Groundbreaking ceremony of Yen Vi village

23/12/2024 08:40

(BNP) - Every year, when Tet comes, the people of Yen Vi village, Hoa Tien commune, Yen Phong district eagerly prepare for the spring opening ceremony, also known as the groundbreaking ceremony. The ceremony is held at the village communal house where Cao Son Dai Vuong is worshiped.


Photo: Chung cake (Internet source).

The groundbreaking ceremony of Yen Vi village has a long history with the wish for a year of bountiful harvest. When the previous year's village festival ends, Yen Vi village selects a man from each hamlet to represent the 8 hamlets to participate in the festival's celebration committee for the following year.

The Yen Vi village harvest festival is held on the 4th of January every year. At the family, from the 2nd day of Tet, they start making cakes. These are Chung cakes and Day cakes. Before making the cakes, the homeowner must bring offerings including betel, areca, and wine to the communal house to present to the Saint, announce that he has been appointed to make the cakes, and then he can start making the cakes.

Chung cake must be wrapped by the house owner. Each hamlet wraps only three Chung cake. The distinction between Chung cake and Yen Vi village is that the cake is cylindrical rather than square (like Tet cake in the South), and it is very huge, around 30cm in diameter and 50cm high, weighing between 4 and 5 kilograms and coated in a thick layer of dong leaves. The cake is meticulously boiled, which might take up to a whole day.

On the other hand, Families also make Day cake (rice cake). Each family makes three Day cakes. The size of the cake is also very large, 30cm in diameter and 7 to 10cm in height.

In addition to Chung and Day cakes, families in the hamlet also steam white sticky rice. Sticky rice is steamed in very large quantities.

On the morning of the 4th, the village held a cake competition. The custom of making cakes in the Yen Vi village festival is a unique custom that reflects the religious life of agricultural residents with the hope of favorable weather and bountiful harvests. All production activities can only be carried out after the villagers have finished organizing the festival. The Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism has proposed registering the spring celebration as a national cultural treasure based on its typical values.