Every year on the 4th day of the 4th lunar month, the villages of Phu Quy Island hold the traditional Giao Phiên ceremony and royal decree procession. This centuries-old ritual gathers 9 villages across 10 hamlets, honoring Princess Bàn Tranh and Thầy Nại—the revered figures credited with founding the early settlements and safeguarding the island’s borders.
The ceremony lasts three days (May 18–20) with a sequence of sacred rites, including:
- Welcoming the Lady (nghinh Bà) back to the Thầy Shrine
- Inviting the deities (nghinh thần)
- The ritual of receiving the imperial decrees (nghệ sắc)
- Transferring the royal decrees and temple assets (giao sắc, giao Bổn Điền) to Triều Dương Village for its annual stewardship
- Opening the hát bội (classical opera) performances
- The tôn vương ritual honoring the deities
According to tradition, each village safeguards the imperial decrees (sắc phong) for one year, worshipping and preserving them before ceremonially handing them over to the next village in rotation. This cycle continues from village to village, year after year, without interruption.
More than a local spiritual practice, the Giao Phiên procession attracts hundreds of visitors who come to offer incense and pay tribute to the island’s ancestors. The ritual strengthens communal bonds, nurtures gratitude for those who built and protected the land, and expresses the islanders’ wishes for peace, prosperity, and unity as they continue to develop and safeguard their homeland.
