The Then Cấp sắc Initiation Ritual is a religious ceremony for those who work in the Then profession, and only after being awarded the Then certificate will the practitioner be allowed to practice. The practitioner is Master Tào - the shaman - who presides over all rituals in community life. Tào Lài and Tào Săng are two types of Tào, distinguished by ceremonial attire. The Tào profession is passed down through family and lineage. Tào must read and write Han characters fluently in order to read worship books. There are four levels of identity equivalent to four levels of Tào. A teacher with a higher rank will perform the ceremony for a lower person. The offering consists of 2 parts: the part for the ritual and the part for the Teacher. The teacher is the one who makes the decision to grant the distinction and assigns seals and practice tools to the person receiving the distinction. Ceremony space both indoors and outdoors. The process of ritual practice is an attractive and rich spiritual theater performance. The Then Cấp sắc Initiation ceremony includes the following steps: inviting Master Tào and Master Then to perform the ceremony; worship the midwife; Master Tào set up an altar in the main room; Recruitment ceremony; pig slaughter ceremony; offering ceremony (incense offering, flower offering, lamp offering, wine offering, fruit offering, gold coin offering, cake offering), peace offering ceremony and color granting ceremony. Master Then with the lute invites you through Then gates such as Lord of the Soil and the Ground, Kitchen God, Ancestor Gate, Midwife Gate, Buddha Gate, Khảm Hải Gate, General Gate, and finally Rinh Nam Gate. After that, Master Tào and Master Then - the spiritual parents - performed the ceremony of granting soldiers and horses, granting identity, and granting clothes (reading the identity, granting clothes, hats, bathing the aura (washing the face), and searching the aura. (clothing for Then) and enlightenment) for the recipient. After completing the task, Master Tào and Master Then took the recipient out to the yard to swear to the Jade Emperor to maintain Then's professional ethics. The final rituals of the rank are bringing offerings to Then gates, sweeping hot pots to offer wine to greet soldiers and generals, Giải vẻ ceremony to cleanse impurities in the house and continuing to march through Then gates, Soul Retrieval ceremony. When passing through Then gates, Bioc offering dance (marble smooth dance), military return ceremony (sending off the gods).

Cấp sắc Ritual - an important ritual in the spiritual life of the Nung ethnic group. The Cấp sắc Ritual of the Nung people is a ritual for people who are capable of becoming shamans. People who are granted the title must meet many different standards (they must have morality, have social knowledge) and be loved, trusted, and recognized by everyone in the community for their maturity. Cấp sắc Ritual is an important, big event in a man's life. People who are granted the title will be allowed to participate in practicing religious ritual activities in the Nung ethnic community. According to the concept of the Nung ethnic group, only people with "roots" can be granted the title. Being granted the title means making the house and oneself proud, so the person granted the title, along with his family and clan, must prepare carefully for months in advance. The first step is to choose a good day, a good month and prepare offerings such as: goat, pig, chicken, rice, wine, white cloth, red cloth, colored paper... Each item has its own regulations on quantity, no shortage, no excess. The main priests performing the ceremony include: Taoist priests, Buddhist priests, sorcerers and assistant priests. The beginning of the ceremony is to report to the ancestors of the family, to report to the saints, and to the heavenly officials about a major event of the family. The Buddhist priest opens the way to heaven to welcome the ancestors and ancestors of the family to attend the ceremony, to pray to dispel conflicts and bad luck for the family through small ceremonies: reporting to the ancestors, reporting to the Jade Emperor, offering gifts, and offering incense. Next are the ceremonies such as: the birth ceremony of the person receiving the ceremony, the ceremony of giving tools to disciples, the ceremony of reading the royal decree, dispelling bad luck, rewarding the army, sending off the saints, the ceremony of thanking the ancestors and the gods for supporting and allowing the priests to perform the ceremony of granting titles and giving gifts to the person receiving the titles. The most important is the birth ceremony of the Huong child (the ceremony for the person receiving the title) which begins at midnight. After the child was born, the monks held a ceremony to worship the ghosts, fed him, cut his hair, combed his hair, and pricked his head with a needle as a warning and instruction to help him understand everything. The Cấp sắc Ritual has great value in the spiritual life of the Nung ethnic group. Because the ceremony has the meaning of educating morality and personality, reminding each person to maintain a respectful and orderly lifestyle in the community and to be grateful to their ancestors and the gods who have protected them. The Cấp sắc Ritual is like a big stage: performing various forms of singing, spirit mediumship, and performances. After receiving the Cấp sắc, the person receiving the Cấp sắc becomes a shaman. With that meaning, the Cấp sắc Ritual of the Nung ethnic group in Thai Nguyen province has been decided by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to be listed in the List of National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The ceremony takes place on the 6th day of the first lunar month every year. The ceremony, in the Yao language, is "Tịu siằng thun boaù lỉu". The Yao Tien people's New Year and harvest festival is usually held on the first day of the Dragon or the first day of the Ox in January, with the purpose of praying for the gods to bless the people in the village for a well-being, prosperity new year, new bumper harvest. The ceremony is run by a master of ceremonies (elected by the villagers, highly virtuous and knowledgeable of worship rituals). The place where the festival is held is the house of the master of ceremonies. The master of ceremonies and his assistants set up the altar, pasted Tam Thanh paintings, placed two bamboo trees on both sides and cut colored paper to decorate the altar. On two bamboo trees, hang fish shapes made of red paper, bundles of sticky rice seeds, corn balls, and sticky rice flour stuck on strings tied around the bamboo trees. The altar displays 1 bottle of wine, 1 boiled rooster, 2 plates of leaf cakes, 2 plates of fruit, 5 cups, and a bowl of incense. After the master of the ceremony reads the prayer inviting the Jade Emperor, the gods, and ancestors to attend the festival is the ritual dance - the bell dance. The bell dancing team consists of 8 people wearing traditional costumes, wearing hats with pictures of saints, shaking bells in harmony with the sounds of gongs and drums, and dancing in a circle. The festival takes place with many games and folk art forms such as tickling, còn tossing, love singing, etc.

Then is "Heaven", "Fairy", or "Sky". Then is understood as folk performance/performance art; is a profession for those who engage in worship activities, related to beliefs and spirituality, and is a type of sacred ritual, religious and spiritual activity. Then rituals are religious and cultural activities of the Tày - Nùng people performed by Then masters, to meet the spiritual cultural needs and partly the artistic needs of the people. Then is a mandatory ritual in ceremonies such as cấp sắc, praying for harvest, going to the fields, celebrating life, new rice, relieving drought, praying for peace, going to a new house, ending mourning, giving thanks, etc. In the form of performance, people divide Then rituals into two types: Then lute and Then fan; or according to the content: Then Ky Yen and Then Festival. The Then ceremony usually takes place in 1 day; In some ceremonies such as thanksgiving and honor ceremonies, the time to perform the Then ritual can last for many days. The Then singing ceremony begins the journey to invite the Jade Emperor and Then masters who have returned to their ancestors to come and perform the "Lẩu then" ceremony with offerings, wine offerings, ghost exorcism offerings, and drought relief offerings. praying for peace and then gradually developing more rituals to worship ancestors, birthday offerings, offerings to pray for peace, offerings to new houses, etc. Then music is a long performance with religious colors, narrating the journey. Master Then presented to Mường Trời to ask Then to fulfill the homeowner's wishes. In those rituals, the music of the zither, the lute, and the bell is always a constant element with many melodies and melodies appropriate to each part of the ritual.

Viet Nam 2019

“Ay lay” is the ritual of “working together in the village, building the village together”. This is a traditional ritual of the Dao Ho people held to pray for the gods to bless them with favorable weather and good harvests in the place where the people established the village. Every year, the Dao Ho people in Van Ban hold the Village Prayer Ceremony 3 times on the 2nd of February, 6th of June and 12th of December, of which the 6th of June ceremony is the biggest. Because this is the mid-year ceremony, reporting to the gods and the land spirits the results the village has achieved in the first 6 months of the year and the offerings to the gods are also more complete. The offering tray includes: a bowl of rice for the incense burner, three packages of rice, three cups of wine, a bowl of mixed rice and sticky rice, for the shaman to pray for luck for the village. When praying, the shaman calls the names of 7 gods, including the Jade Emperor, the Thunder God, the Village Lord, the God of the Land, the God of Human Souls, and the God of Rice, to witness and bless the whole village. Although the village prayer ceremony is held many times a year, the content and process of the ceremony are relatively consistent. Before the day of the village prayer ceremony, the village head chooses a good day and selects a shaman trusted by the villagers. The shaman must wear traditional costumes and bring a prayer book to perform the ceremony. The ceremony is held at the village head's house. Offerings such as chickens, pigs, white wine, rice, etc. are contributed by families, then gathered at a prestigious household in the community that has been selected in advance to prepare for the ceremonies. It is stipulated that a village prayer ceremony requires at least 3 living objects to be offered to the gods. However, families usually offer to the gods about 6 living objects, including 1 pig and 5 chickens. The offerings in the ceremony are all produced by the local people. From early morning, the villagers gathered at the village chief's house to prepare offerings to invite the shaman to perform the ceremony. Depending on the occasion, the shaman will have a prayer in the Dao language. The prayers must express gratitude to the above and pray for the protection and blessing of the gods for the village. After the village prayer ceremony ends, the villagers together organize a feast at the village chief's house to connect with each other and strengthen community sentiment. The Village Praying Ritual shows the attitude of the Dao people towards nature, not cutting down forests but respecting and protecting nature, so it has value in protecting nature and the environment. In 2018, the Áy lay Village Praying Ritual of the Ho Dao was recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea In this performance, an exorcist disguised as an ox prays for a good harvest, good commercial business, and success for children. It is presumed that the performance started during the Joseon Period (1392 – 1910). This performance is preceded by Jeseokgeori (Ritual Song for the Deity Jeseok) that is said to control things relating to longevity, grains, clothes and fortune/misfortune. It used to be held in Giho and Haeseo, Hwanghae-do. The performance starts around sunset and continues until the daybreak of the following day. Six female exorcists play janggo (hourglass-shaped drum), jing (large gong), jeo (bamboo flute), and piri (flute). Eight fabric straps are hung from above indicating the path through which Eight Heavenly Maids will descend. At the bottom of the fabrics are placed eight tubs, where the fairies will take a bath. An exorcist disguised as Sambuljeseok (Three Heavenly Deities) in a white robe and a hat sings a song about how he arranged the foundation of Joseon as instructed by the Jade Emperor of Heaven. By this time, a cowman appears, leading a cow. The performance ends with a scene of the deity Jeseok taking a trip to Seocheon Seoyeokguk (ancient India), while patrolling officers engage in a round of dance. Buddhist deities appearing in the performance, including Sambuljeseok Buddha, are a unique sight that cannot be found in any other exorcism performances. Pyeongsan Sonoreumgut (Shamanic Ox Performance of Pyeongsan, Hwanghae-do) was able to be maintained thanks to Jang Bo-bae, an exorcist from Pyeongsan, who continued the performance after the country’s liberation. As an event strongly influenced by Buddhism, the performance also combines elements of entertainment and high artistic quality. It serves as an occasion to pray for the happiness of local people and to strengthen the ties among them.

Cấp sắc Initiation Ritual is the most important ritual in the life cycle rituals of Yao men. The ceremony is usually held in the last 3 months of the year. Offerings include pigs, chickens, sticky rice, wine, cakes, 3 sets of lamps (7 sets or 9 sets depending on the level of the ceremony), paper, incense, fruit, clothes... At the beginning, the shaman announced the reason, recalled the history of the Yao people and the reason for the ceremony, and announced the name of the person receiving the ceremony. Then there are the rituals including inviting ancestors, providing offerings to thank the ancestors, reporting to the gods, opening the altar, naming sounds, inviting ancestors to the altar, wearing lamps, holding the lamp, and lowering the lamp, fighting, presenting to the Jade Emperor, etc., takes place from 3 to 5 days. The most important ritual is the exchange of religious identity. The Taoist document records the name, background, reason for accepting the ceremony, and advice in Nôm Yao Writing (10 taboos and 10 oaths). From now on, the person receiving the ceremony can participate in ritual activities, have their name recorded in the family tree, have 36 underworld soldiers to protect the family from demons, be blessed by Bàn King, and after they die, they can return to their homeland. ancestral homeland in Dương Châu. The final ritual is for the secretary to read a report to the ancestors and gods about the ceremony, praying for them to bless everyone with good things. After the ceremony, the homeowner invites relatives, villagers, and friends to a festive meal to congratulate the recipient. Before and during the ceremony, the person receiving the ceremony and family members must abstain from foods related to the offerings.

National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea Yeonjukjang refers to the skill of making a long smoking pipe, or to an artisan with such a skill. It is said that yeonjuk (a long smoking pipe) was first made after the Japanese Invasion of Korea (1592 – 1598), when tobacco was introduced to Korea through Japan. Dongnae, Busan, which used to be the country’s center for trade with Japan, was a leading place for production of yeonjuk. Yeonjuk consists of the mouthpiece, the bowl, and the long, thin stem. The bowl that contains the tobacco has to withstand heat. It is made of copper, tin, nickel-copper or very rarely, china. The mouthpiece is made of jade, ivory or ox horn. When making the nickel-copper used in the production of a smoking pipe, an alloy of copper (58%), nickel (37%) and zinc (5%) is made. If the nickel content is high, it appears to be white. The alloy is beaten to make a very thin piece, and the parts are soldered. The work requires an exquisite level of workmanship. Pipes with blue embellishments made in Dongnae and those made in Gyeongju, Gimcheon, Yeonghae, Ulsan, and Yecheon are famous. The workmanship is still handed down in Namwon, Jeollabuk-do and Anseong, Gyeonggi-do.

National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea Jangdojang refers to the skill of making decorative daggers, or to an artisan with such a skill. Since the Goryeo Period (877 – 1394), people, men and women alike, carried jangdo (ornamental knife) to protect themselves or as an accessory. Following the Japanese invasion of Korea (1592 – 1598) women of noble families regarded jangdo as an essential item to be carried by them to protect themselves. Toward the late Joseon Period (1392 –1910), jangdo became a luxury accessory. Jangdo was made of gold, silver or white jade. Scholars liked to carry jangdo displaying their favorite phrase inscribed with a heated iron. Jangdo were mainly made in Seoul, Ulsan, Yeongju, and Namwon. Those made in Gwangyang, Jeollanam-do are known for their uniquely Korean gracefulness. Jangdo made of diverse materials display also the diverse handicraft techniques of the Joseon Period.

National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea Seonjajang is the skill of making a traditional fan and a master artisan who holds such skill. In general, Korean fans are divided into two styles: Danseon, i.e. fans with a large, rounded shape, and Jeopseon, or folding fans. Hapjukseon, a type of folding fan exhibiting a high degree of refinement and sophistication, has been one of Korea’s most representative craft products — along with other craft wares made with mother-of-pearl, metal, lacquer and jade — ever since the Goryeo Dynasty. Hapjukseon were made mainly by artisans at the Seonjacheong, the government office responsible for making fans (located in Jeonju, where the Jeolla Provincial Office was situated during the Joseon Dynasty), and were used for diplomatic purposes and foreign trade. Meanwhile, hapjuk were made of double slips of bamboo originating from Damyang in Jeollanam-do Province, the main production site of bamboo in Korea.

An important ritual in the life cycle of a person, for a shaman, an adult man, sometimes a woman. Through the initiation ceremony, it marks the man's maturity before the community and ancestors. The man is granted a title, granted a rank of spirit soldiers, recognized by the ancestors as a descendant, given a dharma name, worshiped by his parents and ancestors when alive, and met the Jade Emperor when dead. When performing, the family invites 9 shamans to organize the ceremony, of which 2 are the masters. To be ordained, the ordained person and the 9 shamans must go through 15 steps. At each step, there are many small ceremonies - each ceremony has different content but all have the same meaning of inviting the gods to give glory to the disciple. The coming of age ceremony usually goes through 3 levels, each time the level increases, the dharma name is changed and more spirit soldiers are granted to increase power and authority. The title ceremony begins with a petition. Offerings include 3 to 5 chickens, incense, flowers, fruit cakes, white wine, water... a positive paper, a negative paper, a petition. The person receiving the ceremony reaches the level of a Dharma Master. The Dharma Master performs the ceremony himself in his family, performs the usual rituals of praying and paying respects such as praying to ward off bad luck, praying for peace, praying for blessings, protecting the house, etc. The second time is the ordination ceremony. The ordination ceremony, a mandatory procedure, marks the maturity of the shaman, officially recognizing him as a member of the shaman profession of the San Diu people. After fully preparing the offerings, the shamans perform the ritual of purifying and protecting the altar, praying to the gods, offering wine and fruits, cakes, inviting the Three Thousand Dharma Masters, gods, and guardian spirits to descend to the altar. Next is the ceremony of recruiting heavenly soldiers, inviting thousands of heavenly soldiers, generals, gods, and masters to attend the ceremony. 37 gods are invited to witness the ordination ceremony. Coming to the ceremony of presenting the petition to the saints; presenting the token and seal of the person receiving the ceremony; offering and reporting the petition; offering the red scarf; ritual of establishing the throne; transmitting the signal of the Saint; providing military provisions; giving thanks; giving the grand rite. The petition of the shaman transmitted to the person receiving the ceremony consists of 24 papers. The papers with the sound are immediately burned. All the rituals take place continuously for two days and one night. The shaman who is ordained for the third time will reach the rank of Tong Xuyen. This is the highest rank for a shaman. The Cap Sac ceremony of the San Diu people in Thai Nguyen was included in the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2018 by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Conducted only once in the life of every Dao man, so that the village community recognizes them as an adult; officially participate in cultural activities and beliefs of the family. It includes many rituals such as naming yin, three-lamp ceremony, seven-lamp ceremony, 12-lamp ceremony and lamp-wearing ceremony, lamp lowering ceremony, military exchange ceremony, Jade Emperor presentation ceremony, identity ceremony , ancestral thanksgiving... The conduct lasts from one to five days. The implementation date is chosen very carefully. After the monks make vows, carry out procedures, ask for yin and yang, and gods, the person who is granted identity will officially be given a yin name and be recognized as an adult.