This large festival is held on the 9th day of the 4th month of the lunar calendar in Phu Dong Village, Gia Lam District, Hanoi. The date commemorates Saint Giong who defeated the An invaders. In order to show their gratitude to the hero of Giong Village who sacrificed his life to fight invaders, the people proclaimed him Saint Giong.
Preparation for the festival occurs from the 1st day of the 3rd lunar month to the 5th day of the 4th lunar month. The procession starts from the Mother Temple to Thuong Temple with the performance of a religious service. After reaching the temple, a feast for the troops occurs. When night falls, a Cheo play is performed (a classical Vietnamese opera). The festivities ends on the 10th day of the 4th month, as the troops withdraw and a thanksgiving procession takes place.
At the Giong Festival, people can make connections with their the neighbors, with relatives, between the individuals within a community, and with the past and present. This festival blends together the traditions of love for the motherland and the preservation of the cultural heritage.
Features of Giong Festival in Hanoi
- One of the predominant attractions of the Giong Festival is the elaborate procession that starts from the Mother Temple and heads towards Thuong Temple and the procession is accompanied by performing a religious service.
- A feast for the troop is arranged after reaching the temple and once the dark night casts its charming spell, a Cheo play, a classical Vietnamese opera.
- The Giong Festival in Hanoi finishes on the tenth day of the fourth month and the thanksgiving procession marks the end of the Giong Festival in Hanoi.
- Giong Festival in Hanoi provides a platform for social interaction among the dwellers of the Phu Dong Village in Gia Lam District.
- The best part of the Giong Festival in Hanoi is that it successfully intermingle the tradition of sincere devotion and love for motherland and at the same time makes an earnest effort to preserve the cultural legacy.
Organization and Background
The real organizers of the festival were not the entire villagers but smaller population units in each village, were called "Giap". Thus Phu Dong Canton had 15 "Giap" : 6 in Phu Dong village, 4 in Phu Duc village, 3 in Dong vien village and 2 in Dong Xuyen village.
Thus, the 10 Giap of Phu Dong and Phu Duc villages were the "leading Giap"of the festival, that is they assumed the main responsibility in organizing it. Among other things, they appointed:
- a flag commander
- a drum commander
