TL;DR: The Rước cộ Bà Chợ Được Festival, also called the Bà Chợ Được Festival or the Cộ Bà procession, is a spirit-worship festival honouring Bà held by residents of the lower Trường Giang River area at the Bà shrine in Phước Ấm hamlet, Thăng An commune, Đà Nẵng (before 7/2025: Bình Triều commune, Thăng Bình district, Quảng Nam province). The main ritual falls around the 11th day of the first lunar month; the procession of Bà's edict and the cộ trays takes place only at night, after the ceremony at the shrine ends. The festival was recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage under Decision 4205/QĐ-BVHTTDL dated 19/12/2014, with the certificate awarded on the night of the 11th day of the first lunar month in 2015.
What is the Rước cộ Bà Chợ Được Festival and where does it take place?
The Rước cộ Bà Chợ Được Festival, also called the Bà Chợ Được Festival or the Cộ Bà procession, is a spirit-worship festival honouring Bà, held by residents of the lower Trường Giang River area at the Bà shrine in Phước Ấm hamlet. Under the administrative names in force after 1/7/2025, the shrine now belongs to Thăng An commune, Đà Nẵng; before 7/2025 this area was Bình Triều commune, Thăng Bình district, Quảng Nam province[1].
The festival was recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage under Decision 4205/QĐ-BVHTTDL dated 19/12/2014. The certificate was awarded on the night of the 11th day of the first lunar month in 2015[1]. Two dates should be kept apart: the recognition decision came at the end of 2014, while the award ceremony took place during the festival at the start of 2015.
Sources differ slightly on the timing. Tiền Phong reports that the 2026 festival runs from 25 to 28/2/2026, that is, from the 9th to the 12th day of the first lunar month of the year Bính Ngọ[1]. Older records usually place the main ceremony on the 11th day of the first lunar month. The common reading is that the central ritual falls on the 11th day, while in years with a larger celebration the festival extends a few days before and after that date.
The festival is tied to the Trường Giang River area, home to Chợ Được, a market linked to the legend of Bà[1].
Who is Bà Chợ Được according to legend?
Legend tells that Bà was surnamed Nguyễn, given name Của, born in the year Canh Thân, that is 1800, in Phường Chào village, Diên Phước district; today this is Vu Gia commune, Đà Nẵng[1]. She died young at the age of 17, and villagers built a shrine to her in her home village. Later, folk belief held that she appeared in Phước Ấm village, helping people trade and heal, punishing the cruel and greedy, and spiritually bringing about a busy market. That market was named Chợ Được by the locals, meaning lucky and smooth trading[1].
It should be said clearly: this is a folk legend about a worshipped figure, not verified historical record. The name, birth year and birthplace rest on oral accounts and local texts, and should be presented as such.
As for the edicts and honorific titles of the Nguyễn era, a VOV source reproduces content relating to court edicts granted to Bà. This is a type of document common at shrines to human spirits in central Vietnam, reflecting how the feudal state recognised and promoted deities worshipped by local people[2].
How does the festival unfold around the 11th day of the first lunar month?
The most distinctive feature is that the procession of the cộ trays and of Bà's edict takes place only at night, after the village elders have completed the ceremony at Bà's shrine[1]. Ahead of Bà's palanquin is a procession of guards in traditional costume. The palanquin carrying Bà's edict is carried through the main roads of Phước Ấm hamlet to express reverence and gratitude to Bà[1].
Beyond the story of Bà, the cộ trays also re-enact major historical figures and events of the nation. Tiền Phong gives examples: a cộ tray re-enacting King Quang Trung's rout of the Qing army, a Phù Đổng Thiên Vương cộ tray with the image of Thánh Gióng on horseback, and a cộ tray re-enacting the moment of raising the victory flag on the roof of General De Castries' bunker at the Điện Biên Phủ victory[1]. To make the cộ trays, under the direction of artisans, villagers prepare all materials before Tết, each taking on a different task[1].
During the procession night, villagers prepare offerings and burn incense in prayer as Bà's palanquin passes by[1].
Festival sequence by day and session
The table below summarises the sequence from the cited sources. Dates may shift depending on the year.
| Lunar date | Session | Main content | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9th day of the first month | Day and evening | Opening, community activities, preparation of offerings | Phước Ấm hamlet, Thăng An commune |
| 10th day of the first month | Day | Ceremony at the shrine, incense offering, reading of the oration | Bà shrine, Phước Ấm hamlet |
| 11th day of the first month | Day | Main ceremony, solemn offerings in the worship space | Bà shrine, Phước Ấm hamlet |
| 11th day of the first month | Night | Procession of Bà's edict and the cộ trays along the main roads | From the Bà shrine through the hamlet roads |
| 12th day of the first month | Day | Festive part: folk games, boat racing, volleyball | Trường Giang River and residential area |
The table follows Tiền Phong's description of the 2026 festival, running from the 9th to the 12th day of the first month, together with records of the ceremony and the night procession[1].
What is in the festive part?
Besides the ritual, the festive part includes folk games, boat racing and volleyball, bringing a lively early-spring atmosphere[1]. Tiền Phong also mentions hát bộ and bài chòi singing within the festival atmosphere, tied to an old verse: "Every year on the eleventh of the first month, cộ procession, hát bộ, boat racing to give thanks"[1].
Activities such as hát bộ, bài chòi singing, lô tô and boat racing on the Trường Giang River give the festival its central Vietnamese character, where religious ritual is closely bound to community life and riverside trade[1].
In folk understanding, the festival is also an occasion for each family to send up wishes for the new year. Ms Nguyễn Thị Liễu, a trader at Chợ Được, said that each year on the festival day people go to the Bà shrine to burn incense, join the procession and pray for smooth work and good sales[1]. Ms Hồ Thị Thư of Thăng An commune said the festival is tied to local belief and serves as a spiritual support that makes life more peaceful each new year[1].
Why is the festival considered a national intangible cultural heritage?
The Rước cộ Bà Chợ Được Festival was recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage under Decision 4205/QĐ-BVHTTDL dated 19/12/2014[1]. The recognition reflects the festival's value on several levels: the worship of Bà, the ritual of processing the edict and the cộ trays, folk performance forms such as hát bộ and bài chòi, and the festival's role in binding the riverside community[1].
The festival is also seen as an activity reflecting the fertility beliefs of coastal farming people, while expressing reverence for ancestors and the wish for a peaceful, prosperous life[1]. This is an interpretation by folk-culture researchers, not the content of the ritual itself. Within the festival space, the reading of the oration takes place before the elders and villagers, and the offering ritual is performed solemnly in the worship space[1].
What should be kept in mind when learning about the festival?
First, the legend of Bà should be clearly distinguished from historical records. Details such as the name Của, the birth year 1800 and the birthplace of Phường Chào village belong to the layer of legend and local record, and should not be presented as independently verified events.
Second, the heritage recognition date (19/12/2014) should be distinguished from the certificate award date (the night of the 11th day of the first lunar month in 2015). These are two different events often merged when the festival is mentioned.
Third, on timing, Tiền Phong records the 2026 festival as running from the 9th to the 12th day of the first month, while older records usually emphasise the 11th day. When writing about the festival, both should be given to avoid the misunderstanding that it lasts exactly one day.
Fourth, activities such as the procession of Bà's edict and the cộ trays take place only at night, after the ceremony at the shrine ends. This is the distinctive feature that sets this festival apart from many daytime festivals in central Vietnam.
