The Value of the Ky Yen Ritual in the Life of the Hoa Community in Bac Ninh Province

Abstract

Ky Yen ritual of the Hoa (Chinese) community in Thac Do village, Tan Quang commune, Luc Ngan district, Bac Giang province (now Luc Ngan commune, Bac Ninh province) is an important cultural and religious activity, closely associated with spiritual life and community cohesion. Based on field survey data, this article analyzes the outstanding values of the ritual, especially the role of this festival in preserving identity, connecting the community and transmitting cultural knowledge. Thereby, it can be seen that the current Ky Yen ceremony still maintains the core elements of ritual, space and meaning, although there have been significant changes in participants, organization process and some ritual details, reflecting the flexible adaptation of the Hoa community to social changes. However, there are also a number of issues that need to continue to preserve and promote the value of the ritual in the current context of integration.