Lim Festivals – the most special traditional folk festival of Kinh Bac - Bac Ninh land

Illustrative photo (Source: Internet)

Lim Festival is a major festival annually taking place in the beginning of spring, from the 12^th to 14^th day of January (Lunar calendar), in Lim town, Tien Du district, Bac Ninh province.

In the festival, there are many ritual and famous folk games, including the custom of Worship Singing. In the morning of 13^th, all of village notables, elders and males of village, communes of old Noi Due district gather in Hong Van royal tomb in order to offer sacrifices to gods. To sing Quan Ho to gods, male singers and female singers stand in lines in front of royal tomb’s entrance and sing. While singing, they only sing in specific manners to praise merits of gods.

The most essential and typical part of Lim Festival is singing in assembly including inviting betel, calling ferry, river crossing mynah, mosquito net spring spider. The singing contest is held according to the model of singing-in-the-boat on a little lake near the field of Lim village around middle-noon time when the red-lacquer-and-gold-trimmed dragon boat leaves port in sentimental singing voice. Female side stands or sits close prows. The way that Quan Ho people in Lim country play in the festival is very unique as includes communication gestures which present aspects of culture, art and spirit faiths of festivals in Bac Ninh province.

Attending Lim Festival means getting back to a space of sound, poem and music which make people’s heart feel sensational. Seven-part and three-part dress, flat palm hat with finger, silk brassiere, umbrella covered with the spring vitality of human and creatures.