Buzz
Every year in the 9th lunar month, people from all around and even those from afar take the time to attend the Dinh Thay Thim festival to express gratitude to the couple and seek peace and warmth for the whole year ahead!
Exploring Binh Thuan - Seeking Peace at the Sacred Dinh Thay Thim
The Legend of Dinh Thay Thim
Dinh Thay Thim is located in Tan Tien commune, La Gi town, and was classified as a national architectural relic in 1997. It has long been regarded as a spiritual destination, a renowned religious site, attracting numerous pilgrims from all over who come to pay homage.
Long ago in Quang Nam province, there was a martial arts master revered for his extraordinary compassion towards others. Born in the early years of the Gia Long era, he was studious and dedicated, delving into history, learning from masters, fostering noble aspirations to help others. However, tragedy struck when his parents suddenly passed away while he was still pursuing his studies, leaving him and his wife to mourn their loss.
During that time, the village of Thay-Thim endured years of drought, crop failures, leaving the villagers hungry and impoverished. Touched by compassion, Thay performed rituals to summon rain, turning the clear skies into thunderstorms, pouring rain like never before. Thus, Thay became renowned as a wizard, using extraordinary magic to aid the village in times of hardship.
The villagers dreamed of a grand temple to worship Thanh Hoang. That fateful night, a fierce storm heralded an auspicious omen. When the calm returned, the people found a new temple standing in the heart of the village. However, their joy was short-lived as neighboring villages accused Thay of using sorcery to usurp the temple with intentions of rebellion.
The king sentenced Thay with the 'Three Imperial Edicts' (execution, poison, or hanging). Choosing hanging, miraculously, as the silk rope touched Thay's hands, it transformed into a dragon, lifting Thay and Thim into the sky.
Thus, the silk brought Thay and Thim to settle in Tam Tan village (now part of Tan Tien commune, La Gi town), residing at Mr. Ho Hai's house, engaging in various trades such as logging, boat building, and herbal medicine. Interestingly, Thay always carried a dried gourd with them.
One day, Thay ventured into the forest without the gourd. Curious, the host took it out, and suddenly, fire erupted, engulfing the entire house. After rebuilding the house for Mr. Ho Hai, Thay and Thim decided to live deep in the Bau Cai forest, crafting boats for fishermen.
Despite the sounds of chopping and carving echoing throughout the forest all day, no one ever saw Thay's assistant. From the depths of the forest, Thay crafted boats that stretched 3km into the sea, with a small stream flowing into the ocean. Locals called it Thay's waterway, created with a stick to guide boats, known as the plank road.
Numerous tales of Thay and Thim's compassion continue to be passed down through generations, punishing rice profiteers who exploit years of crop failure to squeeze the poor, rescuing fishermen in rough seas, and taming wild beasts...
Then one day, upon hearing of Thay and Thim's passing, villagers hurried into the forest to find two graves made of pure white sand, adorned with wild animals near where they rested. Every year on the 5th day of the first lunar month, a pair of white and black tigers come to pay homage to the graves. When these tigers pass away, villagers bury them next to Thay and Thim's graves in honor of their loyalty.
To express their gratitude to Thay and Thim, the local communities collaborated to establish a temple in the Bau Cai forest. The 15th day of the 9th lunar month marks the Tết Thu festival, commemorating the noble deeds of the two. Therefore, during the 18th reign of King Thành Thái, the king revisited their case and bestowed upon Thay and Thim the titles of 'Exemplary Virtuous Scholars, Honorable Divine Beings'.
The Dinh Thay Thim Festival
On January 13th, the Minister of Culture, Sports & Tourism decided to include the Dinh Thay Thim Traditional Festival in the list of intangible cultural heritages of national significance.
The festival's inception is closely linked to the history of Thay and Thim worship in the local community for over 130 years. Annually, the festival is organized with traditional rituals: paying respects to the deities, procession of honor, deity invocation ceremony, ritual offerings, ancestral worship, and military parade... all engraving the virtues of Thay and Thim.
In addition to the ceremony, locals and tourists alike engage in various fun activities: human chess tournaments, floating raft races, fish carrying contests, music and dance performances, and net weaving...
The Dinh Thay Thim Festival is a unique and sacred cultural aspect, playing a significant role in the spiritual life of the people of Binh Thuan. Therefore, Phan Thiet tourism cannot overlook this enticing destination. Contact Mytour for guidance and attractive discounts on tours to Phan Thiet!
By Mytour
***
Reference: Mytour Travel Guide
MytourAugust 19, 2022
