Hai Phong: Sparkling peace-praying ceremony and lantern festival on Luc Dau River

The peace-praying ceremony and flower lantern festival are among the typical traditional rituals of the Con Son-Kiep Bac Autumn Festival, paying tribute to ancestors and conveying the nation's wishes for peace and prosperity.

On the evening of October 13, at the Luc Dau River dike in front of the Kiep Bac Temple gate, the Con Son-Kiep Bac Special National Monument (Tran Hung Dao Ward, Hai Phong City), a Peace Prayer Ceremony and Flower Lantern Festival took place with the participation of many local people and tourists.

Before the ceremony began, in the sacred space of the relic, the dike opposite the Kiep Bac temple's gate was lit up with thousands of lanterns lit up to form the words "Flower lantern festival - National peace and people's security." In the middle of the dike stood out a tower with 9 decorative floors.

According to the Con Son-Kiep Bac Relic Management Board, the 9-storey tower symbolizes the axis connecting heaven and earth, yin and yang. The 9-storey patterns on the tower are typical of Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism.

Prayer ceremony for peace at the Con Son - Kiep Bac Autumn Festival in 2025. (Photo: Manh Tu/VNA)

The peace-praying ceremony takes place from 7pm to 9pm, starting with a ceremony to commemorate the heroic martyrs who sacrificed their lives to protect the Fatherland in the dynasties, praying for the souls of Tran Dynasty generals who died in the resistance wars against the Yuan-Mongol invaders, praying for national peace and prosperity, favorable weather, good crops...

At the end of the peace-praying ceremony, delegates and people released thousands of flower lanterns into the Luc Dau River along with a brilliant fireworks display, making the entire river shimmer and magical. Each flower lantern released into the water carries wishes for good things.

The peace-praying ceremony and flower lantern festival were restored by Hai Duong province (old) in 2007 and are associated with the Con Son-Kiep Bac Autumn Festival in the eighth lunar month every year.

The festival is not only an occasion for people across the country to remember and show gratitude for the contributions of our ancestors in building and defending the country, but also for each person to be more proud of the cultural heritage values ​​of the nation.

Con Son-Kiep Bac Relic Site was ranked as a National Monument in 1962. In 2012, the relic was ranked as a special National Monument and the Con Son Spring Traditional Festival and Kiep Bac Autumn Festival were listed as National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Lighting up flower lanterns at the peace praying ceremony and flower lantern festival. (Photo: Manh Tu/VNA)

The Con Son-Kiep Bac Autumn Festival in 2025 is the first festival to be held after the Yen Tu-Vinh Nghiem-Con Son-Kiep Bac Monuments and Landscape Complex was recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage.

Luc Dau River is the place that marked many glorious victories of the army and people of Dai Viet, especially the resistance wars against the Yuan-Mongol invaders in the 8th century. The peace-praying ritual and flower lantern festival have become traditions at the Con Son-Kiep Bac Autumn Festival for many years./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/hai-phong-lung-linh-le-cau-an-va-hoi-hoa-dang-o-song-luc-dau-post1070125.vnp