A ritual of "Len dong" in Dong Cuong Temple.

The event, in response to the “Lao Cai - Northwest National Tourism Year 2017”, will bring together numerous folk artisans of Mother Goddess religion around the country. In addition to the opening ceremony on May 20, a wide variety of unique activities will be held, including a carnival featuring practices related to the worship of Mother Goddess; practices of thirty six gia dong (incarnation); and exhibitions of photos and paintings on the Mother Goddess worshipping rituals around the country, particularly ethnic minorities.
Notably, the carnival, with the coordination among extras, amateur arts troupe, well-known and local artisans, will promote the local unique cultural identities, including the worship of Mother Goddess of Forests.
In addition, visitors to the festival will have a chance to know more about the costumes of characters of Tu phu (Four Realms of Places) as well as clothes used for worshipping practices of the Mother Goddesses, especially for the ritual of len dong (spirit mediumship).
During the festival, the entire set of worshipping photos of Dao ethnic people will be displayed; meanwhile, religious activities of some ethnic minority groups in Yen Bai will also be reproduced.
On the occasion, a fair, introducing products made of cinnamon, a local typical agricultural tree in Van Yen district, will feature the participation of numerous local enterprises and artisans.
According to Tran Thuy Luu from the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the festival will be held at at Dong Cuong Temple, an important historic and cultural relic for Mother Goddess worship.
Dong Cuong Temple is one of the important historical and cultural relic sites among the system of temples and places related to the Mother Goddesses religion. It is well-known as a sacred temple located close to the bank of the Hong (Red) River where the Mother Goddess of Forest was reborn and lived. It also worships several ethnic minority heroes during the Tran Dynasty (1225 - 1400) who scarified their lives in battles against Mongol invasions.
The practitioners of the Mother Goddesses worship believed that the temple is the origin of the worship of Forests’ Mother Goddess. The Mother Goddess of Forest is among the Mother Goddesses of the Three Realms in the Viet beliefs who look after heaven, water and mountains and forests.