On the morning of February 18, 2024 (ie January 9, Giáp Thìn (Dragon) year),  the opening ceremony of Đài Bi Village Festival 2024 took place at Đài Bi village communal house.

Đài Bi is a village located in "Bát xã hộ nhi"  or also known as "Bát Xã Loa Thành" (eight communes of Loa Citadel), an ancient land that has imprinted many legendary histories and legends about the founding period of King An Dương. Being adjacent to the Cổ Loa area, Đài Bi village as well as other villages in “Loa Thành bát xã” worship the village’s tutelary god Thục Phán An Dương Vương. Based on the book of legends and relics remaining, Đài Bi communal house worships King An Dương and Princess Mỵ Châu as the "Thành hoàng làng" (village’s tutelary god). During the feudal dynasties, King An Dương and Princess Mỵ Châu were both appointed as Thượng đẳng thần and bestowed with  many words of praise.

Because it is a village in the “Bát xã Loa Thành”, Đài Bi is closely related to the Eight commune's ceremony at Thượng (Upper) Temple - Cổ Loa. The maintenance of the Bát Xã ceremony of Đài Bi has been recorded for a long time, the arrangement of the altar of An Dương and his daughter Mỵ Châu at Đài Bi communal house is quite similar to that of Co in Cổ Loa and other villages in Bát Xã such as Mạch Tràng, Thư Cưu, Cau Ca...

To commemorate the merits of King Thục An Dương to the country and homeland, every year on the 6th of January, the people of Đài Bi participate in the festival with the villages in the "Bát Xã Loa Thành" (Eight communes of ancient Cổ Loa Citadel). According to the process of the "Bát Xã" (Eight communes) festival, Đài Bi village is arranged to carry the 6th palanquin in the procession of 8 communes to Thượng (Upper) Temple. Upon arrival, Đài Bi's palanquin was placed on the western side of the Thượng (Upper) Temple. Đài Bi, Sằn Giã, and Thư Cưu were assigned to perform the tasks of offering wine and incense in the King's worship ceremony. Đài Bi's sacrificial procession contributed to the Cổ Loa festival being more joyful and warm. The festival shows the solidarity of the village community, attracting a large number of participants.

Other villages in Bát Xã, after  the 6th day of the first lunar month , continued to hold festivals at the village communal house in the scheduled order until  the 16th day of the first lunar month. Đài Bi village held a festival on  the 9th day of the first lunar month to commemorate King Thuc Phan An Dương - who had the merit of establishing the Âu Lạc state from the beginning of the nation's founding and defense. The way Đài Bi festival is organized fully demonstrates the typical characteristics of village culture, with a procession (with Bát Xã Loa Thành), sacrifices, ceremonies, and traditional folk games of the Northern Delta.

Performing the ritual

Female ritual team

Đài Bi village festival shows the inter-village connection associated with the history of the Âu Lạc state during the King An Dương period. "Bát Xã Hộ Nhi" together organize the festival, showing the strong vitality of the village community, enhancing cultural values, maintaining customs and practices, and through the festival, increasing the solidarity of the whole people.

With great historical significance and value, the work of preserving, maintaining and promoting the Bát Xã Loa Thành festival, including Đài Bi village festival, needs to be further preserved and promoted more widely so that not only the people of Đông Anh district but also the people of the capital know about it, which continues to be an extremely important and necessary task.

MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT OF CỔ LOA VESTIGE SITE