Da Hoa Temple is located right on the Red River, in the territory of Da Hoa village, Binh Minh commune, Khoai Chau district, worshiping Chu Dong Tu – Tien Dung – Hong Van princess. The temple overlooks the Red River and Tu Nhien beach, which is said to be the place where the love affair between Chu Dong Tu and Tien Dung was formed.
Tien Dung – Chu Dong Tu
Da Hoa Temple was built a long time ago, the current work was flourished at the end of the 19th century, from 1884 to 1886, by Chu Manh Trinh, a resident of Phu Thi village, General Me So, and the Hung Yen Provincial Murderer. The project is famous for its massive scale, unique architectural ideas, and harmony with the natural landscape.
The temple area consists of 18 large and small works: stele house, steeple, harem, Ngo Mon gate, front house, incense burning court, second palace, third palace, harem and herbal medicine houses, tabernacles, houses. horse, cannon house. The temple roofs are shaped like a stylized dragon boat. If you look down from above, you will see the roofs of the temples, the combination looks like a fleet of boats floating on the river. Chu Manh Trinh intended to shape the temple like a yacht group of eighteen-year-old Tien Dung, daughter of the 18th Hung King, traveling on the river.
Da Hoa Temple still retains many precious relics. Statues of saint Chu Dong Tu and two wives are cast in bronze, the size is like a real person. Three thrones worship Chu Dong Tu and two wives, made of wood, balanced layout, the head of the throne touches the dragon in the position of facing in. The throne dating from the late 16th century to the early 17th century, is considered the oldest of its kind still found in our country.
Da Hoa Temple Festival is held from February 10-12 of the lunar calendar. The main day of the festival is opened with a procession of the gods of eight villages belonging to the ancient Me canton to the main temple (including Me So, Da Hoa, Bang Nha, Phu Thi, Phu Trach, Thiet Tru and Nhan Thap villages). Each procession has flags, gongs, drums, bowl buu, road set, ward Bat Am, palanquin bowl Cong, dance for money, dragon, and lion. The procession of 8 villages met with gongs and drums resounding, golden dragon winding from the beginning to the end of the procession.
The next day is the water procession. The procession consisted of palanquins, palanquins of 8 ancient Me villages, boarding a boat to the middle of the Red River to perform a ceremony to fetch water to the temple for sacrifice. The whole river was jubilant with the sound of gongs and drums, and the music was throbbing.
Da Hoa festival organizes dragon dance, old wrestling, human flag.
Dragon dance, there are 6-8 dragons. Dragon dance moves according to the control of the person holding the ball and the sound of the drum. Dragon dance around, winding rhythmically. When drums beat slow, dance slow, when drums beat fast, dance fast and lively. Dragons dance alone, dance in pairs or all dragons in the villages dance and perform skillful movements of their village dragons.
Participating in the wrestling are elderly people aged 70-80 years old, dressed in festive costumes, wearing scarves, blue shirts, yellow shirts, red and yellow belts, performing symbolic movements. This performance reminds everyone of the merits of Chu Dong Tu – Tien Dung who saved many people from diseases and to prove that they are completely healthy, they dragged each other out to the wrestling field, making tricks for their grandparents. .
Human flags, held at the temple grounds. There are 32 pieces divided into 2 factions, a male side and a female side. The people playing the role of generals and chess pieces are both unmarried boys and unmarried girls. The most beautiful is the role of generals, generals. Players from all over the world compete in high and low.