Two centuries ago, Dong Da was a battlefield where
Quang Trung (Nguyen Hue), a Tay Son farmer who later became a National Hero
defeated more than 200,000 soldiers of the Qing invading army. Dong Da Hill
became a glorious historical site of the Vietnamese nation.
In the early morning of the 5th day, a procession
for the historical event's celebration commences at Khuong Thuong and ends at
Dong Da Hill. The procession includes flags, a processional parasol, palanquins
with a variety of colors, and the sounds of gongs and drums.
In the festival, there are a lot of games
representing martial spirit. Among them, the procession of Thang Long dragon is
most original
.
Khuong Thuong village communal house's gate is
opened at the first gleam of daylight with pervasive fragrance of joss - stick.
In front of the house, a big flag is hung to welcome the festival.
More than 200 years ago, (1789) this was a bloody
battlefield. In the small hours of the 5th of Ky Dau Lunar New Year (on the
29til and 30'1' of the 2nd month 1789), the camp of invaders in Khuong Thuong
was destroyed, the invader. Ethnarch Dien Chau Sam Nghi Dong had to commit suicide
here. Since then, Dong Da hillock became a famous relic of our people. It is
also an evidence of shameful failure of the Northern enemies.
In the morning of the festival, all dignitaries and
elders in the village gather fully to prepare for the great ceremony. Nearly 12
o'clock at the noon, from Khuong Thuong communal house to Dong Da hillock,
everybody implement the procession of greeting the victory. The procession is
long, beautiful. It moves slowly and orderly for people to revere detailed the
magnificent statue of the festival.
But the most attractive and youngest is the last
group with "Fire Dragon". Young men in two villages Dong Quang and
Khuong Thuong emulate to plait straw into shapes of big dragons ornamented by
spathe and papier mache. A band of young people in uniform go around the
procession of Fire Dragon and perform stick and fist with the aim at
reappearing images of former battle and glorifying righteous Tay Son’s buoyancy.
This is an original amusement of Dong Da hillock festival.
Since the capital was liberated (October, 10th,
1954), Dong Da hillock festival has been regarded as a traditional one - a
national festival. Thus, every year, leaders of Party and State come to attend
and preside at all rites of the festival. The national flag and flags of the
festival fluttered as greeting pilgrims. Standing opposite to the hillock is
Dong Quang pagoda where smoke of joss - stick also spreads out and visitors go
in and out plentifully. Here, priests make rice gruel for invaders spiritualists
as a righteous action of our traditional virtue. People also offer flowers to
celebrate in front of the King Quang Trung's statue.
After solemn rites are games and traditional art
activities such as unicorn dancing, dragon dancing, wrestling, human chess, and
cock fighting. The home of the King Quang Trung - Nguyen Hue is Binh Khe
district, Binh Dinh province. Here, people also built a temple for three brothers
of Tay Son family, namely, Nguyen Nhac, Nguyen Hue and Nguyen Lu. Every year,
also on the 5th of Lunar New Year, everybody from everywhere come to offer
flowers and joss-sticks to represent their gratitude to heroes and righteous
men and review glorious and proud history of our country. They also hold
competitions of military or beating drums very distinctively. Especially,
participants are not only men but also women, so it attracts more and more
visitors.
Nowadays, visiting Dong Da hillock festival has
become an indispensable need to Hanoians in early spring of every year.