“The Fragrance and Beauty of Herbs on Double-Fifth Festival”
The traditional Double-Fifth Festival, or Đoan Ngọ in Vietnamese, is observed in Vietnam and several other East Asian countries. As it occurs near summer solstice, Đoan Ngọ marks the inception of the hottest spell of the whole year, often coupled with many epidemics and plagues. Therefore, in olden days Vietnamese people used a number of ways to stay healthy. Commoners and noblemen alike knew how to use herbs in nature as secret recipe for disease prevention and cure. It was common belief in the past that herbs picked at noon on the day of Double-Fifth Festival when their fragrance and beauty are at their best, would increase the healing properties. All parts of the herb from leaves, stems, leaves, flowers and fruits are used in a variety of ways, such as the use of tea for detoxification, heat elimination, daily disease prevention and treatment of common diseases while preventing epidemics in the community.
As early as in the 13th century, the Royal Medical Service had used herbal medicines for disease treatment of the kings, the mandarins and the army. Under the Lê, all the provinces established clinics to provide diagnosis, medicines and health check service. In 1467 an epidemic occurred in Vietnam. King Lê Thánh Tông issued a directive allowing the “provincial mandarins, in case of epidemics, to use the tax money to procure medicines and distribute them to the people”. The foregoing policy was a clear indication of the attention accorded by the royal court to the well-being of the people and was lauded for its profound humanitarian nature. Today, that humanitarian tradition continues to be demonstrated in a worthy manner through the Prime Minister’s directives that aimed to contain Covid-19, stating that “Combating pandemics is like combating bandits”. The government consider saving people’s lives their top priority, evidenced in such mottos as “Human life first” and “No one should be left behind”.
Thang Long – Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center organizes a program with the theme “The Fragrance and Beauty of Herbs on Double-Fifth Festival” at Thang Long Imperial Citadel heritage site, with many activities to display, perform, and recreate unique rituals practiced by both ordinary people and the royal court. Particularly, the re-enactment of the Royal Tea Ceremony Space, with the participation of tea master Hoàng Anh Sướng, aims to bring visitors interesting experiences about the beauty of the Vietnamese tea culture.
Since ancient times, enjoying tea has been an elegant hobby among gentlemen. In the past, the Trần kings also built tea-enjoying halls or “tea palaces”. The Nguyễn kings used tea as gift for his servants on the day of the royal court to celebrate the Double-Fifth Festival. Tea is not only a healthy popular drink among commoners; the service of tea was also lifted to an art of enjoyment which was elaborate, delicate, and imbued with national identity.
Coming to the exhibition space, visitors can also learn about the unique customs of the Double-Fifth Festival such as the custom of “killing pests and insects”, picking herbs for tea and medicine, and choosing herbal products to your likings such as tea, essential oils, sanitizing water which are all safe and environment-friendly.
From the ancient customs and folk knowledge in the prevention and treatment of diseases of our forefathers displayed in the exhibition, visitors can be given useful messages and knowledge to pass on and apply in health protection and disease prevention today.
On weekends, the program also has many attractive activities for visitors such as exchanging and experiencing the art of enjoying tea performed by Tea Master Hoàng Anh Sướng, Nguyễn Thiện Hùng, and Nguyễn Cao Sơn. They can also enjoy the profound ca trù or songstress singing performed by Meritorious Artist Bạch Vân; poetry recitation program by artists of Chinese-Vietnamese-French-English Poetry Club, the calligraphy art of the members of the Thư Viên Club and the royal costume performances of the group Ỷ Van Hien.
You can also view the exhibition “The Fragrance and Beauty of Herbs on Double-Fifth Festival” online at the following addresses: hoangthanhthanglong.vn; Trungbayonline.hoangthanhthanglong.vn.
Exhibition time: From 20 June 2020 to 20 July 2020.
