The Bat Trang Water Procession
Among the many captivating traditions of the Bat Trang Ceramic Village Festival (Gia Lam, Hanoi), none is quite as striking as the revered water procession ritual. This solemn ceremony, held at Bat Trang Village Communal House, commemorates the contributions of the craft's ancestors, celebrates the proud traditional pottery making passed down through generations, and expresses wishes for national prosperity, peace, and happiness in the homeland.
We have attended the Bat Trang Ceramic Village Festival many times, but 2025 has been a special occasion as we experienced the water procession ritual during a spring rain. Perhaps it was a cosmic encounter, because the rain seemed to bless the festival, fostering warmth and connection between local residents and visitors who came from all corners of the country to celebrate.
The water procession is the most important and unique ritual of the Bat Trang Ceramic Village Festival, and all who attend eagerly wish to experience it. Early in the morning, Bat Trang villagers gather enthusiastically to offer "Tam sinh" (goats, cows and pigs) sacrifices. To the rhythmic sound of drums, palanquin procession groups, including strong young men from the village, carry out the water fetching, water procession, and walking procession programs.
This solemn ritual is performed on boats in the middle of the Red River. Three boats, adorned with flags and flowers, carry villagers dressed in festive attire, along with palanquins, banners, and offerings. They board the boats and perform rituals to worship the river deity. The head of the ceremony offers local produce to the river deity and, on behalf of the people, requests sacred water - a pure stream always drawn from the very center of the Red River. As the boats reach this central point, villagers scoop water through a red cloth and pour it into ceramic jars to be brought back to Bat Trang Village Communal House. These jars of water will be used for offerings and ceremonies throughout the year at the communal house.
The dragon boats, with their colorful flags fluttering in the wind, and the artistically arranged produce and fragrant flowers, beautifully express the sacred reverence and pride of the villagers as they perform the ritual of requesting sacred water from the Red River. The people of Bat Trang on the boats show their devotion to the river deity and silently vow to protect the environment and preserve the clean water source that nurtures the beautiful cultural tradition of the Water Procession, an event that occurs only once a year.
Speaking about the meaning and cultural narrative of this year's water procession ritual at Bat Trang Ceramic Village Festival, Nguyen Duc Khoa, a member of the organizing committee, said, "I have participated in the village's water procession ritual since I was a child. Each time I join the festival, we have indescribable emotions. Bat Trang has a long-standing pottery tradition, and we have experienced many ups and downs in our craft. However, preserving our heritage and maintaining our craft has always been the responsibility of every villager. The water procession ritual is performed very carefully and reverently. It represents the gratitude to our roots and ancestors, with the hope that every year the village's economy will improve, our children will study well, and the village will have many artisans”./.
Story: Tran Van Photos: Viet Cuong/VNP Translated by Hong Hanh