A ceremony was held in the northern province of Thai Binh on September 20 to receive a certificate in recognition of the A Sao Temple Festival as a national intangible cultural heritage as well as to open the annual festival.
Delegates cutting the ribbon to inaugurate the Phu De area under the temple
The event was attended by Politburo members, including National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan; Secretary of the Party Central Committee and head of its Inspection Commission Tran Quoc Vuong; and Secretary of Hanoi Party Committee Hoang Trung Hai.
The A Sao Temple Festival aims to honour the great contributions of Tran Hung Dao, who acted as the Supreme Commander of Vietnam during the Tran Dynasty and led Vietnamese troops to repel three major Mongolian invasions in the 13th century.
The three-day festival features incense offerings, a palanquin procession, folk dances and folk games including wrestling, chess and swimming competitions.
Covering nearly 32 hectares, A Sao temple is historically associated with the Tran dynasty (1225-1400) and the country’s three victorious wars against the mighty Mongolian empire in 1258, 1285 and 1288. Grand Lord Tran Hung Dao (1228 -1300) entered the pages of Vietnamese history as a triumphant leader in the struggle against the Mongol invaders.
Due to it’s unique historical and cultural value the temple was recognised in 2014 as a National Historical and Cultural Site.
Also on the occasion, the Phu De area under the temple also was inaugurated.