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| The Vegetarian Festival at the To Su Temple in Tran Bien Ward features excerpts from traditional plays, attracting crowds. Photo: L.Na |
The festival is not only a religious activity, paying tribute to the ancestors of the Chinese community of He state in Dong Nai , but also contributes to strengthening the spirit of solidarity among ethnic groups in Tran Bien land.
Preserving the festival for more than 300 years
Nestled along the Dong Nai River, the To Su Temple - the place where the Vegetarian Festival is held - is considered a silent witness of the community that has chosen this land as their homeland for over 300 years. Built from Buu Long green stone, this place worships three ancestors: Ngu Dinh Tien Su (Ancestor of stone craft), Lo Ban Tien Su (Ancestor of carpentry) and Uat Tri Tien Su (Ancestor of blacksmithing). In addition, the To Su Temple also worships Thien Hau Thanh Mau, Quan Thanh De Quan, Than Tai, Tho Dia, Tien Boi... This worshiping comes from the preservation of community beliefs.
According to the elders of the He Chinese in Tran Bien ward, the Vegetarian Festival has been held for hundreds of years. There are many parallel legends, such as when there was a big epidemic, the villagers asked the miraculous Thien Hau to give them medicine to save people. Another legend says that about 150 years ago, in the Buu Long area, there was a cholera epidemic, the "spirited lady" instructed the villagers to pick 100 types of medicinal leaves to treat the disease, and from then on the villagers were safe. Thanks to God and Buddha, the He Chinese hold a festival every 3 years not only to thank the "lady", but also to thank the 3 ancestors of the profession.
Head of the Board of Trustees of the Ancestor Temple, Truong Lam Thuy, said that through the ups and downs of history, the Vegetarian Festival has been maintained steadfastly. Not only is it a spiritual ritual, the festival is also a place to gather the strength of the community, for descendants to remember their roots and ancestors. This is also a place where the elderly tell old stories, and generations join hands to preserve traditional values.
“This year, the festival takes place over 4 days (from July 4 to 7) with 2 parts: the ceremony and the festival. The festival is exciting, attracting tens of thousands of locals and tourists to participate. People voluntarily contribute labor and materials to build tents, cook vegetarian food, decorate the temple grounds, perform lion - unicorn - dragon dances... That consensus is the "glue" that binds the community, keeping the festival alive in the spiritual life of local people" - Mr. Thuy shared.
Not only attracting people to join the street processions, but also in the yard of the Ancestor Temple Relic, red lanterns are hung everywhere, creating a sparkling scene. Especially at night, the stage lights up. Traditional plays, lion dances, and opera performances take place one after another. Children run around, adults sit on plastic chairs, and some old men and women go early to get seats. No one sells tickets, no distinction between old and young people... everyone joins in the festival with joy, gratitude, and pride in the traditions of their homeland.
Ms. Vuong Thi Ngoc Mai (residing in Tran Bien ward) participated in the drum performance in the Vegetarian Festival at the Ancestor Temple, saying: “Since I was a student, my family and I have attended the ceremony. I feel like I, like the young people in the locality, are inheriting a long-standing cultural value, both proud and aware of the responsibility to preserve the tradition of our ancestors.”
In recent times, the To Su Temple Relic has promoted socialization in the restoration and embellishment of the relic's items. Notably, the project of renovating, upgrading and repairing the To Su Temple's gate with a total investment of more than 3 billion VND. Currently, the relic has become increasingly spacious, serving the cultural, religious and spiritual needs of local people.
Enhancing the value of traditional festivals
In the context of integration and development, the preservation and promotion of the value of the Vegetarian Festival does not stop at maintaining traditional rituals, but also requires new directions to bring the festival closer to the community inside and outside the locality. Therefore, in recent years, the relic management board has coordinated with units and localities to promote propaganda, promotion, and organize cultural and artistic programs ofeducational and experiential nature. Notably: publishing books about relics, making documentary films, introducing festival videos on Facebook, YouTube...
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| Many people participated in the Vegetarian Festival and watched performing arts programs at the Ancestor Temple Relic. |
According to Mr. Truong Lam Thuy, in 2025, Dong Nai Museum coordinated with the Monument Management Board to prepare a dossier to propose the registration of the To Su Temple Vegetarian Festival as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. This is not only a necessary step to preserve and promote the value of the festival, but also contributes to spreading the cultural identity of Tran Bien - Dong Nai to a large community at home and abroad.
In the upcoming roadmap, the cultural sector will advise the Provincial People's Committee to develop a Project to Preserve and Promote the Vegetarian Festival for the period 2025-2035, with a vision to 2045 after the festival is listed as a national intangible cultural heritage. Dong Nai Museum will continue to compile a scientific dossier to upgrade the To Su Temple Relic from provincial to national level, commensurate with the inherent value of the relic. In addition, Dong Nai Museum has inventoried and will develop a plan to digitize relic artifacts, make a 360 virtual reality film to introduce the To Su Temple Relic and the Vegetarian Festival.
With its historical, cultural and communal spirit, the Vegetarian Festival has become and continues to be an indispensable part of the spiritual life of the people of Tran Bien in particular and Dong Nai in general. Preserving and promoting the festival is the responsibility not only of a community, but of the whole society - where each person, each generation plays the role of "keeper of the fire" of traditional national culture.
Ly Na
Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/van-hoa/202507/bao-ton-va-phat-huy-gia-tri-le-hoi-lam-chay-c770c2f/
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