The ritual offerings made to the deities hold immense spiritual significance for the people of Yen Lac. These are the finest products of agricultural production, carefully selected with reverence. Besides incense, flowers, fruits, candles, tobacco, alcohol and joss paper, a special ritual offering made to the deities on the opening day of the festival (the 2nd of June) is a roasted pig. The savory offerings for the deity worship ceremony (on the 3rd of June) include a plate of sticky rice, a fried carp, a pig’s head, and a castrated rooster.
In the past, the main festival days’ offerings typically included joss paper, betel and alcohol, fruits, square and round sticky rice cake, a plate of sticky rice, a black pig’s head, truncated cone of sticky rice, black pork, goat meat, chicken with sticky rice, and vegetarian dishes. These offerings were considered luxurious and refined, presented to worship the saints and deities, aligning with the Eastern philosophy of Yin and Yang balance. The five fruits represent the five elements: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth; the square and round rice cakes symbolize heaven (Yang) and earth (Yin); white sticky rice (Yang) – black pork (Yin)… According to principle, the harmonious combination of Yin and Yang elements is key to vitality and prosperity.
The executive force includes the Organizing Committee, the Festival Steering Committee, and the Management Board of the Relics. The Organizing Committee is responsible for detailed planning and assigning tasks to relevant individuals and groups. The practice of rituals is mainly carried out by respected elders of the village, elected by the people, and the incense keeper of Lanh Giang Temple.
The procession includes a wide participation of local residents and visitors from different regions. The formation of the procession is managed by Yen Lạc residents and includes: Dragon and unicorn dance teams, festival flags, thunder drums, palanquins, ritual offerings team, accompanying palanquins, a Mother Goddess palanquin, dragon pavilion palanquins, eight offerings palanquin, eight treasures team, and male ritual team. Residents from Hoan Duong, Do Quan, and Yen Ninh also participate in the offerings team. Devotees from Lanh Giang Temple join various teams, such as the female ritual team and the bronze drum team.
The participants of Lanh Giang Temple festival are diverse, especially since its restoration in 2009 when the festival began to be organized at a larger (regional) scale and attracted widespread attention from people across the country, leading to an increased number of participants, including:
Local people: During the festival days, people of Yen Lac of all ages actively participate in the festival activities with enthusiasm and voluntarism.
Visitors: Lanh Giang Temple is a sacred site that has long attracted many visitors across the country. Since its restoration in 2009 at a larger scale, the festival has attracted even greater attention from visitors. They come to perform rituals and actively participate in the procession, in large and diverse numbers.
The main festival of Lanh Giang Temple is held from the annual 1st to the 4th day of the Sixth lunisolar month . The main festival lasts for four days on the official schedule and it is not until the 25th of June when the closing ceremony takes place.
The hagiography book preserved at the temple goes that the 25th of August in the Year of the Fire Tiger is the ascension day of Pham Vinh (the deity worshiped at Lanh Giang Temple). The Hagiography written on the ancient royal decree also clearly states: “Date of birth: the 10th day of the first month of the lunar calendar, offerings: vegetarian food for the upper rituals, pork for the lower rituals. Day of ascension: the 25th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, offerings include buffalo and cow meat, sticky rice, and wine.”
Present-day Yen Lac is one of the five villages of Moc Nam Commune, Duy Tien Town, Ha Nam Province. Old villagers say most local people are immigrants. In the past, Yen Lac was dwelled by a small number of households. Thanks to its abundant land and riverside location which is favorable for fishery, many people have settled and mainly lived by the river and fished for living. This is why the village was named An Lac or Yen Lac (meaning Peace and Joy) as people came here for a stable life and a joyful work. They strive for an affluent and peaceful life in this new land.
Following the August Revolution, five communes of Moc Hoan, including Nha Xa, Yen Ninh, Yen Lac, Do Quan, and Lanh Tri, merged into Moc Nam. The small communes were transformed into village/hamlet-level administrative units.
At the beginning of 19th century, Moc Nam Commune was part of Moc Hoan Canton (tổng Mộc Hoàn), Phu Xuyen District, Thuong Tin Prefecture, Hanoi Province. On October 20, 1890, the French colonialists merged parts of Hanoi and Nam Dinh to establish Ha Nam Province. Moc Hoan and Chuyen Nghiep cantons of Phu Xuyen District, Thuong Tin Prefecture, and Trac But Canton of Nam Xang District, Ly Nhan Prefecture were merged into Duy Tien District. Between October 1890 and the prelude of the August Revolution of 1945, Moc Nam had been part of Moc Hoan Prefecture, Duy Tien District. Moc Hoan consisted of 10 communes, namely Nha Xa, Yen Lac, Lanh Tri, Do Quan, Yen Ninh, Yen Hoa, Hoan Duong, Di Pho, Yen Tu, and Kha Duy. Since the foundation of Ha Nam Province in 1890, it had been recognized as part of Moc Hoan, Duy Tien, Ha Nam
Lanh Giang was constructed a long time ago. It was repaired and renovated many times in different feudal dynasties. The last renovation was completed in the 18th year of Bao Dai (1943). The east-facing temple consists of three buildings (Front Hall, Central Hall, and Rear Hall) and a total of fourteen compartments, laid out in the shape of the character “工”. On the sides of the temple lie the Shrine of the Mistress and the Shrine of the Master and the two rows of reception halls, laid out in the shape of the character 工 in the center and to the shape of the character 国 (which means “country”) on the outside.
As a regional religious center, Lanh Giang Temple is a large-scale architectural work. It is situated on a high, wide, flat, and open piece of land which is described as “Kết duyên cơ – Minh đường tụ thủy, tả Thanh Long – hữu Bạch Hổ”. This means that it looks over a big lake at the front, which reminds one of the royal meeting hall – an indication of concentrated blessings.