1. Who does the Huong Pagoda Festival worship? Origin of Perfume Pagoda Festival
ย ย These are common questions of many visitors when learning about this festival.
ย ย In fact, this is a major festival of our country held every year at the beginning of the year. The venue for the festival is the scenic Perfume Pagoda (also known as Huong Son), located in Huong Son, My Duc district, Hanoi. The festival lasts from February to March of the lunar calendar every year, in which, the 6th day of the lunar calendar is the time to attract a large number of visitors, approximately more than 40,000 visitors from all regions. country.
When does the Perfume Pagoda Festival begin? โ The 6th day of the first lunar month
ย ย According to legend, the origin of the Perfume Pagoda Festival comes from the 1770s, when Lord Tinh Do Vuong Trinh Sam traveled with his army to Tran Son Nam, he went to Huong Tich cave to burn incense and admire the scenery. . God praised this place for its prime location, which will be the spiritual fulcrum of the people to pray for peace and smooth things in life. Lord Trinh Sam was also the one who contributed to making Huong Tich cave become a major relic and laid the foundation for the development of the Huong Pagoda festival later.
2. What does the Perfume Pagoda Festival mean?
ย ย Hanoi's Perfume Pagoda Festival is not only an annual spring festival but also imbued with the culture and beliefs of the Northern people. The worshiping beliefs at this festival converge all the religious rituals of our country such as Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism.
ย ย The festival is an interference between traditional culture and taking advantage of the rare natural landscape at the scenic Perfume Pagoda. Coming here, you will not only understand more about the cultural values โโof the Perfume Pagoda festival but also feel the solidarity of the Vietnamese people and people; Admire the beautiful natural scenery.
3.ย Rituals and activities during the Perfume Pagoda festival
- Mountain opening ceremony - forest opening ceremony
ย ย The opening ceremony (forest opening ceremony) will begin on the 6th day of the first lunar month every year. This ritual will offer creatures including: lamps, flowers, candles, incense, vegetarian food, fruits... Two monks and nuns will be appointed to wear robes, bring offerings to the palace, then perform the following rituals. Unique traditional movements. Outside the hall, there are also gods worshiped with many rituals imbued with Taoist beliefs.
- Incense offering ritual
ย ย Tourists and people will offer incense with offerings prepared by themselves. Huong Pagoda is famous for its sacredness, so this is also an activity that attracts a large number of participants, they come here to pray for good things for the new year, health and peace for everyone.
- The festival part of the Perfume Pagoda festival
ย ย Besides the solemn rituals, the festival at Huong Pagoda is also attracted by its extremely unique festival. If you are wondering what games the Perfume Pagoda festival has, they can include: boating, adoration singing, cheo singing, mountain climbing... The fun that you should not miss when coming to this festival is sitting. Boat to enjoy the charming river scene at the scenic Perfume Pagoda.
4.ย Guide to exploring the Perfume Pagoda festival
- How to get to Huong Pagoda
ย ย Coming to Huong Pagoda, you can travel by car, motorbike or bus very conveniently. For cars, you can follow Phap Van and Cau De highways then follow Dong Van route and National Highway 38 to get to Huong Pagoda. As for travelers who like to travel by motorbike, you can follow Nguyen Trai route, go to Ha Dong - Van Dinh - Te Tieu... You should use the directions app or ask people for more convenience. in moving.
ย ย In Hanoi, there are also many bus routes to Huong Pagoda that you can refer to: Route No. 75, Route No. 78, Route No. 211...
- Some things to note when going to the Huong Pagoda festival
ย ย Every year, the festival at Huong Pagoda attracts a large number of visitors, so to make your trip most convenient, you need to note a few things:
-ย ย Avoid going during peak times, usually from the 5th to the 8th of the lunar calendar, however, if you don't mind the crowds, you can come here at any time.
-ย ย Prioritize choosing neat, historical clothes, avoid revealing clothes and avoid wearing high heels
Prepare offerings at home when you want to offer incense, because if you go to the temple to buy offerings, you will easily be "cut off" at a high price.
-ย ย The festival season is very crowded and bustling, so you need to be wary of thieves and pay attention to keeping your surroundings clean