Every year, on September 14th-16th on the lunar calendar, thousands of visitors and locals gather at historical and cultural relic Dinh Thay Thim (Thay Thim Palace) in Binh Thuan province to make a pilgrimage and attend in the festival.
The old people say that a long time ago, there was the Taoist marital pair that was rich in humane heart, had many talents and lofty and beautiful actions. The pair was loved and respected by villagers. Because of being judged unequally by a king, the Taoist and his wife went to Tam Tan village (now is Tan Tien Commune, Lagi Town, Binh Thuan Province). Day after day, they cut wood for living, cured illness for people, saved people meeting an accident, fed and taught wild beasts. The villagers called them Thay and Thim, words having friendly property.
One autumn day, hearing Thay and Thim passed away, villagers went the place in a hurry and saw two white sand tombs made by wild beasts. Every year, on January 5th on the lunar calendar, people saw a pair of black-white tigers return, lie to keep the tombs. When the pair passed away, the villagers buried them behind the tombs of Thay and Thim to memorize the two animals having a grateful heart, being loyal to human.
In order to memorize the merit of Thay and Thim, people together established the temple (usually called Dinh which means palace in English). Their lofty and beautiful actions had been circulated by folk until the eighteenth King Thai dynasty. The king re-examined the sentence and conferred the title on Thay Thim “Chi Duc Tien Sinh, Chi Duc Nuong Nuong Ton Than” (God And Goddess Having Big Merit). The tombs of Thay and Thim is located among Bau Thong, 3km from Dinh.to the west, quiet and deserted scenery.
Every year, Dinh has two big festivals: Tao Mo festival (Tomb cleaning festival) (happening on the fifth of January on the lunar calendar) and Te Thu Festival (Praying festival in autumn) (lasting from the fourteenth to the sixteenth of September on the lunar calendar). Te Thu festival is organized most solemn. At that time, the smoke of incense spreading all the space and the sound of the bell being melodious take tourists to the spirit world. Besides, the festival has art and sports activities such as the opera of Thay and Thiem, martial arts, lion dancing. In addition, visitors can ask for “loc”(lucky gifts) of Thay and Thim, free birds being back to the forest and so on.
Dinh Thay Thim Festival shows the spirit “drinking water, think of its source” of Binh Thuan People. It is one of the most famous traditional folk festivals in Central Vietnam. If you have a chance to travel to Binh Thuan Province on mix-autumn days, do not forget to get this festival.
