Vietnam holidays - brief view about Giong Festival

Vietnam has experienced a long history with ups and downs. Especially, it had passed a lot of wars and struggles for freedom from the very beginning of its establishment and development. Therefore, the country also has a lot of heroes and heroines who had devoted their lives to the struggles for freedom of the country. In addition to that, one of the most important believes of Vietnamese is to commemorate the country’s heroes. Nowadays, there are a great of vietnam holidays on commemoration those who died in wars. One of the most sacred and amazing vietnamholidays that is worth a look is Giong Holiday.

 Giong Festival is a traditional festival which is held annually in many areas in Hanoi – the capital of Vietnam to commemorate the victory and praise the legendary hero called Thanh Giong. He is one of the four immortal folks in traditional belief of Vietnam. Amongst the big number if Giong Festivals held across the city, there are two biggest Giong Festivals. One is held in Soc Son district, Hanoi and another is held in Phu Dong, Gia Lam district, Hanoi. The Giong Festival was recognized by the UNESCO as a world intangible cultural heritage. The UNESCO explained for its award to the Giong Festival as world intangible cultural heritage is its outstanding value of cultural preservation, transmission and integrity through generation to generation. 

Giong Festival which is held in different regions but its main theme remains the same. It vividly imitates the struggle against An invaders by Saint Giong and people of Van Lang under 6th Hung King reign. The story is that Giong was a small, weak and ill child living with his mother when the brutal An invaders from the North was ravaging the country. He suddenly ate a lot of rice and became so big and strong. Then he led a big number of people to stand up against the An invaders and expel them out of the country using just a steel stick, horse and armor. However, after expelling successfully the invaders, he ascended to the heaven leaving his steel stick, horse and armor at the top of Soc Son Mountain. 

In the Giong Festival in Gion Temple, Soc Son District, people have to prepare for a lot of things offering to the Giong Saint in advance. Throughout the day of the opening ceremony, villagers and pilgrims across the country will offer the Saint incense. At night of the opening day, people will exercise the ceremony of bathing the statue of Giong Saint in the Giong Temple. The festival will last for seven days.