In the past years, implementing the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 308/QD-TTg dated November 25, 2005, on practising the civilized lifestyle in weddings, funerals and festivals, Phu Xuyen district has concentrated on strengthening the propaganda and dissemination of regulations on the civilized lifestyle in the community, therefore, the cultural and spiritual life of the locals has made significant changes.
Phu Xuyen promotes and preserves the traditional festivals
Annually, under the city’s and district’s written guidance on further practising the civilized lifestyle in weddings, funerals and festivals, the district’s Office of Culture and Information in coordination with the departments and committees and disciplines as well as cultural officials of communes and townships urges and monitors the implementation of the decision and align it to the “all people join hands to build a cultural life” movement; and keeps guiding grassroots levels to add regulations on weddings and funerals into village conventions, in accordance with the customs and practices of each locality.
Regarding weddings, the district’s youth union has played a key role in developing the model and organizing weddings in the model of “5 No”. The mass organizations have coordinated to propagate regulations to each village and hamlet, making each cadre, union member, and person understand the contents of the guiding documents of the levels and disciplines; taking the initiative to directly meet families and couples in preparation for weddings to encourage the implementation of civilized and saving weddings. 100% of weddings strictly comply with the Law on Marriage and Families with solemnly organized rituals, simple, saving but cheerful and exciting procedures accordance with fine customs and traditions of the localities. At the weddings, there is no cigarette offering and limited drunken state causing disorder.
Particularly, cadres, party members and public servants, when organizing their own or children’s weddings, must report to their unit leaders on time, forms of organization, number of guests, etc. without taking advantage of the weddings to receive gifts or using public funds as gifts. The weddings of cadres and party members have improved over the previous years when guests are invited in a selective manner outside the working hours. The pre and post wedding rituals are organized in a simple manner and the traditional bride and groom customs are preferred. There is no child marriage, high marriage portion demands or ostentatious forms. The district and communal key cadres act as examples of the civilized lifestyle.
With respect to funerals, most of the funerals have complied with the regulations, reducing backward customs and superstition. The percentage of families doing cremation has increased every year. Also, the communes and towns have organized funerals for the death, 100% of which did not last more than 2 days and did not have large guest treats. In 2016, the district called for implementing “civilized and modern lifestyle”. The most innovative point in Phu Xuyen district lies in the festivals. The district has 112 recognized and ranked cultural monumnents, of which, there are 51 traditional festivals (4 temple festivals, 44 communal house festivals and 2 pagoda festivals). All festivals are organized at the communal and hamlet levels in accordance with the regulations of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, ensuring playful, healthy, safe, saving, local historical bearing, non-superstitious and legal consistent requirements. Ensuring social order and safety is respected; the offerings and incense burning at the festivals has been paid more attention by people; and the tourist enticement, money putting and price squeeze at the festival has considerably reduced. Especially, the ceremonies are solemnly held a harmonious combination between traditional and modern rituals. Many festivals have traditional folk games featuring the homeland, contributing to the utilization, preservation and promotion of ethnic cultural identity, meeting the needs of spiritual activities and entertainment of the crowded population and tourists from other parts.
It can be affirmed that building a civilized lifestyle in the weddings, funerals and festivals in Phu Xuyen district in the past years has made many positive changes, significantly contributing to building a civilized lifestyle in the area, raising community awareness.
Traditional festival of Cat Bi village
Thu Cong