At the Great Mother Au Co Temple Festival, Hien Luong Commune, Ha Hoa District, Phu Tho Province a particular and unique tradition is the sacrifice of the female mandarin.
The event, which takes place every lunar January 7th, is conducted by young girls known as female mandarin.
Their ceremonial performance was practiced for weeks.
Female officials chosen are young ladies with good character, lovely looks, happy families, and no mourning.
Female officials chosen are young ladies with good character, lovely looks, happy families, and no mourning.
Before the major ritual, the sacrifice team will process the palanquin and offerings from Duc Ong communal home to Mau Co Temple in groups of young ladies, music teams, 50 young men and women dressed as Lac Hong children, etc. from Duc Ong communal house to the temple.
Traditional rites are performed by the female mandarins in Ao Dai, who wear a brocade scarf, silk belt, and embroidered shoes, as well as the female celebrant, who wears a red attire.
This years female celebrant is Nguyen Nhat Le, who was born in 2006 and lives in zone 4, Hien Luong commune, Ha Hoa district.
Throughout the music festival, the female mandarins politely offered incense, flowers, wine, tea, and fruit to the Great Mother Au Co.
Throughout the music festival, the female mandarins politely offered incense, flowers, wine, tea, and fruit to the Great Mother Au Co.
Each stride of the female mandarin must be rhythmic and in sync with the festival music. To demonstrate reverence for the Great Mother Au Co, each ceremonial action is executed carefully, dignifiedly, and consistently.
Each stride of the female mandarin must be rhythmic and in sync with the festival music. To demonstrate reverence for the Great Mother Au Co, each ceremonial action is executed carefully, dignifiedly, and consistently.
At the end of the rite, the female celebrant will read aloud the sacrifice in front of the Great Mother Au Cos spirit, pleading with her to bless the nation and the people with favorable rain and wind, and a quiet and successful existence for the people to be safe and happy.
At the end of the rite, the female celebrant will read aloud the sacrifice in front of the Great Mother Au Cos spirit, pleading with her to bless the nation and the people with favorable rain and wind, and a quiet and successful existence for the people to be safe and happy.
According to the Vietnamese peoples long-standing tradition, the ceremonies and customs of honoring Great Mother Au Co - National Intangible Cultural Heritage are conducted dignifiedly and respectfully.
The sacrifice ceremony concludes after the ritualization of sacrifices, opening the thrilling opening space of the Great Au Co Temple Festival.
Huy Le
