Lim Festival in Bac Ninh is not simply a traditional festival, but also a "living museum" of Quan Ho art - an intangible cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO. This is a unique Northern tourist destination , where visitors can immerse themselves in a unique cultural space and experience the profound spiritual values of the nation.
1. Where is Lim Festival? Transportation & Directions to Lim Festival from Hanoi
Lim Festival (Photo source: Collected)
Lim Mountain - a place associated with sweet Quan Ho songs, located in Lim commune, Tu Son town, Bac Ninh province. The hills here are not as high as the majestic mountain ranges, but have a poetic beauty with green tea hills and ancient temples hidden in the early morning mist.
From the center of Hanoi, visitors can easily get to Lim Festival in many ways:
- By motorbike/private car: The journey is about 25km along National Highway 1A, passing through peaceful village roads, with green rice fields and lush longan gardens on both sides. From Hanoi, you go in the direction of Chuong Duong Bridge → National Highway 1A → Bac Ninh → turn into Tu Son town → Lim Mountain.
- By public bus: Bus routes 54 (from Long Bien) and 203 (from My Dinh) both go to Tu Son, then you can take a motorbike taxi or taxi about 3km to Lim Mountain. This is an economical and convenient means of transport for those who want to enjoy the scenery of the village roads and alleys.
- By taxi/Grab: With a travel time of about 45 minutes, this is the most comfortable option for groups of 4-6 people. Prices range from 300,000 VND - 400,000 VND one way.
2. Introduction to Lim festival
Many special activities at Lim Festival 2023 (Photo source: Collected)
2.1. When is Lim Festival held and how long does it last?
Traditionally, Lim Festival begins on the 13th day of the first lunar month - the golden time for tourism in Bac Ninh, when the weather is still chilly in the early spring days. The festival lasts for three days, but the bustling atmosphere has started from the previous days, when the Lien Anh and Lien Chi groups gather here to practice, and the locals are busy preparing for the big festival.
2.2. History and origin of Lim festival
Lim Festival has a history of hundreds of years, associated with the name of Hieu Trung Hau Nguyen Dinh Dien - an honest mandarin of the Le Dynasty, who had great contributions in developing and spreading the art of Quan Ho. According to historical documents, in the 18th century, he founded "Quan Ho singing festival", gathering people with good voices in the region to come here to learn singing and teach each other. Since then, tourism in the North in general and Bac Ninh in particular has had another unique cultural destination, a place to preserve the precious spiritual values of the nation.
2.3. The meaning of Lim festival in Bac Ninh
Lim Festival is not only an occasion for local people to remember and express gratitude to their ancestors, but also a "string" connecting the past with the present, preserving and promoting traditional cultural values. In the sacred space of the festival, Quan Ho melodies are sung as a reminder of the origin, of the noble human values that our ancestors have worked hard to cultivate.
2.4. Who is worshiped at Lim Festival?
The center of the festival is the temple of Hieu Trung Marquis Nguyen Dinh Dien - an honest mandarin of the Le Dynasty, who is considered the "father" of Bac Ninh Quan Ho melodies. In addition, the festival also worships the ancestors who have contributed to the development and preservation of Quan Ho art, those who have contributed to the unique cultural identity of Kinh Bac land.
3. Ceremony: special rituals in Lim festival
The tradition of giving letters - an activity that attracts many tourists during the Lim festival (Photo source: Collected)
3.1. Incense offering ceremony
As dawn broke on January 13, in the solemn atmosphere of the early morning, a procession of offerings, including local officials and local people, headed to Hieu Trung Hau Temple. Incense smoke billowed, the temple bells rang, and the melodious Quan Ho singing created a particularly sacred atmosphere. The carefully prepared offerings included incense, flowers, betel, candies, and traditional dishes.
3.2. Magnificent procession
The Lim Festival procession is a unique scene with the participation of hundreds of people. The portraits of Hieu Trung Hau and his ancestors are carried solemnly on palanquins, followed by a group of people in colorful traditional costumes. In particular, the Lien Anh and Lien Chi in beautiful Ao Tu Than and Quai Mo Khan costumes sing Quan Ho songs throughout the procession, creating a cultural space rich in national identity.
3.3. Sacrificial ceremony
The ceremony took place according to traditional rituals, with the participation of village elders and local government representatives. A solemn and respectful atmosphere filled the space as the rituals were performed carefully and meticulously according to ancient customs.
4. Festival part: What attracts tourists to Lim festival?
Contestants of Miss Kinh Bac "Spring trip to Quan Ho land" (Photo source: Collected)
4.1. Interesting folk games
Traveling to Bac Ninh during Lim festival, visitors will be immersed in the bustling atmosphere of colorful folk games:
- Swinging: The swings soar high in the spring sky, where girls in traditional Vietnamese costumes gracefully swing to the rhythm of the swing, creating picturesque moments.
- Tug of war: Cheers resounded as the two teams competed fiercely, demonstrating their strength, unity, and team spirit.
- Wrestling: On carefully prepared dirt fields, wrestlers in traditional brown loincloths compete fiercely, attracting hundreds of enthusiastic cheering spectators.
- Human Chess: A unique game where real people play the role of chess pieces, moving according to the player's instructions on a giant chessboard.
4.2. Hat Hoi - the most anticipated activity of Lim festival
The climax of Lim festival is the Quan Ho singing exchanges taking place in a special space:
- Singing on the boat: Under the bright moonlight, the boats gently drift on the water, carrying the sweet Quan Ho singing of the Lien Anh and Lien Chi singers.
- Singing on the hill: The melodious antiphonal songs echo from the lush green tea hills, creating a unique musical space in the middle of nature.
- Singing in brothels: The cozy space of traditional brothels, where Quan Ho artists perform the most unique melodies of this traditional music genre.
Lim Festival in Bac Ninh is not only a traditional festival, but also a place where the cultural quintessence of Kinh Bac land converges. Every year, the festival still retains its unique cultural values, and is an unmissable destination in the early spring travel itinerary of every Vietnamese person in the North.
Source: https://www.vietravel.com/vn/am-thuc-kham-pha/kham-pha-hoi-lim-v15977.aspx
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