As a form of performing arts, Xoan singing includes singing, dancing, drumming and clapper beating. It is closely attached to the Worship of the Hùng Kings, founders of the country. Phú Thọ people created Xoan singing and performed it at the village communal houses, temples and shrines worshipping the Hùng Kings in springs. “Xoan” means “spring”. Bearers and practitioners form four guilds, in which the male and female Trum play the most important role; they preserve the songs, select students, transmit the singing styles and repertoires and organize practices. They are also active in introducing and teaching Xoan singing at the four Xoan guilds, and in clubs and guilds. A full Xoan performance cycle includes 3 phases: Worship singing (Hát thờ) with songs praising the virtues of the Hùng Kings and the village guardian deities; Invocation for good health and fortune (Quả cách) with 14 repertoires praising nature, humankind, and the daily life of the community; Festive singing (hát Hội) with songs featuring the couple love. The special characteristic of Xoan is the modulation between singers and instrumentalists at the perfect fourth interval, and it has a simple structure with few ornamental notes. Xoan dance's movements have a sense of imitativeness, illustrating people's daily life activities. After singing at their communal houses from the 2nd - 5th day of the Lunar New Year, the Xoan guilds travel to other communities venerating Hùng Kings to take part in convivial cultural exchanges. Xoan practitioners are organized into music guilds called Phường. The Leader of each guild is called “Trùm”. In the past, only men could be “Trùm”, but nowadays women could also be leaders. The Leaders are in charge of transmission and organization of activities of the guilds. At present, each guild comprises of 30 - 100 members. Men are called “kép”, women are “đào”. As a community performing art, Xoan singing fosters cultural understanding, community cohesion and mutual respect. The Vietnamese Institute for Musicology has collected 31 Xoan songs, and thanks to the efforts of several Xoan artists four guilds have been established. 33 dedicated clubs also exist, and seminars are held to expand knowledge of Xoan.

Viet Nam 2017

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 traditional art of whistling calls for human teeth and lips to function as the music instrument and the mouth cavity to function as a sound box. Whistling is classified into the following three types: tooth whistle, lip whistle and palate whistle. The reasons Mongolians whistle is greatly dependant on the season, time, location, and context due to that from ancient times Mongols have considered whistling as a call for wind. Mongols whistle the short and long songs, and melodies in hot days of summer and autumn season while herding livestock and during the labor for relaxing. Before mentioned, Mongols believe that the whistle can bring the deity of wind, therefore they do whistle while harvesting the grain for blowing the skin of grain.

The Việt people in Phú Thọ province have been practicing and trasmitting the worship of Hùng Kings whose father named Lạc Long Quân and mother named Âu Cơ for a very long time. The legend has become a strong belief of the country’s origin in the Việt people’s mentality for centuries. Dynasties of Great Việt attached great importance to the worship of Hùng Kings and offerred imperial conferments to villages worshiping Hùng Kings in temples and shrines. The worship of Hùng Kings has created many legends of wharves, rivers, fields, rice plants, land and other unique cultural creativity. Part of cultural creativity is reenacted in annual worship performed at communal houses, temples and shrines in villages. Communities make offerings of rice – based delicacies such as square cakes and glutinous cakes dedicated to Hùng Kings. Legend has it that, Lang Liêu who later became the seventh Hùng King made these two types of cakes by himself. They represent the heaven and the earth as well as the filial piety of the children for the parents. These two offerings are indispensable in the worship of Hùng Kings. Offerings dedicated to Hùng Kings at temples and shrines by villagers usually last for a few days: offerings by families first and then by the whole community. The tablets of Hùng Kings are proccessed throughout the villages and the rice fields, which implies that Hùng Kings may witness today’s lives of villagers and offer good weather, abundant harvests, good luck and good health to villagers, plants and animals. Offerings conducted by villagers at temples, communal houses, and shrines is supposed to be the most sacred moments when the respect and gratitude of communities dedicated to Hùng Kings are expressed.

Viet Nam 2012

The Neypo ritual is a seasonal offering performed across Bhutan to appease local deities, Ney village in Lhuentse to the northeast is one of many villages to perform this ritual. Neypo literally means "Zhidag", a category of deity who protects the area under their control or certain parts of the valley. The identity of the protector figure varies from region to region, as does the ritual. In Ney village, the Neypo ritual is performed every year on the 15th day of the third lunar month of the Bhutanese calendar. The ritual is performed in their Lhakhang, temple, in order to appease the local deity Zhidag Drakpa Gyalpo with offerings. In return, the community asks for his protection of their farms from wild animals. The Zhidag is believed to dwell below the village in a dense forest on the left side of Kurichu. Zhidag Drakpa Gyalpo has a grim appearance with a black face, dark clothes, and a reindeer mount with ten horns. He has one face and two hands; in his right hand he holds a flaming sword and in his left hand he holds a robe or Zhagpa sling. Within a single second he could cover the distance between any two places. Eighth century tantric master Guru Rinpoche (Skt. Padmasambhava) bound Drakpa Gyalpo by oath and made him the protector of the East Gate of the hidden land Baeyul Khempajong, and sworn to be the Dharma protector in the region. During the Neypo ritual, the entrance to the dense forest is sealed off for people which will last for a whole season, which is called Rigya lungya dam or Ridam. Ridam is a common practice of mountain closure in which the path to the Zhidag Phodrang, deity’s abode, and the surrounding dense forest are closed to human access from spring to autumn until the rice harvest. During this period, people are generally not allowed to enter the area to collect natural resources or visit any place in the area. After performing rituals, no one is allowed to go there unless except for exceptional occasions. This restriction applies to outsiders as well as people from the village.

The Trần Thương Temple Festival is held from August 18 to 20 (lunar calendar), at Trần Thương Temple - the place to worship Hưng Đạo Đại Vương, his family and generals who contributed to the resistance war against the Yuan-Mongol army and also the place where Hưng Đạo Đại Vương chose to build a food warehouse, providing food for the army. The festival features many traditional rituals such as: The ritual to ask Đức Thánh Trần for people to open the Temple and organize the festival; The local people's worship and worship of the Saint; releasing flower lanterns at Trần Thương Lake; the spiritual ritual on the anniversary of Đức Thánh Trần... The most special feature of the festival is the food distribution ritual held on the night of January 14 and early morning of January 15 with the following rituals: The ritual of carrying food from the food warehouse into the temple for the ritual; the torch lighting and incense offering ritual by delegates and people and the ritual of carrying food into the secret ritual at the back palace, to recreate the history of "distributing military food" to reward the army of the Trần Dynasty when they defeated the Yuan-Mongol invaders for the third time.

Hải Thượng Lãn Ông Festival is held on the full moon day of January every year, which is also the taboo day of famous physician Lê Hữu Trác (1720 - 1791), who made great contributions to Vietnam's traditional medicine. The festival is held at two main locations: the grave site (Sơn Trung commune) and the church (Quang Diệm commune) of the famous doctor. The ceremony was held with many solemn rituals such as representatives of the government and people offered incense at the grave site; procession of offerings to the Great Physician from the grave to the church with the participation of 12 processions; Worshiping ceremony on the taboo day - held at the church of the great physician Lê Hữu Trác in Quang Diệm commune, Hương Sơn district with offerings including incense, candles, fruits, betel and areca nuts, water, sticky rice, chicken, wine, ghost money; Ceremony to pray for peace and health (performed by monks, nuns, and Buddhists at the grave site or at the monument of the great physician), releasing flower lanterns at the dragon wharf on Ngàn Phố River. The festival part includes activities such as the Ngàn Phố River Traditional Boat Racing Festival; Hải Thượng flute kite display; arm wrestling competition; wrapping and cooking Chung cake contest; Stick pushing, tug of war, volleyball competitions; Displaying local products, etc attracts a large number of people to participate. Main rituals include Sacrifice; a Ceremony to pray for good health, pray for national peace and prosperity, and a ceremony to release lanterns. The festival included traditional art performance activities such as folk songs, songs, rhymes, vi giam, and folk games that attracted a large number of people to participate. This is a big festival in Hương Sơn region, Hà Tĩnh province.

Lha-soel (Lha means local deity and soel means offerings) is the ritual performed annually seeking assistance and blessing from the local deities with the offering and recitation of religious scriptures. Unlike rituals in other places in western Bhutan depending on the need and purposes, the people of Bem si-si, under Toebesa Gewog (block) perform this Lha-soel annually mostly towards the end of the year beginning from October till December month with the presence of the entire family members. As far as history is concerned there is no exact date of origin of this ritual. However, the village households herein perform Lha-soel that is passed down from the forefathers. This ritual originated from the Bonism commonly known as Nak-choe (ritual requiring animal sacrifices) wherein animals such as pigs and oxen were slaughtered for the offering. However, on later dates as per respondents, with blessing and order from the 70th Je-Khenpo (Chief Abbot) Trulku Jigme Chhoeda (1955- ) to avoid killing animals for the purpose of the rituals. The locals in Bem si-si started to offer butter, cheese, and fruits unlike before who used to offer meat, lungs, and blood along with the ritual cakes. Oral traditions say that Lha-soel is considered the most festive occasion of an individual household to gather all the family members who are now in challenge due to expenditures and lack of manpower. However, people in villages believe that these ritual practices are embedded in the lifestyles and traditions for ensuring prosperity, wealth, and long life besides the adoption of it as a medium for the higher Buddhist spiritual message, thus, individual households never fail to perform despite the challenges. The challenges the Lha-soel undergo is accrued that the too many of the present generations are engaged in the schools, colleges, and universities and gives priority to the curriculum in schools that lacks the knowledge of this very ritual in particular. Therefore, the children, unlike in the past who resided in villages, knew and easily inherited the cultural and traditional legacies of their time which decline today. Even though the majority of the younger population resides in the urban areas, therefore, only the older people are left in the villages observing rituals on behalf of all the family members.

Taking place in a large space, associated with relics such as Tân Xuân communal house, Linh Phước pagoda, Ông pagoda, Điền temple, Âm Nhơn temple, Phương Quế Ngọc Đài sacred precinct, Tầm Vu river on January 15 and 16, to worship martyrs who died in the anti-French invasion movement at the end of the 19th century and pray for the spirits. Preparation: erecting Ông Tiêu truss, making Long Đình - Tứ Châu, erecting teacher truss, erecting martyrs' monument, making lantern boat, making Ông Tiêu's picture. "Ông Tiêu" is an important image, created with great skill. On the 15th, the Organizing Committee held a ceremony to invite Ông Tiêu, invite Buddha, request sutras, invite teachers, recite sutras to pray for peace, worship martyrs (performed by Taoist monk of Cao monument), Đề Phan martyrs (by the chief Buddhist monk). In the evening, there are amateur music exchanges and floats parade around town. On the 16th, there are rituals such as worshiping the soul, inviting a cake, inviting Ông Tiêu to the platform, inviting the spirits, Chiêu U ceremony (worshiping the spirits), requesting sutras, calling, inviting the monk, releasing lanterns, and pushing the truss - guests farewell. "Ông Tiêu" is the central and most important character of Làm chay Requiem Ritual . He also has the Buddhist name called Tiêu Diện Bodhisattva, an incarnation of Avalokiteshvara. According to Buddhism and folk wisdom, Ông Tiêu is the head and ruler of the demon world. The picture of Ông Tiêu is about 2 meters tall, wearing armor, has horns on his head, hundreds of faces all over his body, and a tongue made of pink paper nearly half a meter long, where all his power and magic are concentrated. The statue of Ông Tiêu is placed in the grounds of Linh Phước Pagoda. After that, the statue of Ông Tiêu was taken to Tân Xuân communal house to perform the rituals. At the end of the ceremony, Ông Tiêu's picture was burned.

Mazuism is a form of belief that is centered on the veneration of Mazu, the Chinese seafarer’s goddess. At Lhong 1919 an long-established shrine dedicated to Mazu is testimony of the popularity that this form of belief enjoyed. The shrine houses three Mazu figurines that had been brought to Bangkok by overseas Chinese who came to the city about 167 years ago. This goddess was once only a local deity revered by Fujianese, before she became widely known and worshiped by oversea Chinese communities. The process of paying homage to the goddess is an intangible cultural heritage that represents the blend between Chinese and Thai cultures. The three main figurines of Mazu that form the material anchor of this practice of veneration have been passed down through six generations of Thai-Chinese families and have come to be widely known within Thai-Chinese society. A localization of this form of worship can be seen in the fact that the chanting done in honor of the goddess is nowadays delivered as a Thai Buddhist mantra while the statue arrangement remains the traditional way that goes back to Chinese roots. There are three Mazu figurines, representing the different stages of her manifestation, each protected by further guardian spirits. The first manifestation is symbolized by a girl who healed the sick and ensured safety during sea travel. The second manifestation is the goddess Mazu who brings good fortune to businesses. The last manifestation is as the empress in heaven, full of kindness and compassion.

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.

Soiko saluu Soiko saluu is an engagement ritual when the young man’s parents and relatives pay visit to the young lady’s house to make a proposal. The groom’s family gives engagement earrings to the bride and bride price to her family called kalyn. Bride price is considered as a gratitude to her parents for raising a woman who will become a wife and mother of future husband’s children. The bride’s side prepares dowry, which includes various household items needed for a newly formed family. It includes felt carpets, cushions, matrasses, etc. Kyz uzatuu Kyz uzatuu is a ritual of seeing off a bride when groom’s party comes to take her to the groom’s house. This ritual takes place before the wedding ceremony. This ritual is conducted by bride’s family and friends. There is also a ritual called arkan tartuu. When the groom’s party is coming to take away the bride, bride’s friends pull the rope across the rope, thus, symbolically blocking the way to the bride’s house. The groom’s party gives gifts and money to people holding ropes, thus, earning a right to pass forward. Nike kyiyuu Nike kyiyuu is the main wedding ceremony. A cup of water is prepared for this ritual. Some sugar is added to water and sometimes a silver coin is placed at the bottom of the cup. After reciting verses from Quran, the newly-wed couple drinks water from the cup. The meaning of sharing water is that a couple agrees to live through thick and thin, life’s ups and downs together. When drinking water, the bride and groom make a wish to be pure as water and live long and happily. By adding sugar, they wish to have a sweet life and coin stands for prosperity. Water is a symbol of purity, eternity and sacredness; that is why it is used in a wedding ceremony. Kyrgyz wedding feasts are big. The number of guests vary depending on family’s income. Nowadays, wedding is done in various styles but all of them have abovementioned traditional rituals. Otko kirgizuu According to Kyrgyz traditions, a newly-wed bride cannot go visit houses of grooms neighbors, relatives and friends. That is why the latter invite the newly-wed bride and her husband to their house. This ritual is called otko kirgizuu. The purpose of this ritual is to get acquainted with a new daughter-in-law. A daughter-in-law can go to this ritual with her husband, mother-in-law or other close relatives. When a bride enters the house, she is supposed to bow to the hosts. The newly-wed bride helps pouring tea and serving food as if she was in her house. The hosts give her their blessings and a gift such as dish set, garment, etc. Only after that, a newly-wed bride can freely come to this house and help around during feasts and rituals. After some time after wedding, the newly-wed bride goes to visit her own family. This visit is called torkuloo. She does not go home on her own but rather with her husband and parents-in-law. There are smaller rituals done within this big ritual. This is considered as otko kirgizuu for the newly-wed groom. Despite the changes happening in a modern society, every custom and a ritual reflects the essence of Kyrgyz people and their culture. These rituals highlight the sanctity of family values and transmitted from generation to generation without coming at odds with current worldviews of Kyrgyz people.