Cua Ong temple festival opens in Cam Pha city
The Cua Ong Temple Festival, which was recognised as national special intangible cultural heritage in 2016, opened in Cam Pha city on March 2 or the third day of the second lunar month.
Cua Ong Temple, the venue of the event, is dedicated to Tran Quoc Tang (1252 – 1313), a hero in the resistance wars against the Mongol invaders and guarding the country’s northeastern region under the Tran Dynasty (1225 – 1400). He was the third son of General Tran Quoc Tuan, who led Dai Viet (the name of Vietnam at that time) to two of the three victories against the Mongol invaders, in 1285 and 1288.
The festival is held to commemorate Tran Quoc Tang’s contributions to defeating enemies and brought peace to the region.
This year, the Cua Ong Temple Festival will not feature a procession; however, it will still include all traditional rituals, such as the offering ceremonies at Den Thuong (Upper Temple), Den Mau (Mother Temple), and Den Trung Thien Long Mau (Thien Long Mau Middle Temple), as well as the closing ceremony on March 3, 2025 (equivalent to February 4 in the Year of the Snake).
The festival also includes various folk games and competitions, such as men’s and women’s tug-of-war, stick pushing, a ritual offering competition, human chess, "cờ bỏi" (a traditional Vietnamese board game), blindfolded balloon smashing, and an art photography exhibition. These activities attract thousands of visitors who come to participate, explore, and pay their respects.
