Let’s explore Lim Festival together with VLS – one of the largest festivals in Vietnam, featuring solemn rituals in the ceremony part and extremely joyful, vibrant activities in the festival part.
Table of Contents
Where is the Lim Festival held?
The Lim Festival is one of the famous traditional festivals of the people of Bac Ninh province during Tet. This festival is usually held in Tien Du district, Bac Ninh province, and is considered the essence of the culture of the Kinh Bac region.
Bac Ninh is renowned for its sweet melodies of Quan Ho folk songs, captivating hearts with the harmonious tunes between men and women. Additionally, this place is blessed with beautiful natural landscapes and many ancient architectural works, suitable for those who are passionate about exploring culture and history.
When does the Lim Festival take place?
Since its inception, the festival typically runs from the 9th to the 14th day of the lunar January, encompassing preparation stages to the ceremonial proceedings. The main focus of the festival usually takes place in the morning of the 13th day of the lunar January.
The origin and significance of the Lim Festival
The Lim Festival has a long history, with archival documents confirming that in the 18th century, it was a major event that developed into a large-scale communal festival (known as the Nội Duệ Commune).
The festival space revolves around Lim Hill, with Lim Pagoda – dedicated to Ông Hieu Trung Hau, the founder of the Quan Ho singing tradition – located at its center. The festival takes place in three surrounding areas: Nội Duệ commune, Liên Bão commune, and Lim town.
The rituals of the Lim Festival
Similar to other traditional festivals, the festival begins with a procession, with the participants dressed in elaborate and dignified costumes.
The 13th day of the lunar January is the main festival day. The Lim Festival starts with a procession. The procession, featuring a large number of people dressed in colorful and elaborate ancient costumes, is visually stunning. During the festival day, there are many famous folk rituals and customs, including the ritual of post-worship singing. In the morning of the 13th day of January, all the officials, village elders, and male representatives from villages under the Nội Duệ district must gather at the Hong Van tomb for the ritual.
During the ritual, there is the singing of Quan Ho folk songs for worship. To sing for worship, both male and female Quan Ho singers from the Nội Duệ district stand in rows in front of the tomb and sing together.
The festival part includes many folk games such as martial arts, wrestling, chess playing, swing riding, weaving competitions, and cooking rice. The most remarkable part is the singing session, which is the most fundamental and characteristic part of the Lim Festival. From Hát mời trầu, Hát gọi đò, con sáo sang sông…The singing competition takes place around noon and is organized in the form of Quan Ho singing on a boat trip.
On one side of the boat are the older sisters, facing them are the young girls in their beautiful dresses. The older brothers stand or sit on both sides of the boat. The evening of the 12th is the night of the Quan Ho singing competition between villages. Each village sets up a stage in the wide courtyard of Lim Hill. This is the highlight of the entire the festival.
What to consider when participating in the Lim Festival
- The official day of the Lim Festival is the 13th day of the lunar January, so you may want to start your journey at least 2 – 3 days earlier to avoid crowds and congestion.
- If you bring babies and young children, you should pay attention to the safety of the children in crowded situations.
- The singing session may take place on the river, so you should not approach the riverbank without permission from the organizers.
After hundreds of years, the Lim Festival still exists and continues to develop, maintaining the traditional values of the Vietnamese people. The festival is also a place for people to express their love for their homeland and preserve the long-standing cultural beauties. If you have the opportunity to visit Vietnam during this time, be sure to take the time to participate in the Lim Festival!
Transform Your Irrigation Practices with Bwer Pipes: Bwer Pipes is your go-to destination for cutting-edge irrigation solutions in Iraq. With our advanced sprinkler technology and durable pipes, you can optimize water usage, improve crop health, and maximize yields, ensuring a prosperous future for your farm. Visit Bwer Pipes