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| Ban Sóc was the celebration to officially issue the calendar under the Nguyen Dynasty, held periodically at the end of the lunar year. Source: thuathienhue.gov.vn |
On the first day of 2022, Thua Thien-Hue provincial People’s Committee organized a ceremony to kick off the 2022 Hue Festival.
The kick-off ceremony included a re-enactment of the Ban Soc ceremony and the announcement of the 2022 festival’s framework.
The central destination has hosted the International Hue Festival for 20 years, spotlighting the finest cultural values of the former imperial city. This year, in addition to some exclusive programs honoring the traditional festivals and cultures, and exchanging cultures from around the world, the biennial festival will consist of many street festivals and events held sporadically over the year to continuously promote Hue’s culture to tourists.
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| The event welcomed the presence of the Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, Nguyen Thanh Binh. Source: thuathienhue.gov.vn |
Festival Hue 2022 will be held in different time frames throughout the year instead of a specific time as usual, Vice Chairman of Thua Thien-Hue province Nguyen Thanh Binh said at the ceremony to announce the event.
According to VOV, the Spring festival will take place from January to March and include the re-enactment of New Year rituals and a culinary event.
The Summer festival will be held from April to June with art performances, ao dai shows, and a street carnival.
Meanwhile, the Autumn festival from July to September will feature ancient villages, a boat racing in the Perfume river, a lantern festival, and a unicorn dancing festival, among other activities.
The Winter festival from October to December will include a bolero singing contest, a music festival and a countdown event on New Year’s Eve.
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| On January 1 morning, the Ban Soc ritual is replicated, which essentially means to dole out calendar books to residents at Ngo Mon gate, Hue city. Source; Thanh Nien newspaper |
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| The practice was held periodically at the end of every lunar year under the Nguyen Dynasty. Source: cand.com.vn |
The Ban Soc ritual was replicated, which essentially means to dole out calendar books to residents at Ngo Mon gate, Hue city.
Ban Soc was the celebration to officially issue the calendar under the Nguyen Dynasty, held periodically at the end of the lunar year. Because the ancient Vietnamese people heavily relied on agricultural economy, the calendar was of immense significance as it helped the farmers keep track of time for farming activities and beware of weather changes to adapt to disasters and extreme weather conditions.
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| In the past, the agricultural economy was key to Vietnamese people, thus the calendar book played a pivotal role in helping people track the time, acknowledge of weather changing patterns to promptly respond and avoid the different natural disasters. Source: cand.com.vn |
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| The calendar, after being reviewed by the emperor, was conferred to officials in charge of Thai Hoa Palace by high ranking officials. Source: Thanh Nien newspaper |
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| The calendar was then sent to provinces and other localities. Source: cand.com.vn |
The Ban Soc ceremony was formally held as Emperor Minh Mang started to reign. Every year, after Kham Thien Giam (Directorate of Imperial Observatory) finished composing the calendar, the court held the Ban Soc ceremony under the direction of two officials from Bo Le (The Board of Rites) and Kham Thien Giam. The calendar first made its way to the palace for royal use, then to the mandarins in the Imperial City and other localities, and finally to the masses.
The Ban Soc ceremony has been re-enacted on stage with dramatic old etiquette and rituals since 2021. The ceremony was to honor our ancestors’ cultural heritage and to serve as a chance for visitors and local people to experience Hue’s heritage values on the first day of a new year.
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| Hue Festival will bring visitors new tourism experience. Source: Thanh Nien newspaper |
Hue, the imperial capital in Vietnam for over 100 years, has been a unique destination in central Vietnam with its five UNESCO heritage offerings: the ancient citadel relic complex, Hue royal court music, Nguyen Dynasty’s wooden blocks, Nguyen Dynasty’s royal administrative documents, and literature on Hue royal architecture.
The province has won three ASEAN tourism awards, which will be presented at the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2022 in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, VNA reported Saturday.
Hue, which offers its unique tourism service: One Destination-Five UNESCO recognized world heritages, bagged the ASEAN MICE destination, while Silk Path Hotel and Vedana Lagoon Resort & Spa took the ‘green hotel and resort’ prize.
Tour services in the former imperial capital, royal palace and tombs as well as the ancient architecture of Hue monuments complex won the ASEAN sustainable tourism product.
Hue hosted the first 151 tourists visiting the province in the New Year on a flight on Vietnam Airlines on Jan. 1.
In the past years, Hue was presented with ASEAN Clean Tourist Awards with Hoi An city in Quang Nam province, and Da Lat city in Lam Dong province, with the titles valid for 2018-2020.
A Replica of Hue in South Vietnam
Nguyen Thanh Tung lived in Hue for only five years, but its beauty has been deeply carved in his mind. He nurtured for a long time an idea to make a replica of his native city, which had been, for nearly four centuries, the country’s capital imbued with full national cultural and historical identities. Hue was recognized by UNESCO as a World’s Cultural Heritage in 1993.
Hoi An’s history told through printing woodblocks, imperial rescripts
NDO – The historic milestones of the UNESCO-listed ancient town of Hoi An, and Quang Nam province in general, are being told through an exhibition featuring relevant printing woodblocks and imperial decrees.
Agreement signed to preserve and promote Hai Van Gate national site
NDO – A cooperative agreement was signed between the authorities of central Thua Thien-Hue province and Da Nang city on February 20 to preserve and promote the historical and architectural values of Hai Van Quan (Hai Van Gate) national relic site.
Hue kicks off golden tourism week at Hue Heritage Site
NDO – Hue Monuments Conservation Centre, on April 22, kicked off a promotion programme, "Golden Tourism Week at Hue Heritage Site", phase 1 (April 22-28) at various relics under the Hue Heritage Site system.
Spratly and Paracel Islands on the Hue Nine Dynastic Urns
Hue’s nine dynastic urns are not only national treasures indicating the authority and power of the Nguyen Dynasty, the final feudal dynasty of Vietnam, but also evaluated as a geographical book, a unique encyclopedia of Vietnam in the early 19th century. In particular, on the nine dynastic urns, many names of mountains, rivers and marine islands of Vietnam are shown quite clearly and convincingly. This shows that our ancestors had deep awareness of national sovereignty, including marine islands.
