The Gióng Festival is a traditional celebration that honors the legendary hero Saint Gióng, one of the four immortal figures in Vietnamese folklore. The festival vividly reenacts the battles of Saint Gióng and the people of Văn Lang against the invaders from the Ân dynasty, while raising community awareness about ancient tribal warfare; it also instills patriotism, martial traditions, resilience, and the desire for independence and freedom among the people. The Gióng Festival is held in many places in the northern lowlands, with the most notable celebrations taking place at Phù Đổng Temple and Sóc Temple (Hanoi).
Gióng Festival at Sóc Sơn Temple – Honoring the Saint Who Defeated the Ân Invaders
1. History
The Gióng Festival at Sóc Temple (Phù Linh commune, Sóc Sơn district, Hanoi) is celebrated from the 6th to the 8th day of the first lunar month each year. According to legend, after defeating the Ân invaders, Phù Linh was the final resting place of Saint Gióng before he ascended to heaven. To honor his contributions, the local people have erected the Sóc Temple Historical Site, which includes six structures: the Lower Temple (or Trình Temple), Đại Bi Pagoda, Mother Temple, Upper Temple (or Sóc Temple), the statue of Saint Gióng, and the commemorative house. Among these, the Upper Temple is dedicated to Saint Gióng and hosts the festival with traditional rituals such as the Mộc Dục ceremony (statue bathing), procession, incense offering, and the sacrifice of models of elephants and horses…
2. Cultural Value
In preparation for the main festival day, on the night of the 5th, the Mộc Dục ceremony (bathing of the statue) is conducted to invite the Saint to the celebration. On the 6th, the festival opens, and the people from eight villages across six communes surrounding the Sóc Temple site—Tân Minh, Tiên Dược, Phù Linh, Đức Hòa, Xuân Giang, and Bắc Phú—offer carefully prepared gifts to the Saint, praying for prosperity and happiness. Among these, the bamboo flower offering from Vệ Linh village (Phù Linh commune) is conducted first. The bamboo flowers are made from long bamboo sticks, about 50cm in length and 1cm in diameter, with the ends stripped and dyed to symbolize Saint Gióng’s horsewhip. After the offering at the Upper Temple, the bamboo flowers are carried down to the Lower Temple and distributed to festival participants for good luck.
On the 7th, the main festival day (the day of sanctification according to legend), a reenactment of Saint Gióng defeating the last three generals of the Ân invaders at the foot of Vệ Linh Mountain is performed. By the afternoon of the 8th, a ceremony to burn large paper models of elephants and horses is held to conclude the festival, as the war elephants and iron horses are two symbolic creatures associated with Saint Gióng’s battle against the Ân invaders to protect the country. All festival-goers wish to participate in carrying the elephant and horse to the riverbank for the burning ceremony, as it is believed that anyone who touches the offerings to the Saint will be blessed with good fortune in life.
During the festival, many traditional games are also organized, such as rooster fighting, chess, hát ca trù (a form of singing), and hát chèo (traditional Vietnamese opera)…
The Gióng Festival at Phù Đổng Temple (Phù Đổng commune, Gia Lâm district, Hanoi) is celebrated from the 6th to the 12th day of the fourth lunar month each year. According to legend, Phù Đổng is the birthplace of the hero Saint Gióng.
April 6: The water procession is held with the participation of all the generals, soldiers, and music and dance troupes, along with a large number of villagers.
April 7: The procession of the shrine (which contains flags and various items) is taken to the Mother Temple, and the vegetarian feast (with rice and tofu) is transported from the Lower Temple to the Upper Temple as an offering to the Saint. In the afternoon, a procession is held to inspect the route leading to the battlefield.
April 8: The heads of the four villages review the festival activities one last time.
April 9: (the main festival day) the flag is carried from the Lower Temple to the Upper Temple, along with rituals like “worshipping the deities,” “catching the tiger,” and martial performances.
April 10: The ceremony for reviewing the troops and checking weapons is conducted; an offering of thanks to Saint Gióng and a feast to celebrate victory are held.
April 11: The water procession and weapon cleansing ceremony take place, along with various games and performances of singing and dancing.
April 12: The ceremony for planting the flag is organized, and the battlefield is inspected from Đống Đàm to Sòi Bia (where a white flag is planted to signify the enemy’s surrender). In the afternoon, a report of victory is made to the Heavenly Court, concluding the festival.
The Gióng Festival at Phù Đổng Temple is likened to a large folk theater with hundreds of performances carried out according to a standardized script. Each role conveys profound ideas, such as “Ông Hiệu” representing Saint Gióng’s generals; “Phù Giá” symbolizing the regular army of Saint Gióng; “Cô Tướng” representing the 28 invading armies of the Ân dynasty; “Ông Hổ” as the combined forces; “Làng áo đỏ” as the young scout troops; and “Làng áo đen” as the local militia…
In addition, the festival features various processions such as: “Rước khám đường” for scouting the enemy; “Rước nước” for weapon training before departure; “Rước Đống Đàm” for peace negotiations; and “Rước trận Soi Bia” depicting fierce battles…
The global significance of the Gióng Festival lies in its status as a cultural phenomenon that has been preserved and transmitted continuously and integrally through generations. The festival plays a vital role in community bonding and embodies many creative ideas, reflecting the aspirations for a peaceful nation and a prosperous, happy life for its people.
Artistically, the Gióng Festival showcases numerous beautiful and valuable features, such as the processions, flags, drums, gongs, folk performances, and various dance and singing acts.
On November 16, 2010, at the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Committee under the 2003 Convention of UNESCO in Nairobi (the capital of Kenya), the Gióng Festival at Phù Đổng and Sóc Temples was officially recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. UNESCO succinctly and comprehensively acknowledged the Gióng Festival as “A cultural museum of Vietnam, retaining multiple layers of cultural and spiritual sediment.”
