Burning ceremony of Dinh Lieu tree at Long Khe Festival

Long Khe village, also known as Nhon village, now belongs to An Khe commune, Quynh Phu district, Thai Binh province. In the Ly dynasty, this was considered the “four great scenes” (4 beautiful scenes) of Phu Duc district.

The Long Khe Festival is held at the end of the third lunar month every year to remember the merits of National Master Duong Khong Lo and Thai Lieutenant Ly Thuong Kiet. At present, the festival still retains many unique cultural values ​​such as Bat Dat dance and the custom of burning communal house trees. Every year, on the occasion of the third lunar month, the people of Long Khe are eager to celebrate and recreate attractive and unique cultural activities.

The festival commemorates two real figures in the national history of the 11th century, Thai Lieutenant Ly Thuong Kiet (who is revered as the village’s tutelary scene) and National Master Duong Khong Lo (who had merit in helping the villagers declare wild treatment of water). The main festival is from the 23rd to the 25th day of the third lunar month every year. During the festival, a number of unique local traditional cultural activities are indispensable, such as ancient dances: Bat Dat, word scissors dance, pipe singing, the custom of burning the communal house tree and carrying the torch around the village. Unfortunately, over time, only a few traditions remain, most notably the bowling dance and the burning of the communal house.

The Long Khe festival cannot be without a pavilion tree. Usually the height of the tree is 16m, the bottom is 1.4m. Villagers make crafts. Young men build a family tree, not using machines. Communal house means a large torch light in the yard, assembled by dozens of dry luong trees by villagers. The tree is painted red, and around the tree hangs many festival and magic flags. The communal house tree represents the wish of all things to multiply and the desire for crops of agricultural residents.

The festival ends when burning the communal house on the night of March 24. The villagers of Long Khe each held a torch and gathered around the communal house. An elder trusted by the villagers, performed sacrifices on behalf of the people to remember the merits of the village’s ancestor. And that elder is also the one who took the sacred fire from the harem to burn the truffle tree. Everyone held their breath waiting for the fire to quickly climb to the top. And then, on the top of the pavilion tree, a fire broke out in the crackling sound of bamboo and the cheers of the festival goers. Villagers hand in hand to light torches and carry torches around the village… In front of the holy gate, the communal house is still burning brightly in an area.

People’s hearts are filled with an indescribable joy, each person wishes good luck for himself and for everyone to have a prosperous life. After all, this festival is a bridge festival of the people in the past, the communal house tree burns brightly, carrying the wishes of the people of Long Khe Village.