Gióng Festival at Phù Đổng Temple
Introduction
The Gióng Festival at Phù Đổng Temple was honored by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010. The Gióng Festival at Phù Đổng Temple originates from the veneration of the heroic figure of Gióng Village, affectionately called “Ông Gióng” by the people, and revered as Phù Đổng Thiên Vương, one of the “Four Immortals” in Vietnamese folk belief.
The Gióng Festival in Phù Đổng Village officially takes place over three days, from the 7th to the 9th day of the fourth lunar month, and is regarded as a vast folk theater, containing profound humanistic philosophy, educating patriotism, and expressing indomitable will and the aspiration for a prosperous and peaceful life.
The uniqueness of the Gióng Festival at Phù Đổng Temple lies in its communal nature, as it is preserved, practiced, and protected by the community as a part of their flesh and blood. Over thousands of generations, the Gióng Festival at Phù Đổng Temple has continued to be safeguarded and passed down by the people through the practice of the festival.
The roles performed at the Gióng Festival at Phù Đổng Temple last only a short time, but the titles of those who take on the roles stay with them for the rest of their lives; this is an everlasting honor and pride.
