(BNP) – The Vua Ba Temple Festival in Diem village, Viem Xa residential group, Kinh Bac ward, Bac Ninh province is held annually on the 6th day of the 2nd lunar month. It is one of the largest festivals in Bac Ninh and was recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016.
The procession of the palanquin and ancestral tablets of Vua Ba is eagerly awaited by local people and visitors (source: Internet).
Diem Village is one of the 49 original Quan Ho villages and the only place with a temple dedicated to Vua Ba – the progenitor of Quan Ho folk singing.
According to legend, the Diem village festival is associated with the story of Vua Ba. She was the daughter of the 6th Hung King, named Nhu Nuong, renowned for her extraordinary beauty. Upon reaching marriageable age, the king organized a ball-catching contest to choose her husband. However, dissatisfied with the winner, Princess Nhu Nuong asked her father for permission to leave the capital and travel the world. Accompanied by seven court ladies, she encountered a storm that lifted them into the sky and later descended them at Viem Trang hamlet (now Diem village).
At that time, Viem Trang was a sparsely populated wetland forest. Princess Nhu Nuong led the reclamation of wasteland, established villages, and taught locals farming, mulberry cultivation, silkworm raising, silk weaving, and sugarcane planting, creating a prosperous life for the people. She also composed songs and taught villagers a distinctive style of singing. Initially performed as call-and-response between men and women, she later organized and trained young villagers to perfect the style. This singing form later became known as Quan Ho.
The festival includes both ceremonial and festive parts. The ceremonial section begins with a flag-running ritual, followed by festival drum performances and a reenactment of Vua Ba proclaiming the Spring festival, featuring ball tossing and grabbing.
A highlight of the festival is the procession of Vua Ba’s palanquin and ancestral tablets around the village, involving hundreds of participants. The procession stops at Cung Temple – Ngoc Well, where village elders draw water from the well and bring it back to Vua Ba Temple for the ritual bathing ceremony.
These solemn rituals express respect and prayers for Vua Ba’s blessings for favorable livelihoods, good harvests, and prosperity.
By attending the Diem Village Festival in remembrance of Vua Ba, the founder of Quan Ho folk singing who created and taught the Bac Ninh Quan Ho melodies, visitors can immerse themselves in the unique and traditional cultural space of Quan Ho.
Notable cultural activities include Quan Ho performances such as ritual singing at Vua Ba Temple and Cung Temple – Ngoc Well; call-and-response singing on the central festival stage; overnight “canh” singing at traditional houses; boat singing; and performances at artisans’ homes.
In addition, there are many vibrant cultural and sports activities such as Chinese chess competitions, volleyball matches, and traditional folk games including swing playing, pot smashing, and blindfolded duck catching on land.
Held annually, the festival not only shows reverence to ancestors but also fosters pride in national cultural traditions, raising community awareness in preserving and safeguarding the unique values of Bac Ninh Quan Ho folk singing.
At the same time, it serves as an opportunity to promote and uphold this representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity, helping Bac Ninh Quan Ho to endure and spread widely./.
