Published:  13:35 Friday - February 17, 2012

The story is that, past a woman named to the Men drowned at sea. Identify she goes on here. Fishermen rescued new sympathy and funeral brought up a small temple to worship.

As the rate for decades, arriving on 18 and 19 January each year, the fishermen of the fishing villages on Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba gather at Ba Men Temple to focus on organizing the festival.

Like all traditional festivals of the Vietnamese, Ba Men Temple Festival has enough of the holidays and the Assembly but not less bold unique religious and cultural characteristics of fishermen fishing villages on Ha Long Bay.

Ba Men is a small temple located on a relatively wide sandy beaches along the islands, Ba Ham Lake 500m as the crow flies and more than 30km inland. This is also where adjoining heritage Halong Bay district to the other party is Cat Ba (Hai Phong).

The story is that, past a woman named to the Men drowned at sea. Identify she goes on here. Fishermen rescued new sympathy and funeral brought up a small temple to worship. Since then, anyone who has the need to invoke are all inspired, all work smoothly. Passing ships are here to visit the temple to burn incense, they called it her. Travelers from the merit of the cross, today has been embellished temple, the court system, bulkheads solid enough to withstand stormy seas these days.

Unlike other festivals on the coast, Ms. Temple Festival Men’s virtually no meaningful organized – ie representatives from unions, governments, authorities – organizers here … one person only, He was the incense of the temple. It has been nearly 20 years, said Nguyen Van Mien, 61, fisherman fishing village Cao Minh, Cat Ba (Hai Phong) who voluntarily “carry a total prison and a” whole heart, not a little profit. So people are very precious fishing villages, subject to any of his executive.

From early morning on 18 January, boats of the fishermen in Ha Long and Cat Ba anchoring order right in front of the temple. The family meeting Buddhists, tourists offering floral offerings to the temple. Instead of the effigies of elephants, horses, vehicles such as people on shore, people give gifts to the temple is the effigy vessel, boat, with a desire to see all the sea in harmonious, peaceful. The Mass took place from 18 am until noon the next day.

Near noon on January 19, large and small boats gathered in front of the temple gate. People are eagerly waiting for hours combing swimming competition between the fishing village. As a rule every year, the contest consists of four teams are combing Cong Dam – Vung Vieng, Cua Van, Ha Nam (Ba Ham Lake) and Cao Minh (Cat Ba). Each bottle contains 14 hand paddle and the driver first. Speedway is about 500m from the door of the temple. The brush will race 2 laps, brush the finish line first will win any.

Nguyen Van Vuong, son of Mr. Nguyen Van So – who has “the newspaper” pretty much in the retention of traditional cultural values ​​Cua Van fishing village, said: In the past difficulties, we are all in the boat race nan. Hospitality funny animal. Now with new regulations to brush properly festive look. Unfortunately this year we Cua Van Dam and Culvert not have enough troops to quit racing – I regret Cua Van fishermen.

Although only two brushes but the race participants so that no less drastic. Because fishermen fishing villages eat two meals a day at around 9 hours and 16 hours of the race should be held in 13 hours. The two sides the track, fans of both teams stood on the ship, crew waving flags, beating drums echo the cheers. Said that in fact the plastic drums, even the pot also be mobilized. The concept of fishermen fishing villages, village win the race that year combing the sea of ​​people in the village of luck. So everyone is trying to bring victory to the village.

After the Cambodian flagged his command, two brushed away tear up toward the front. The young fisherman strong hand paddle, end rhythm in the horn of the driver. Despite trying very hard but in the end, the race of the village had suffered defeat Cao Minh fishermen Henan powerful, more cunning. Fans jumped into the sea, embracing both the winner and forget the wet air is cold.

The award ceremony took place at the home yard. Not fancy, his Cambodian barefoot, trousers rolled … rustic pig nails remarks and some 4 million awarded to the winner, 3 million for the losing team. The “rowing the” two teams shook hands and happy year appointment to the season to compete Assembly.

Immediately after the festival finishes, the fishing village of Ha Nam gathered to celebrate the victory on two large ships parked in parallel. Some officials of Ha Long Bay Management Board and I are treated as “guests” are invited, to celebrate it. Mr. Nguyen Van Pen said, tomorrow, after the holidays with us, the whole village would eat rice “solidarity” at the temple grounds. Every year, too, aim to increase solidarity and attachment, mutual assistance between family …

Interestingly, Quang Ninh has so many festivals, but perhaps only Ba Men temple festivals are included the most unique, most interesting is the close combination of the two organizations of fishermen in Quang Ninh province – Hai Phong though Temple is located within the boundaries of Ha Long City, more is the chief organizer … Cat Ba. This year, the police provincial waterway police, Hung Thang ward and Ha Long, Ha Long Bay Management Board has been actively support and supervision from the beginning to ensure safe festival and order. Unfortunately there is reasonable festival not only tourists visit Ha Long Bay known. Ba Men festival has promoted Halong cruises and Vietnam's tourism!