Vietnam Festival obtains UNESCO certificate today
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Hanoi is holding a reception ceremony today for UNESCO certificate recognizing the Saint Giong Festival as humankind’s intangible cultural heritage, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.
Giong Festival, which is located at Soc Temple in Soc Son District, is the Hanoi’s third such heritage honored by the UN agency in 2010, after the 82 stone steles at the Temple of Literature (commemorating doctorates handed out to doctor laureats during the feudal era) and the Thang Long-Hanoi Citadel.
The Saint Giong Festival is held annually in the first lunar month at Soc Temple in Soc Son District in honor of the mythical hero Giong who ascended to heaven from there.
At the age of three, Saint Giong could not talk or walk but miraculously grew into a giant after hearing the King’s appeal to gifted individuals to enter public service and save the country and people from foreign invaders from the north.
After defeating the invading army, the hero went to the top of Soc Mountain and from there to heaven. He has been revered as the most powerful god in local folk belief for thousands of years and is considered the tutelary god for harvest, peace, and prosperity.
The organizers will also officially launch a national action program on protecting and promoting the festival’s values from 2011 to 2015 at the ceremony.
Rituals of Hoi Giong ceremony include:
Ceremony usually begins with a young boy waving the head flag to signal the start at the front yard of the Hanoi-based Soc Temple
Following the appeal, the elderly and the dignitaries are escorted to join a parade under parasols to the temple to attend the ceremony
Paper-made statue of elephant is also carried to the temple
The crowd and dignitaries are taken to the Soc Temple where performance shows are going on to welcome their arrival
Dignitaries stand in front of the queue to hold the ceremony and offer gifts to Saint Giong
At the end of the ceremony, people burn a paper-made horse as offering to Saint Giong
