Ba Chua Xu temple festival [also known as worshiping goddess festival] is a famous festival in An Giang province, which is held largely each year. This festival was recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Information and Tourism as a national festival in Vietnam in 2001.
History of Ba Chua Xu Temple
Ba Chua Xu Temple was built in 1820, at the foot of Sam Mountain, Vinh Te Commune, Chau Doc Town, An Giang Province. Ba Chua Xu Temple is constructed according to the Chinese character “quoc”, has 4 square roofs, roofed with blue pile-shaped tiles.
According to a legend, in the early 1800s, villagers found a statue of a lady dating to the 6th century in the forest. They built a temple in her honour, hoping that she would bring them better crops and better lives.
This is why the marble statue of Ba Chua Xu, meaning “country lady” is worshipped. In the festival, worshippers touch her statue and ask for her protection and benediction.
Traditional Ceremonies in Ba Chua Xu Temple Festival
Ba Chua Xu Temple Festival is the biggest folk festivity of Southern Vietnam. The festival is held annually from the 23rd to the 27th of the fourth lunar month with the ceremonies as follows:
1. The statue of Ba Chua Xu washing rite
During the days of the festival, various rituals are performed. On the first night, the statue of Ba Chua is bathed in perfumed water and she is also made to wear fresh robes for the occasion. Then Ba Chua’s discarded garments are cut into little bits and handed out among the worshippers. These are considered lucky charms to keep the possessor in good health and drive away evil spirits.
2. Tuc Yet rite
Tue Yet Rite commences after the ceremony of washing. During this ritual of the Ba Chua Xu Temple Festival, the worshippers appeal for Ba Chua’s recommendations to the heaven. A grand parade of dragon dance is presented along with it and is followed by a chanting ritual in Ba Chua’s temple. Lastly the Duc Boi rite is performed by a man from the village, who sings aloud for the well being of the country and mankind.
Participants dressed in smart traditional costumes stand on the two sides and the master of ceremonies stands in front of the statue of Ba Chua. The offerings include a white pig, a dish of pig’s blood and a little hair, called mao huyet, a tray of sticky rice, a tray of fruits, a tray of areca and betel, a dish of rice and salt, which are place on a table before the statue. The master of ceremonies and notables burn incense on the altar.
3. Xay Chau rite
The Xay Chau rite is performed after the Tuc Yet rite. In order to prepare for this rite, people replace the table before the altar with a drum. The master of ceremonies holds two drumsticks and says his prayers before the altar. After that, he dips a branch of willow into a water bowl on the left of the altar, and sprinkles water on the floor. When he finishes the ritual, he put the bowl and the willow branch on the altar, and beats three salvos of drum beats to begin the hat boi [classical opera] performance.
4. Chanh Te rite
The Chanh Te rite takes place at 4 am of the 26th with the rituals similar to Tuc Yet rite. On the afternoon of the 27th day, the four tablets are brought back to Thoai Ngoc Hau Mausoleum, marking the end of the festival.
Moreover, during the festival days, many traditional cultural activities are organised, including unicorn dance, dance with dishes and cups. Ba Chua Xu Temple Festival is rich in the national identity and the southern colours. Peace and tranquility, Ba Chua Xu Temple is one of the major religious sites in the Mekong Delta and attracts thousands of travellers who are flocking to An Giang Province to experience the one week festival and ask the famous goddess of wealth for a prosperous life.
When Does Ba Chua Xu Temple Festival Take Place?
The most crowded time in Ba Chua Xu Temple is from January to April lunar months. You will see flocks of people from all over the country visiting the temple and staying until 2-3 am. People burn license, prepare fruits and other goods to show their respect to the Ba Chua Xu with a hope that their next year will be full of luck, wealth and happiness.
On the 25th of April, followed by Chinese calendar, there is the biggest festival in the temple where hold a number of traditional performances. Therefore, if you want to experience the local culture here, make a plan to go on this day.
Ba Chua Xu Temple on Sam mountain has just been recognized by the Vietnam-India Economic and Cultural Exchange Forum as a typical Asia-Pacific spiritual tourism destination.
Mr. Nguyen Phuc Hoan, Head of the Management Board of Sam Mountain Mausoleum [Chau Doc City, An Giang Province], said that the award was given by the Vietnam Union of UNESCO Associations and the Indian Global Trade and Technology Council [GTTC]. India] awarded within the framework of a series of events of the Vietnam-India Economic and Cultural Exchange Forum.
The above activity was organized by the Vietnam Union of UNESCO Associations in coordination with the Indian Global Trade and Technology Council [GTTC India] in the capital New Delhi, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of UNESCO's establishment and more than 50 years of its establishment. Vietnam-India diplomatic relations [1972-2023]. This is an opportunity to meet, promote cultural exchanges, and promote trade cooperation between businesses of the two countries in many fields.
At the forum, more than 80 individuals and units excellently passed the Organizing Committee's strict criteria to receive this noble award. Among them, Ba Chua Xu Temple in Sam Mountain is recognized as a "Typical spiritual tourism destination in Asia-Pacific", with positive contributions to the development of Vietnam's tourism industry, contributing to Spreading Vietnamese cultural identity closer and closer to international tourists and friends.
According to Mr. Nguyen Phuc Hoan, Ba Chua Xu Temple on Sam Mountain is a historical relic, beautiful and solemn architectural work, located at the foot of Sam Mountain, in Nui Sam ward [Chau Doc city, An Giang province]. Every year it attracts millions of people to worship and visit. This is one of the famous landscapes and a must-see destination for domestic and foreign tourists, and is the highlight of the annual Ba Chua Xu Festival of Sam Mountain.
The recognition by the Vietnam Union of UNESCO Associations and GTTC India is an important milestone in the process of getting the Ba Chua Xu Festival of Sam Mountain recognized by UNESCO as a representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of humanity.
In 2022, the Government submitted a dossier to UNESCO to consider including the Ba Chua Xu Festival of Sam Mountain, An Giang province on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The Deputy Prime Minister authorized the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism to sign the documents according to regulations.
Legend has it that in the early years of the XNUMXth century, Siamese troops often came to our country to harass and plunder. When they reached the top of Sam mountain and met her statue, they used many ways to carry it down the mountain and bring it back to their homeland, but no matter how hard they tried, they could not move it. One day, the villagers met her statue in the forest, everyone got together to carry it to set up a shrine to worship. But strangely, they could not lift the statue even though there were many people carrying it.
At this time, there was a woman who went to the medium, calling herself the Lady of the Land and said that there must be 9 virgin daughters, cleanly bathed and carried, so that her statue would come down. Hearing that, the villagers followed suit. Miraculously, the girls carried her statue easily. When she reached the foot of the mountain, her statue was heavy and could no longer move. People thought that the Lady of the Land had chosen this place to live and set up a shrine to worship her. The statue of Ba Chua Xu is on the top of Sam Mountain today, where there are still traces of square sandstone, 1,6m side, nearly 0,3m thick.
French archaeologist Louis Malleret, while excavating the Oc Eo - Ba The site [from 1942 to 1944], went to Sam Mountain to study the statue of Ba Chua Xu and determined that this was a type of god statue. Created in the shape of a person sitting and resting, regal, made of sandstone, with high artistic value. Initial assessment showed that the statue of Ba Chua Xu is a work of medieval art that is still preserved today.
Every year, the Ba Chua Xu Festival of Sam Mountain - a traditional festival preserved and practiced for many generations in Chau Doc city, takes place from April 23-27 of the lunar calendar every year.
The festival is carried out according to traditional rituals, imbued with the culture of the people of the Southwest region, expressing the identity and continuity of the Kinh community in the process of cultural exchange with the Chinese and Khmer people. , Cham, with both special ceremonies and festivals such as: opening ceremony, ceremonial costumes to process the statue of Ba from the top of Sam mountain to the temple, Ba bathing ceremony, ceremony to invite the spirit of Mr. Thoai Ngoc Hau and his two wives, Tuc Liet ceremony, Xay adoration ceremony, Chanh Te ceremony, Hoi Sac ceremony...