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| Thái heritage: A traditional ritual is performed at the Bản Phủ Citadel Festival in 2014 |
HÀ NỘI — The Bản Phủ Citadel Festival marking the 247th death anniversary of the peasant hero Hoàng Công Chất (1706-1769) opened in the northern province of Điện Biên yesterday morning.
Local people and visitors will have the chance to join folk games and watch traditional rituals and art performances by 25 local art groups from 25 communes of Điện Biên District during the two-day festival, which ends today.
Before the festival, a ceremony was held on Thursday to recognise the Hoàng Công Chất Temple, Bản Phủ Citadel Festival and Xòe dance of the Thái people as national intangible cultural heritage.
The dance and festival play an important role in the spiritual lives of Thái ethnic people, and have become indispensable cultural activities in the northwestern region.
Bản Phủ Citadel and Hoàng Công Chất Temple were also recognised as national historic sites by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 1981 and 1994.
Since 1994, the Bản Phủ Citadel Festival has been held annually to commemorate Hoàng Công Chất, who led local people in a movement to protect the Mường Thanh villages of Điện Biên from the occupation of Chinese invaders in the 18th century. — VNS
