of flag strings, etc.
Over the past time, under the direction of the Organizing Board of the Con Son - Kiep Bac Autumn Festival, its sub-boards and relevant agencies and units upheld the sense of responsibility and proactively realized all assigned tasks.
All scenarios and contents of the festival were thoroughly reviewed and appropriately adjusted. Together with visual propaganda, much importance was also attached to promoting the plan, program, and contents of the festival on the mass media from central to local levels.
A new feature of the festival this time is the organizers' clearance and prohibition of kiosks and street vendors from operating around the road to Kiep Bac temple.
At Con Son relic, 98 kiosks in the precinct of Con Son pagoda had to be relocated to the coach station.
The extensions of all kiosks around Kiep Bac temple were removed, and hoardings were made in a common format approved by the Relic Management Unit.
Another noteworthy highlight is the tarring of a 961m road behind Kiep Bac temple, helping people travel more easily.
Some ceremonials elevatedAccording to Le Duy Manh, Deputy Head of the Management Unit of Con Son – Kiep Bac Relics, some contents of this year's autumn festival will be elevated in both scale and quality compared to last year's festival.
Specifically, a proclamation ritual will be added to the incense offering ceremony at Nguyen Trai temple (on the morning of the 15th of the 8th lunar month) instead of only the death anniversary (on the morning of the 16th of the 8th lunar month) as in previous years.
The trance festival will last from the evening of the 16th to the evening of the 19th of the 8th lunar month. Besides psychics from Ha Noi, Nam Dinh, and Bac Ninh, this year's trance festival will also feature mediums from Ha Nam, Hung Yen, Bac Giang, Hai Phong, and Quang Ninh. Trance performances will be selective. The stage, about 40 m2 in area, will be decorated more beautifully and glitteringly.
The Army Festival on the Luc Dau river will also be expanded with the participation of 60 boats, up 20 boats against last year's festival, and thousands of members of flag, drum, dragon dance, and martial art teams.
Moreover, the seal mark granting ceremony at Kiep Bac temple, the flower garland and colored lantern festival, etc. were also staged more elaborately.
The Con Son - Kiep Bac Autumn Festival was thoughtfully prepared by concerned sectors and units towards a formal, safe, joyful, and healthy festive season.
TIEN MANH
Press contact section set up
The Organizing Board of the Con Son - Kiep Bac Autumn Festival 2017 has set up a press contact section with five members from the Provincial Party Committee's Popularization and Education Board, the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, the Provincial Police, the Department of Information and Communications, and the Management Unit of Con Son – Kiep Bac Relics.
The press contact section is responsible for providing the festival information, materials, and program, arranging accommodation and working rooms with internet connections, and protecting the safety of reporters from central and local press agencies working at the festival. |
This year's Con Son – Kiep Bac Autumn Festival is taking place from September 29 to October 9 (i.e. from the 10th to the 20th of the 8th lunar month).
A proclamation ritual, a traditional boat racing, water puppet performances, a seal opening and seal mark granting ceremony, the 717th death anniversary of National Hero, Great Lord Hung Dao, an army festival on the Luc Dau river, etc. will be held at Kiep Bac relic site.
There will be an incense offering ceremony at Con Son pagoda, a procession, a commemoration, offering rites at Nguyen Trai and Tran Nguyen Dan temples, and many cultural and musical activities at Con Son relic site. |
