Lady Thien Hau Pagoda Festival is imposing and solemn

Despite scorching sun, tourists still gathered to enjoy the palanquin festival and kylin, dragon dance on the 15th of lunar first month. Like previous years, leading the palanquin delegation of this year’s Lady Thien Hau Pagoda festival was order security team and the national flag carrying team.

Escorting the lady Thien Hau palanquin was reps of 4 Chinese colonies, 22 kylin, dragon delegations from the province and HCMC and carriages decorated with flowers and hundreds of girls. Following the delegation was clarinet and drum teams and numerous tourists and devotees parading around the main streets of Thu market. The delegation paraded through streets of Nguyen Du, Yersin, Tran Hung Dao, Nguyen Thai Hoc, Doan Tran Nghiep, Hung Vuong, Aug. Revolution and returned the temple.

Luu Cam, head of Guang Dong Colony and head of the organizing board of Lady Thien Hau Pagaoda Festival 2010, said to ensure safety for the festival, the organizing board only accepted prestigious kylin, dragon teams to join in the festival.

In the festival, a lantern auction took place at 9a.m at the temple. The money of the auction was for charity activities. In 2009, the organizing board spent nearly VND1.2bil for charity deeds, of which VND300mil was for hi-unity house granting… Expectedly, funds for the deeds will be higher in this year.

Despite complicated situation, the festival took place safely and healthily.

The worship of Lady Thien Hau is originated from China. Thien Hau is a goodness supporting fishermen. According to documents, Mazu (Thien Hau) also spelt Matsu, is the indigenous goodness of the sea who is said to protect fishermen and sailors, and is invoked as the goddess who protects East Asians who are associated with the ocean. Born as Lin Moniang in Fujian around 960 CE, cult worship of Mazu began around the Ming Dynasty, where many temples dedicated to her were erected all across Mainland China.

With emigration of Chinese communities to Vietnam, worship of Mazu has spread throughout Vietnam, especially in Chinese people populated areas. Thien Hau is considered as a goodness of business and mercy.

Lady Thien Hau Temple in Binh Duong was established amid the process of settlement of Chinese communities. Lady Thien Hau Temple festival has become a spring festival.

Reported by T.Thao – Translated by A.C