Lim Festival - Cultural Tradition of Kinh Bac Land

History of the Formation and Development of the Lim Festival

Regarding the origin of the Lim Festival, there are various hypotheses, but they all relate to the history and culture of the Kinh Bac land. One of the most common theories is that the Lim Festival is associated with the legend of Truong Chi - My Nuong, a tragic love story between a young man and a girl on opposite sides of the Tiep River. According to the legend, when Truong Chi crossed the river to My Nuong's village for a marriage proposal, My Nuong's father refused entry and broke his musical instrument. Sorrowful, Truong Chi returned home but was unfortunately swept away by the waves. Upon hearing the news, My Nuong plunged into the river to find Truong Chi but also tragically disappeared. The local people built two temples on both sides of the river to commemorate the ill-fated lovers.

Another hypothesis suggests that the Lim Festival is related to the story of a palace maid during the Ly dynasty, who was granted by the king to return home to care for her elderly mother and get married. After her mother passed away, she went to the Lim mountain to practice asceticism and built the Hong An Pagoda. After her death, the local people revered her as a virtuous woman and established the Co Lung Temple to honor her.

Regardless of the theory, the Lim Festival has long been considered a significant festival of the Kinh Bac region. According to historical records, in the 18th century, Lord Do Nguyen Thuy from Dinh Ca village, Noi Due, played a key role in developing the Lim Festival from a local temple festival into a grand festival for the entire Noi Due region. He designated the festival for blessings in the first lunar month, following the tradition of "spring and autumn seasons." He also allocated fields and funds for temple renovations, summer festivals, and the preservation of traditional customs. Later, General Nguyen Dinh Dien from Lung Giang village contributed to the innovation and development of the Lim Festival with diverse cultural and folk art activities.

Distinctive Features of the Lim Festival

The Lim Festival is organized according to state and local rituals, including the Ceremony and the Festival. The Ceremony begins on the morning of the 13th day of the Lunar New Year with a procession from Ha Loi Communal House to the Co Lung Temple and Hong An Pagoda. The procession features two white elephants, two white horses, following the customs of the Hai Ba Trung dynasty. The procession includes various groups: young women in white dresses carrying palanquins, female soldiers in brown uniforms with sashes, carrying swords, priests in green ceremonial attire with parasols, musicians, flag bearers, sword bearers, and more. The procession passes through villages to receive the reverence of the people. Upon arriving at the Co Lung Temple and Hong An Pagoda, traditional rituals are performed.

The Festival includes cultural and artistic activities, traditional games, and sports competitions. Common activities include tug-of-war, archery, traditional singing, human chess, and traditional dancing. These activities not only showcase the strength, skills, and cleverness of the people of Bac Ninh but also serve to maintain and promote the traditional cultural values of the community.

The most special aspect of the Lim Festival is the unique and distinctive Quan Ho folk singing. Quan Ho is a traditional folk song of the Northern region, recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage representative of humanity in 2009. Quan Ho involves singing exchanges between young men (soldiers) and young women (maids) from different villages. The singing is characterized by clear, melodious voices and rich emotions. Quan Ho includes various genres such as greeting songs, farewell songs, love songs, and poetic songs. During the Lim Festival, Quan Ho can be heard on boats, on land, at temples, and at pagodas. Quan Ho is a unique and beautiful cultural feature of the people of Bac Ninh and the Vietnamese people in general.

The Lim Festival is a traditional event of great significance for the people of Bac Ninh, and visitors in general. It is not only an occasion to honor and pray for the spirits who sacrificed during the Hai Ba Trung Uprising but also a time to inspire patriotism and national pride among the people of Bac Ninh. The Lim Festival is also an opportunity for visitors to admire and learn about the unique and outstanding spiritual and cultural aspects of Bac Ninh. The Lim Festival is a festival worth participating in at least once in a lifetime.