Chundu Soelchod is a native offering practiced by people of Haa and Paro. During the Soelkha, dances and Zhey are performed by the people of Yangthang Gewog with unique dress, lyric and steps. The male artists are locally called pazerpa or pazaap. In the 8th century, Guru Rinpoche visited Bhutan thrice from Tibet and subdued the local deities and transformed them as protecting deity of dharma in every region. Chundue soelkha is mainly celebrated for thanking Ap Chundu (local deity of Haa) for helping people of Haa during the battle time. It was originated during the time of when Zhandrung Ngawang Namgyel had conflict with Tsang Desi of Tibet. During that time group of Tibetan (Boe ma) reached at Haa, Gyensa. It was said that during night, those Boe ma (Tibetan) who reached Gyensa had seen fire and noises in Jangkhakha (Ap Chundu ground). Due to the light and reflection from Jangkhakha those Tibetan couldn’t attract the enemies instead they fell down in the river below Gyensa. That group of Tibetan was defected and the battle was won by the Haaps. Therefore people of Haa started with Ap Chundu soelchod to remember and thank Ap Chundu for his superstitious power and supporting them to win the battle. People also say as Ap Chudu’s birthday. It is celebrated toward the end of the year that is ninth month of the Bhutanese’s calendar. Regarded as manifestation of the warmth Chagna Dorji, Ap Chundu is not just localized to Haa district but he is and important deity of the country itself. In Bon-nag tradition (animal sacrifice is required to appease the deities. People use to sacrifice the yak during the festival until 2013. They did because they were feared so much that Ap Chundu will punish them with diseases and natural calamities if they missed it. How ever since killing is sinful act in Buddhism in the year 2013, Haaps local guardian deity has been appeased by scarifying a yak after consulting with the dzongkhag and gewog staff, and the family who carried out the tradition for years, the authorities decided to seek Ap Chundu’s permission to stop killing yaks to appease him. So they rolled the dice and according to the astrologer, got his affirmation.

Thuen-pa pun-zhi (The Four Noble Friends) is a spiritual tale originating from the Jakarta Tales of Lord Buddha. It is one of the most popular tales, both spoken and depicted in pictures on the walls of dzongs (fortresses), monasteries, temples and individual homes to promote harmony, cohesion, unity and a life of integrity. The fable is narrated as follows: In a dense forest in the country of Kashi once lived a Partridge, a Rabbit, a Monkey and an Elephant, who despite their different sizes and species became incredible friends. The reason is that they have the same feeling of love and kindness for each other. Every day they helped each other find food and wholeheartedly shared everything they found. One day they spoke to each other, "Although we have been friends for so long, we don't know who is the oldest and who is the youngest among us. We should begin to respect our elders and treat our younger friends with kindness, so we must examine ourselves." Amazingly, all the friends agreed to their joint proposal. The next day, everyone gathered near a giant Banyan tree (Ficus benghalensis). For the test, the partridge allowed prompted his friends, "Look at this tree." And asked, "Which of us saw the tree first?" First the elephant answered, "When I was small and lived with my mother's herd, I saw the tree, and it was just as big as I am." The monkey followed his giant friend and said, "I also saw the tree, and it was as big as my body." And the rabbit said, "I saw the tree as a sapling with only two tender leaves, and I licked the dew drops off those freshly grown leaves." After hearing these coincidences, the other friends except the partridge acknowledged the hierarchy of age. But surprisingly, the partridge, though the smallest, said, "I am the one who nibbled the juicy banyan fruit, and it is the tree that grew from the seed I left on the ground." Knowing who was the eldest among them, the elephant paid respect to his three other friends, and similarly the monkey honored the rabbit and the partridge; and the rabbit honored the partridge because he was the oldest and most senior friend. After that, the eldest got the first part of the food they got, and then they maintained the hierarchy. When they went on threatening journeys, the youngest carried the elder, the monkey carried the rabbit, and finally the partridge enjoyed the privilege of reserving the highest seat. On another occasion, the members again discussed why we should not try, besides respecting ourselves, to do at least some virtuous deeds. Partridge voluntarily stood up and suggested, "Until now, we have intentionally or unintentionally fed on the lives of other animals. Being a predator is an unvirtuous act, so let's cultivate being herbivores." Immediately others spoke up, "Although we can avoid taking life, we sometimes feed on what is not really ours. This is an act of possession that is not granted or by permission, so from now on we will not commit ourselves to having anything that is not given or offered." They then agreed not to be possessed of food, sexual misconduct and, untruthfulness, and finally to renounce the consumption of intoxicants, especially alcohol. The four friends committed themselves to the Basic Five Virtuous Law they imposed on each other. One day, the oldest friend, the partridge, asked the rest of his friends, "Let's make other mates besides ourselves abide by our rules, who among us can bring your friends into the Law?" The monkey replied, "I can make all my fellows to abide." Similarly, the rabbit and the elephant also assured their friends to follow the rules. Gradually, all the animals obeyed the fundamental law, which led to the occurrence of favorable weather that not only brought abundant fruits and harvests to the animal world, but also enabled mankind to live in harmony. The king, fascinated by the unusual auspicious signs, called his queens, ministers, young men and merchants to inquire about the cause of this good luck, but unfortunately no one could give an answer. One day the king met a Hermit who lived in the seclusion of the forest and could predict everything, and asked him the same question. The hermit said, "All these auspicious signs are due to the virtuous behavior of the animals that live in your forest." Although the king was surprised by this news and wanted to see the animals, the Hermit urged the king to make his countrymen obey the law of animals; not to kill, not to steal, not to commit misconduct, not to be dishonest, and not to engage in the consumption of intoxicants. As advised, the King got all his citizens to obey the law, which had actually been established by the Four Noble Animal Friends. Finally, the king, the people and the animals experienced an unattainable peace, tranquility and blissful life in the present and enjoyed it even after their deaths as heavenly beings

Starting with ritual observances which involve singing and dancing in the temples of Manipur, Sankirtana encompasses an array of arts performed also in the home and the street to mark occasions of religious import and stages in the life of the Vaishnava people inhabiting the Manipur plains. The theology and lore of Krishna is central to these performances, but they assimilate in their rendering formal features carried over from music and dance in Manipur’s pre-Vaishnavite past. The core of Sankirtana practice is to be found in the temple, where it narrates through song and dance the lives and deeds of the Lord. These are typically presented in the round, in a hall (Mandapa) attached to the temple before devotees. The main repertoire consists of Nata Pala, which is performed all over the Manipur valley. The Ariba Pala and Manohar Sai Pala, less often in evidence today, are also temple-centred. Outside the temple, Sankirtana assumes forms such as the Holi Pala celebrating the festival of colours in springtime or Shayan performed in the winter months. Khubak Eshei is celebrated within the temple during the rains, marking the chariot festival of the Lord. In the setting of the home, Sankirtana is offered as prayer at all life-cycle ceremonies, such as the ear-piercing ritual (for both males and females in childhood), the donning of the sacred thread (for adolescent males), marriage, and the rites of passage at death. Thus pervading the life of the Manipuri Vaishnava, Sankirtana is regarded as the visible manifestation of God.

India 2013

The Saman dance is cultural heritage of the Gayo people traceable to the 13th century, developed later by Syeh Saman incorporating religious messages. Saman is performed by boys and young men, always in odd numbers, sitting on their heels or kneeling in tight rows. The players wear black costumes embroidered with colourful Gayo motifs, symbolizing nature and noble values. The trainer or leader, called penangkat sits in the middle of the line and leads singing of verses containing messages about tradition, development, religion, advice, sarcasm, humor and even romance. Players clap their hands, slap their chests, thighs and the ground, click their fingers, sway and twist their bodies and heads forward and backward, left and right, synchronizing with the rhythm, sometimes slow, sometimes fast and energetic, in unison or with alternate dancers making opposite moves. Saman movements symbolize nature, the environment, and daily lives of Gayo people. Villages invite each other for Saman competitions to build friendly relationships. Saman is performed to celebrate national and religious holidays, and is a game among village children, who learn it informally. The frequency of Saman performances and transmission are decreasing, despite community and government efforts. Therefore safeguarding is urgently needed. A Saman performance consists of 7 parts, called: Rengum, Salam, Dering, Uluni Lagu, Lagu, Anak ni Lagu, and Lagu Penutup (closing song). According to other sources, there are 9 parts: Keketar (introduction), Rengum, Salam, Gerakan Tari, Anak ni Lagu, Saur, Syair, Guncang and Penutup, or only 4 parts.

Indonesia 2011

Trần Thương Temple Festival commemorates the death anniversary of Saint Trần Hưng Đạo, a national hero.This is a cultural event held in the community to verenate and honor sacred and real figures in the national history like Saint Trần Hưng Đạo. He is a national hero who defeated foreign invaders then was considered as a Saint to support communities to have a prosperous and happy life. Trần Thương Temple Festival is famous for its typical ceremonies like water procession, palanquin procession, food delivery. Especially, there are performances of spirit mediumship with some shamanism practices in Trần Thương Temple Festival.

The Chinese zither, called guqin, has existed for over 3,000 years and represents China’s foremost solo musical instrument tradition. The guqin has seven strings and thirteen marked pitch positions. By attaching the strings in ten different ways, players can obtain a range of four octaves. The three basic playing techniques are known as san (open string), an (stopped string) and fan (harmonics). San is played with the right hand and involves plucking open strings individually or in groups to produce strong and clear sounds for important notes. To play fan, the fingers of the left hand touch the string lightly at positions determined by the inlaid markers, and the right hand plucks, producing a light floating overtone. An is also played with both hands: while the right hand plucks, a left-hand finger presses the string firmly and may slide to other notes or create a variety of ornaments and vibratos.

China 2008

Salburyn is a festive event and an important component of Kazakh equestrian hunting with falcons and tazy greyhounds. It is a traditional ritual of transmitting hunting knowledge from skilled hunters to beginners and apprentice participants. Salburyn lasts 5-7 days, it is held in the winter hunting season. It is conducted at a large open space where the participants establish a camp of Kazakh yurts and tents as common areas. During the initial 2-3 days the experienced hunters share their knowledge and hunting methodology with young hunters. The hunting commences in the early morning after the elders give their blessing (bata). First part is compiled of pathfinders (yz kesushi) who read the game traces and establish the hunting ways. Participants split into the groups compiled of both more and less experienced hunters. Golden eagle hunters (berkutchi) detect the target and throw the eagle vectoring their flight trajectory with the hand movement. The tazy greyhounds are used in pairs. Some hunters are employing both eagles and tazy together. The triumphal celebration is organized for the hunters returning back, where elder women shower them with sweets. The hunters then bestow the pray to the elders hunters.

Beyond the daily harmonic life of the Lhop’s society, there lies an undisputed belief and idea on birth and death. Lhops have their own ways of interpreting the physiological and morphological processes of birth, growth, aging and death as it unfolds to them. As the child grows, she or he crosses different stages with status and roles and responsibilities in the community. They get educated in life skills and rituals of life. Their departure or separation is also honored with elaborate rituals. It is considered as a taboo for Lhops to accept a child from a female who has no approved partner in the community or outside mates from the community. Ideally, it is the cross-cousins only who can give birth to a legitimate child in the society, though marriages between different clans are now accepted. However, marrying out of the community continues to be strongly discouraged. From the moment cross-cousins partners are born in the family, their marital and issues are thereon legitimate in the community, and so is their new born child. Lhops has well and predetermined destined relationships when it comes to the copulation between male and female. Lhops believe that the copulation between male and female produces a child in which male contributes bone and female contributes flesh, but it does not mean that any male can impregnate a female, and be the father or husband of someone else. Cross cousins are referred to as Lhir-ra and Lhi-met, laterally meaning male and female seedling (Lhi- seedling, met- female, ra-male). They believe that the human body as a combination of flesh (sa) and bone (ruish).They believe that the male is like that of a seed (lhi) and rain (wai), while the female is like that of land or soil (boh) that holds the seed and rain water together to allow germination and growth, so as in the combination of bone from a male, and flesh from the female, that give rise to an individual. Cross cousins undergo an educational process of identifying their mates and their families. They slowly start to develop a mindset and behavior towards their growing age and body. Once they reach a mature age, they are encouraged to execute the marital rules and take up roles in the community. Male partners take residence in the wife’s households, and it is a matter of pride for the female to conceive and have him in her house.

Suối Mỡ Temple Festival is held on March 30 and April 1 of the lunar calendar every year at Suối Mỡ Temple, to honor the Three Holy Mothers, especially Princess Quế Mỵ Nương, daughter of the 16th Hùng King. He was instrumental in opening the Stream, helping people clear the land, and creating water for people to cultivate. Right from the early morning of the 1st, 25 processions of villages in Nghĩa Phương commune gathered at Đảo Nổi to attend the opening of the festival. After that, the procession from the villages to the temples (Thượng, Trung, Hạ) in the Suối Mỡ relic complex. First, there is a ceremony at Dùm village communal house and the procession of the tutelary god's ordination and tablet to Suối temple. The procession passes through Cây Xanh temple and then to Hạ temple. At the same time, Quỷnh village also took the procession from Quỷnh communal house west of Suối Mỡ, through Hàn Lâm village to Trung temple to hold the ceremony. When the procession arrives at Hạ Temple, the offerings are made. Palanquin processions were previously led by virgins, or young ladies. The male and female Mandarin worship teams, as well as the villagers, lead the procession of palanquins with hammocks, floats, parasols, regalia, and other elaborately decorated outfits. The highlight of the Suối Mỡ temple festival is the ritual of singing literature and worshiping the saints of the villages. The festival has many folk games such as pounding day cake, archery competition, traditional martial arts performances, blindfolded pot smashing, chess, checkers, etc.

The Xa Mã Festival - Wooden Horse and Palanquin Pocessions at Hoàng Châu Communal House is a form of community spiritual and cultural activity that takes place annually from the 9th to the 12th of June (lunar calendar), with the main festival day being the 10th of June. The festival has a long history, associated with the national historical relic of Hoang Chau communal house, built about 300 years ago. The festival commemorates the day the villagers built the communal house, thanking the gods for always protecting and helping fishermen in the area to be safe and have a good fishing season. The festival takes place at the communal house and temples with the following rituals: Water procession, Cao yet, Xa gia - Palanquin procession, and Te an vi. The special feature of the Wooden Horse and Palanquin Pocessions at Hoàng Châu Communal House bears the mark of coastal culture, without the divine flag, tiet mao flag, cap kiem, bat buu, phuong bat am, gongs and drums. Usually, the long dinh palanquin is carried first, followed by the Lieu Hanh mother palanquin and other palanquins. But in the sacred moment, the palanquins and the palanquins also “fly”, drifting with the Saints, the palanquins are no longer arranged in a fixed order. The locals believe that when the palanquin flies, it is the time for the Saint to be present, when the palanquin turns (turns) it is the Saint who is not satisfied with his wandering. On the shoulders of the attendants, the Saint’s palanquin can fly everywhere in the region without any human direction and the time does not know when it will stop. That is the sacredness of the Xa Mã Festival - the procession of the Saint’s palanquin at Hoang Chau communal house. Previously, before each procession of the Saint’s palanquin, there was a “Xa Mã” procession. Currently, there is a slight change: in the morning, the Saint’s palanquin is carried first, then the “Xa Mã” procession. In the afternoon, the xa ma procession is carried first, then the Saint’s palanquin is carried later. The palanquin procession is carried out after the celebrant reads the prayer. The procession involves 6 palanquins including: (1) the Long Dinh palanquin carried by 4 people, who are female officials of the sacrificial team in yellow robes and turbans; (2) The palanquin with the altar and the statue of the Holy Mother Lieu Hanh, carried by 8 young women in red shirts, yellow turbans, and tight pants; (3) and (4) include 2 palanquins with the throne and the royal coffin of the Marshal and Deputy Marshal, carried by 8 young men in traditional costumes; (5) and (6) include 2 palanquins with the throne of the King of Nam Hai and the King of Dong Hai, carried by 8 young women. In addition to the activities: cockfighting, chess, Quan Ho singing, Cheo singing, water-based thum bridge... the "Xa Mã" performance is indispensable. "Xa Mã" or "wooden horse pulling competition" recreates the training and military exercises of soldiers in ancient times. With the participation of 2 teams, a pair of yin and yang, reflecting the people's desire for fertility and development. The two Xa Mã - wooden horses run strongly and fiercely under the skillful and rhythmic control of the commander. Each team must run 3 laps around the field, without touching the line, and without injuring the opponent and team members. The prize given to the winning team is the gift of the communal house. Participating in the competition, both the audience and the contestants feel like they are participating in a real military exercise. The festival bears the cultural imprint of the coastal region, expressing the wish to be blessed by the gods, and has a high educational value on the morality of drinking water and remembering its source, and the love of labor. With its unique and typical values, the Xa Mã Festival - Wooden Horse and Palanquin Pocessions at Hoàng Châu Communal House was included in the List of National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2017 by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Tien Cong Temple (also known as Thap Cuu Tien Cong Temple) is located in Cam Thanh Village, Cam La Commune, about 5km from the center of Quang Yen Town, worshiping 17 "Thap That Tien Cong". According to the stele and genealogy, from about 1434 to 1500, there were 17 Tien Cong from Kim Hoa Ward (now Kim Lien Ward), Tho Xuong District, Hoai Duc Prefecture, Thang Long Citadel (Hanoi) and their families following the Red River to the Bach Dang River mouth to find a way to make a living, reclaim land, establish villages and hamlets. These are the people who made the first contributions to the cause of building dykes to reclaim land from the sea and rivers to establish the Ha Nam island area, including Cam La Commune. The Tien Cong Festival (also known as the "Procession" ceremony festival) is a unique festival and is held on a large scale in Quang Yen town. The festival takes place from the 5th to the 7th day of the first lunar month to commemorate the Tien Cong who had the merit of reclaiming and establishing the islands of Ha Nam and Quang Yen. The Tien Cong Festival in the Ha Nam island region (Quang Yen town) has been preserved and promoted by the people for more than 300 years. The festival space takes place in Phong Coc, Phong Hai, Yen Hai wards and Cam La commune. The festival center is at the Tien Cong temple relic (Cam La commune) and at the Tien Cong family temples. From the ancestral shrines, each family and clan brings offerings, welcoming the elderly (80, 90, 100 years old or older) to the Tien Cong temple to worship their ancestors. Representatives of the clans offer offerings and make offerings on the Tien Cong stele. The opening of the Tien Cong Festival is the “Ra cỗ họ” ceremony, also known as the “Lễ tế Tổ” ceremony. The “Ancestor” ceremony is held by the Tien Cong clans on the 4th day of the first lunar month every year. This is the biggest ceremony in the ancestral temples of the year. The “Ra cỗ họ” ceremony is a ceremony to pray for the ancestors and ancestors to bless their grandchildren and children with a prosperous new year; it is a ceremony to send off the ancestors and ancestors in the ancestral temple according to the local people’s fine customs and is also a festival of the clan. After the ancestral ceremony, many cultural activities and folk games are organized such as: wrestling, swinging, cockfighting, human chess, tom diem, dum singing, tug of war, volleyball, building dikes... In particular, the ceremony of the elders building dikes and wrestling opens the festival, creating a joyful and exciting atmosphere. On the 5th day of the first lunar month, the children and grandchildren in the family whose parents have reached the age of longevity prepare to decorate the family yard according to the traditional longevity celebration ceremony. On the 6th of January, families of the same clan and village organize a procession to carry the ancestors in a peach hammock to the Tien Cong temple to worship their ancestors, called the "Rước Thọ" or "Rước Người" ceremony, along with the preparation of offerings and ceremonial objects, costumes, ceremonial music team, and peach hammock palanquins for the procession, which are prepared months before the festival takes place. The most joyful and splendid Tien Cong festival is on the main festival day (the 7th of January) with the most unique "Rước Người" ceremony in the whole country, expressing admiration and honor for the ancestors, imbued with the cultural identity of the residents of the Bach Dang estuary. At noon on the main festival day, the sacrificial group representing the Four Communes organizes the "Tế giã" ceremony, ending the festival. Tien Cong Festival is a traditional cultural beauty that evokes the morality of “When drinking water, remember its source”, “Respect the elderly and live long” and promotes the solidarity of clans and villages, and has become an intangible cultural heritage that has a wide influence on the community and tourists. In 2017, Tien Cong Festival was honored as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. The annual organization of Tien Cong Festival has become a unique tourism product of Quang Yen town, Quang Ninh province.

Truong Lam Communal House Festival (in Viet Hung Ward, Long Bien District) is held annually from the 9th to the 11th of the second lunar month, to pray for favorable weather, good crops, and people's prosperity and health. The traditional festival is associated with the historical relic of Truong Lam Communal House - Pagoda, which is a place to worship three deities: Linh Lang Dai Vuong, Princess Dao Hoa and Princess Phu Nuong. Among them, Linh Lang Dai Vuong is the first Saint, also one of the gods of Thang Long Tu Tran - Hanoi. The relic complex of Truong Lam Communal House - Pagoda was recognized as a National Monument in 1992. According to the legend, Linh Lang Dai Vuong's name is Hoang Chan, the fourth son of King Ly Thanh Tong (1054 -1072), his mother is Hao Nuong, the 9th concubine, from Dong Doai - Bong Lai Commune - Dan Phuong District - Son Tay Town. In 1075, the country was invaded by foreign forces. Prince Hoang Chan asked the king and Prince Chieu Van to command a fleet to cross Vinh An estuary to attack and destroy the enemy's outposts along the border. He coordinated with General Ton Dan's army to capture the strategic bases and the supply base of the Song enemy in Ung Chau citadel. Our army won a great victory, and the country was at peace. In the year Dinh Ty (1077), the Song enemy sent troops to invade our country again. Once again, Prince Hoang Chan, together with Prince Chieu Van and Grand Chancellor Ly Thuong Kiet, commanded a fleet from Van Xuan upstream on the Khao Tuc River to suddenly attack the enemy's eastern defense line on the banks of the Nhu Nguyet River, contributing greatly to driving the Song enemy out of the Dai Viet border, opening an era of national independence. Considering the merits of Prince Hoang Chan, King Ly Nhan Tong granted the title of Linh Lang Dai Vuong Thuong Dang Phuc Than to 269 villages nationwide. The rituals in the traditional festival of Truong Lam village include: incense offering ceremony, water procession ceremony, literature procession, horse procession, Saint worship ceremony, etc. In particular, the Snake Shedding dance is an extremely unique and important dance in the festival, depicting the shedding of the body, becoming a Saint, expressing the villagers' respect and remembrance of the merits of the saints and ancestors. According to legend, the snake shedding dance and the Truong Lam village festival have existed since around the 15th century, along with the formation of the village communal house. Among the 269 villages nationwide worshiping Linh Lang Dai Vuong, only Truong Lam communal house has the snake shedding dance. This dance has the participation of 15 young men, this is a form of performance praising the merits of Saint Linh Lang. The festival also features folk activities and games such as: Dragon dance, Cheo singing, Chinese chess, catching ducks in the pond, tug of war, Cheo singing... serving the entertainment and experience needs of locals and tourists. The festival is an opportunity to promote the beauty of the locality to people across the country, as well as to pay tribute to the contributions and sacrifices of previous generations. With its unique values, the Truong Lam Communal House Festival was listed as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2018.