Civilized traits maintenance reformed at Mazu Goddess Festival 2016

On Festival of Lunar January, visitors from provinces come to Mazu Goddess Temple at PhuCuong Ward in Thu Dau Mot City to pray for peace and luck. It is expected that about 1 million tourists would visit Mazu Goddess Temple. To ensure safety for tourists as well as to maintain civilized traits of the festival, the managerial board of the Mazu Goddess has reformed their welcoming method and lighting system among others.

Cleaners are present to collect the burnt incense to ensure fires would not take place

Visiting Mazu Goddess Temple in those days is relatively large crowds of visitors. However, the enthusiastic and large guarding force has helped them to follow the guidance and avoid jam. Besides, the managerial board of Mazu Goddess Temple has arranged low ranged guiding boards for easy access and view. Vuong Hong Tham from Ho Chi Minh City said with satisfaction: “On the 10^th day of lunar January, our family visits the place to obtain luck and show gratitude to the Goddess. In previous years, the managerial board had not ruled on entries and exits making it disordered and easy for pocket-picking people to act. For this year, the security has been better with clear regulations on the pathways. We feel comfortable to be here offering the incense and ask for luck from the Goddess.”

With all respect, the visitors always want to offer the best incense and candles to the hall of Mazu Goddess. However, their actions have high risks of fire and pollution. In the face of this, the managerial board announces in audio at the site to reduce the incense offering. Thereon, each visitor can only offer 3 incense sticks on normal days and only 1 stick with no candle during peak time of the 14^th and 15^th of lunar January. The cleaning-up team will collect and move the burnt incense outside for treatment not implementing on-site treatment like previous years.

To ensure safety for visitors, the managerial board has equipped power generators of high capacity and emergency lighting to be on within 1 minute of power break-down. Sanitation has been boosted with more public toilets near the temple. For this year, cleaners have been employed more to clean up the temple and ensure hygiene environment. As for superstition activities, the guards will be present to warn or even arrest those breaching people for further prosecution by functional agencies of Thu Dau Mot City.

Tran Vinh An, permanent managerial officer of Mazu Goddess Festival informed of well-preparation for the festival has created trust in visitors. The occasion is to introduce the cultural traits to people in all walks of the world and Binh Duong Province as a province of industrial development and eco-tourism.

Reported by T. Ly – Translated by ViBao