Through organizing traditional festival activities, Dien Khanh District (Khanh Hoa Province) has still maintained many local cultural values. These cultural values of traditional festivals have been upheld better and better in everyday life thanks to the district's increasingly close management.
Through organizing traditional festival activities, Dien Khanh District (Khanh Hoa Province) has still maintained many local cultural values. These cultural values of traditional festivals have been upheld better and better in everyday life thanks to the district’s increasingly close management.
Am Chua Festival, worship ceremonies at imperial tombs and communal houses, etc. of Dien Khanh District are among the outstanding cultural festivals of Khanh Hoa Province. These festivals are closely connected with folk beliefs of local people, so they are often organized solemnly with respectfulness and deference. Am Chua Festival is organized annually at the beginning of lunar March. Thousands of locals and pilgrims go to Am Chua on this occasion in order to express their gratitude and respectfulness to Thien Y Ana Holy Mother as well as to pray for good things for themselves, their family, and society.
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Many years ago, it was easy to see negative images at Am Chua during Am Chua Festival, such as vendors peddling their goods, beggars, stealing, and superstitious acts. However, in recent 5 years, the organization of Am Chua Festival has become more and more organized. Local authorities have taken a more active role in managing festival activities and in preventing negative activities. This has helped the management board of Am Chua to improve the organization of Am Chua Festival which is imbued with unique ritual acts presenting the traditional cultural and spiritual features.
The worship ceremonies at imperial tombs and communal houses are carefully planned and organized to meet spiritual and religious needs of people; to remind people about the proverb “When you drink water, think of the source”; and to create cohesion in the communities. Through the organization of festivals, the protection and promotion of the values of provincial and national monuments has been increasingly improved. On the occasions of birth and death anniversaries of Confucious (lunar August 27 and lunar April 18 respectively), the district often holds memorial ritual combined with local study promotion program at Dien Khanh Temple of Literature, a national level monument.
Propaganda activities about the local festivals are being carried out regularly in different forms to provide local people necessary information about the festivals’ organization and regulations. Nowadays, most festivals in Dien Khanh District are organized solemnly, safely, economically and have been well responded by communities.
Nguyen Thi Kim Huong, vice-chairman of Dien Khanh District People’s Committee, reported that in the future, the district will continue to intensify the leadership of Party committees in the management and organization of festivals to ensure that festivals are organized in accordance with law and regulations. Besides, the district will bring back traditional cultural activities and folk games to make festivals more exciting and meaningful; attract tourists and develop tourism through festivals; promote economic development and the local traditional culture.
Nhan Tam
Translated by H.N
