FESTIVAL OF DRINKING WATER, REMEMBERING THE SOURCE – ANH SON

The dogma of drinking water, remembering the source, is a value in the behavioral culture of Vietnamese people. The festival contains both a hidden and profound meaning, covering the worship of natural gods, human gods, ancestors, heroes who have merits to the people, with the country, bless everyone in the community to be happy and prosperous. Each person participating in the festival not only feels close and attached to each other to show their attitude of devotion, gratitude to the country's origins in a sacred space, but also enjoys the folk art and culture.

Among the types of traditional festivals, agricultural festivals are organized to revive the appearance of the countryside through historical periods. With rituals, The festival reflects the dream of a prosperous life, people are healthy, not sick, always have many good luck.

The dogma of drinking water and remembering the source is clearly revealed in traditional historical festivals. Organizing festivals to honor and remember the merits of historical characters: King Hung, Le Loi, heroes who had merits to the people and the country.

For the people, the organization of festivals with many scales with the purpose of worship, gratitude to the heroes, those who have contributed to the people and the country, it is about going back to the origin, attaching history, not forgetting history. The festival is a time for the whole people to express their gratitude to the natural and human gods and raise the traditional torch "Drinking water, remembering the source" for the younger generation to follow.

The tradition of "drinking water, remembering the source" is the eternal dogma of ancestor. From 1997 to present, on the occasion of the anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs Day on July 27^th, Anh Son people hold a festival of drinking water, remembering the source to remember the heroes and martyrs who did not regret their blood and bones for the independence and freedom of the nation and international obligations, special friendship between Vietnam and Laos. Going from the flow of dogma back to the origin of "drinking water, remembering the source" of Anh Son district, from the noble political meaning of gratitude, remembering the heroes and martyrs who sacrificed for the country, imbued with culture when standing in front of the graves of those with names and those with unknown names in the Vietnamese - Laos martyrs cemetery, from the depths of dogma and truth, creating a force to organize the festival of drinking water, remembering the source.

For that reason, in the past 9 years, the festival of drinking water, remembering the source in Anh Son district has quickly become a provincial festival. In order to maintain endurance, to return the festival activity to its essence of socializing power, recently the organizers have concentrated on-site local forces of 21 communes - towns, departments, branches, unions to factories, divisions stationed in the local area become the core force, while the forces of districts in the region gave the strength and support for the festival. Festival organization board both at the provincial and district levels have also gradually reduced in meetings, reduced "administrative state management" and increased voluntariness towards socialization - true to the nature of traditional festivals.

From the beauty of the dogma of drinking water, remembering the source of the traditional festival, the festival of drinking water, remembering the source at the Vietnamese - Laos martyr cemetery has increased creativity, increased the ritual of the part of ceremony - the part of contest. Four ceremonies are defined in the ritual: the opening ceremony, Yet Cao ceremony, the memorial incense offering ceremony and the thanksgiving ceremony.

It can be said that the ceremony part is a new festival, a modern festival - the festival of drinking water, remembering the source, had a dignified and reasonable ritual getting into people's hearts, touched the deep spirituality, rich in meaning and beauty of life.

           On the other hand, the forces participating in the festival of drinking water, remembering the source that they have searched and created to revitalize for the part of contest in the festival. Exploiting the cultural values of the region to organize cultural, artistic and sports activities among communes in the district and between districts in the region. Organize cultural exchanges to learn on July 27^th - War Invalids and Martyrs Day, organize physical training and sports activities. The contest part is the part that is both easy and difficult, easy to organize, with a large number of participants, but difficult in quality and attractiveness.

            The festival of drinking water, remembering the source in Anh Son is held once a year on the occasion of War Invalids and Martyrs Day on July 27^th. The festival is held for 3 days from July 25^th to 27^th every year at the memorial house -  Monument in the area of Vietnam - Laos martyrs cemetery, Anh Son town, Nghe An province.