(VOVWORLD) - Quang Yen town in Quang Ninh province is home to more than 120 family clans. Every spring these clans hold ancestral commemoration ceremonies to honor their forefathers, particularly Tien Cong, who explored and founded the fertile Ha Nam island, which is now part of Quang Yen.
 Quang Yen family clans present awards to students with outstanding academic achievements. (Photo: Vu Mien/VOV) |
In early spring the ancestral halls in Quang Yen are adorned with five-colored flags, parallel sentences, and decorative plaques to prepare for the ancestral commemoration ceremony. Descendants, regardless of where they work or reside, return to their hometown to pay tribute to their ancestors.
"I was born in Ha Nam but moved to Ha Long city to work and live. Every new lunar year, I return to my hometown to for the ancestral commemoration ceremony."
"I married far from home and I really want my children to grow up understanding the culture of their homeland and their family traditions."
“At the beginning of the new lunar year, all family clans in Ha Nam gather for the ceremony to remember our roots. On this occasion, families with elders over 80 prepare offerings for their ancestors, including a pig’s head, banh giay (sticky rice cakes), and fruits. It’s both an honor and a responsibility for each family to contribute to the prosperity of their clan."
Among the prominent clans on Ha Nam island, the Vu family has an ancestral hall dedicated to their forefather Vu Hong Tiem. The site was recognized as a national heritage in 2001.
"We encourage our descendants to follow tradition and take part in ancestral worshipping rituals. The graves of our ancestors have been well preserved,” Vu Trong Luu, Chairman of the Vu Hong family council, said.
 A procession dedicated to Tien Cong, the founders Quang Yen village (Photo: Vu Mien/ VOV) |
An essential part of the ancestral commemoration ceremonies is the Tien Cong Festival, which pays tribute to the founders the village and honors the elderly members of the community.
The highlight of the festival is a procession, where elders who have reached the age of 80 or more are carried in dragon palanquins and silk hammocks, parading through the village to the sound of drums and to the joy of their descendants.
The ancestral commemoration ceremony upholds the traditions of respect for elders, filial piety, and unity within the family.
"During the commemoration, we report to the ancestors what we have achieved and what we should improve. This is also an opportunity for us to lean from other clans about how to uphold customs and regulations," Ngo Minh Tam, former Chairman of the Ngo family council, said.
The scale of these ancestral ceremonies varies from one clan to another, but they all share a deep-rooted cultural significance and a profound respect for the ancestors.
"The head of each family clan is in charge of communicating the State’s policies and laws. This strengthens social unity, encourages compliance with State policies, and helps to resolve conflicts within clans, contributing to community harmony," said Nguyen The Nham, Chairman of Phong Coc ward’s People’s Committee.