The Giong Festival of Phu Dong and Soc temples which has officially been recognized as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity by the UNESCO since November 2010, is held annually from the seventh to the ninth days of the fourth lunar month in order to commemorate the mythical hero Saint Giong at Phu Dong temple in Gia Lam District (his birth place) and from the sixth to the eighth days of the first lunar month at Soc Temple in Soc Son District (his ascending place to heaven).


Phu Dong Temple



This year, the Giong Festival at Phu Dong Temple was held solemnly with a large-scale from 9 to 11 May 2011 in Phu Dong Commune, Gia Lam District, Hanoi with many traditional rituals and special symbolic performances. Besides the water procession and the ritual dedicated to the Saint at the temple, the flag processions and re-enactments of the SaintÃÔ feats against foreign invaders were the highlight of the festival.