Nam Dư Hạ Communal Temple

Nam Dư Hạ Communal Temple is a cultural and religious space long associated with the local residential community, a place of worship for the three village tutelary deities including Lê Gia Empress Dowager, the Three-Headed Nine-Tailed Dragon King, and Chương Võ Grand Preceptor Nguyễn Xí. The tutelary deities are revered and worshipped by the people, and many legends associated with the history of the village’s formation, protection, and development have been passed down.

A distinctive cultural feature of the temple is the Water Procession Festival (cap thuy) held from the 14th to the 16th day of the second lunar month annually. In even years, the water procession is held jointly with the two villages of Thúy Lĩnh and Nam Dư Thượng; in other years, Nam Dư Hạ organizes it separately. The procession goes from the temple to the Red River to perform the water-taking ritual, after which the water is carried back to the temple for the water-entry ceremony.

In addition to traditional rituals, the festival also includes artistic performances and folk games, attracting a large number of local people and visitors from afar. The festival expresses reverence for the tutelary deities and also conveys wishes for peace, prosperity, and a harmonious life, contributing to preserving and promoting the traditional cultural identity of Nam Dư Hạ village.