The “Khai Ha – Cau An” Festival at the Tomb of Le Van Duyet, Marshal of the Nguyen Dynasty Army's Left Division, has become HCM City’s latest National Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The “Khai Ha – Cau An” Festival at the Tomb of Le Van Duyet has become HCM City’s latest National Intangible Cultural Heritage. — VNA/VNS Photo Thu Huong
Praying for peace at the Tomb of Le Van Duyet in Binh Thanh District has been an important cultural heritage of the old Gia Dinh – Sai Gon and the new HCM City.
Binh Thanh District People's Committee has received the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Certificate for the Khai Ha – Cau An Festival at the Tomb of Le Van Duyet, as recognised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
The event took place on the occasion of the 190th anniversary of the death of the Marshal of the Nguyen Dynasty Army's Left Division (1832-2022), with participation of Deputy Chairman of the HCM City People's Committee Phan Thi Thang and Director of the City Department of Culture and Sports Tran The Thuan.
Khai Ha – Cau An at the Tomb of Le Van Duyet is the third festival of HCM City approved by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Chairman of Binh Thanh District People's Committee Dinh Khac Huy said.
Thang said the HCM City Department of Culture and Sports and the Department of Tourism will cooperate to preserve and promote the value of Khai Ha – Cau An Festival.
“The Tomb of Le Van Duyet is an attractive destination that tourists should not miss when visiting HCM City,” she said.
Together with relevant authorities, artists from various cultural fields in HCM City also attended this ceremony.
"This event emphasises the diversity of Viet Nam’s intangible cultural heritage treasures,” Meritorious Artist Huu Danh from HCM City's Boi Singing Theatre said.
Meritorious Artist Ngoc Khanh is proud to perform at the Tomb of Le Van Duyet every year.
"We must join hands to preserve and further promote the value of this invaluable heritage,” she said.
The Tomb of Le Van Duyet (also called Ong Ba Chieu Temple) sits on a piece of land that is shaped like a turtle’s back and slightly higher than its surroundings. The temple’s location is considered supreme in feng shui terms.
It is located next to Ba Chieu Market in Binh Thanh District and is where hero and high-ranking mandarin of the Nguyen Dynasty, Le Van Duyet (1764-1832), is buried along with his wife Do Thi Phan.
The temple has four gates named after the cardinal directions, with the Southern Gate now used as the main one.
According to the monument management board, 100-200 locals and foreigners visit every day. During Tet (Lunar New Year), 100,000 people visit to pay their respects.