Giang Le Village Communal House Festival

Location of the festival: Giang Le Communal House, Chuong My Ward, Hanoi City

The Giang Le village communal house festival is held to commemorate the merits of General Ly Trien.

Ly Trien was a founding meritorious official of the Early Le dynasty in Vietnamese history, from Bai Do village, Loi Duong district, Thanh Hoa, Vietnam.

Ly Trien participated in the Lam Son uprising from the beginning and helped Le Loi during the most difficult period of the uprising. In 1418, Ming generals Ly Ban and Phuong Chinh brought troops through Quy Chau into Muong Thoi to attack the Lam Son army. Ly Trien, together with Le Ly and Pham Van, led troops to block the enemy and coordinated with Le Loi's main force in an ambush to defeat the Ming army at Bo Mong.

In 1422, the Ming army mobilized additional troops from Ai Lao (Laos) to attack from two directions, and Le Loi withdrew to Sach Khoi. The enemy concentrated a large force and advanced to surround them. Ly Trien was ordered, together with Le Linh and Pham Van, to lead troops out to fight to the death; they killed enemy general Phung Quy and more than 1,000 enemy soldiers, captured more than 100 horses, and Ma Ky and Tran Tri fled back to Dong Quan (Hanoi), while the Ai Lao troops also fled. In 1423, the Lam Son army was surrounded by the enemy and cut off from supplies for several months. Ly Trien still closely followed Le Loi on inspections and encouraged the officers and soldiers without neglect.

Ly Trien participated in the Lam Son uprising from the beginning and helped Le Loi during the most difficult period of the uprising. In 1418, Ming generals Ly Ban and Phuong Chinh brought troops through Quy Chau into Muong Thoi to attack the Lam Son army. Ly Trien, together with Le Ly and Pham Van, led troops to block the enemy and coordinated with Le Loi's main force in an ambush to defeat the Ming army at Bo Mong.

In 1422, the Ming army mobilized additional troops from Ai Lao (Laos) to attack from two directions, and Le Loi withdrew to Sach Khoi. The enemy concentrated a large force and advanced to surround them. Ly Trien was ordered, together with Le Linh and Pham Van, to lead troops out to fight to the death; they killed enemy general Phung Quy and more than 1,000 enemy soldiers, captured more than 100 horses, and Ma Ky and Tran Tri fled back to Dong Quan (Hanoi), while the Ai Lao troops also fled. In 1423, the Lam Son army was surrounded by the enemy and cut off from supplies for several months. Ly Trien still closely followed Le Loi on inspections and encouraged the officers and soldiers without neglect.

In memory of his merits, in 2005 the people of Giang Le residential group built the village communal house to worship Mr. Ly Trien, praying that he would protect and bless the people of every household, that everyone would be healthy, work would go smoothly, and they would encounter much luck in life.

* Prohibitions during the festival:

- During the year, families bringing offerings to the communal house must not bring chicken

- If any family is in mourning, only after the mourning period has ended for 1 year may they enter the communal house and do work in the communal house.

- If elected as Temple Keeper, the family must be complete (both husband and wife, an exemplary family, and must have an offering ceremony at His house...)

- If elected as Chief Celebrant, the family must be complete (both husband and wife, an exemplary family, and must have an offering ceremony at His house...)

According to the custom of Giang Le village, the communal house festival is held as a major festival once every 3 to 5 years (with a spring palanquin procession and worship ceremonies. The festival takes place from the morning of the 11th day of the first lunar month to the end of the afternoon of the 13th day of the first lunar month). In ordinary years, no major festival is held; it is only called village work and worship ceremonies are held without a palanquin procession, taking place on many days of the year, including: the 10th day of the second lunar month, when the communal house is opened for the ceremony on His death anniversary, only opening the communal house for the ceremony; the 20th day of the first lunar month is His feast day, when the elders of both sexes open the communal house for ceremonies and worship; the 1st day of the fourth lunar month, ceremony for entering summer; the 1st day of the seventh lunar month, ceremony for leaving summer; the 1st day of the ninth lunar month is the ceremony of entering the village for children born during the year; the 15th day of the twelfth lunar month is the day of celebrating the longevity of the elders; the 12th day of the first lunar month is the day when the elders bring offerings for the elderhood ceremony.