The Ban Soc is the ancient calendar distribution ceremony of the Nguyen Dynasty, held periodically at the end of the lunar year, and held really on a large scale at the beginning of the Minh Mang Dynasty. This is a unique culture in the Nguyen Dynasty.

The Ban Soc ceremony under the Nguyen Dynasty is associated with the compilation, printing of calendars and giving the whole country in the Nguyen Dynasty has a very practical meaning for our country, especially for daily field work, associated with the agricultural economy in the past. 
 

Ban Soc festival was an important ceremony in the Nguyen Dynasty, considered by the Nguyen kings as one of the major festivals of the year. The Dai Nam Thuc Luc Book records, from the early years of Gia Long, the Minh Mang era, already had the Ban Soc Ceremony. In 1821, “In December, on the first day of the month, the king was in plain clothes in the palace in front of the gate. Kham Thien Giam brought up the calendar of the year of the horse (...) and instructed the capital on that day to set up a court at Thai Hoa palace, the eldest prince and the mandarins to worship, and then take the calendar and distribute them to the outside. " Kings such as Minh Mang, Thieu Tri, Tu Duc all composed poetry about Ban Soc Ceremony.

The Ban Soc ceremony was previously held in the Thai Hoa Palace courtyard. However, beginning in the new year of the ox in 1841, the Ban Soc ceremony was for the first time decreed by Emperor Minh Mang at Ngo Mon, because the granting of the calendar was not only for the court to use but was given to the people and to differ from other dynastic rituals held at Thai Hoa palace.

In the book of Kham Dinh Dai Nam recorded, King Minh Mang said: "Ban Soc Ceremony is different from the three big periods. From now on, we will celebrate the Ban Soc Ceremony at Ngo Mon Gate. ”

The ancient Vietnamese people took the agricultural economy as a priority, so the calendar for people's life has a very special meaning. View the calendar to keep track of the time, weather and farming. View the calendar to know the weather changes to respond and prevent natural disasters. 

Every year, after the Kham Thien Giam completed the calendar, the Nguyen court held a Ban Soc ceremony under the management of two officials at Bo Le (Ministry of Rites) and Kham Thien Giam. The calendar was offered to the Imperial Palace for royal use, and at the same time was distributed to officials in Hue Citadel, and localities and redistributed among the people. As a rule, from February of the lunar calendar, Kham Thien Giam has started to calculate to make a calendar for the coming year.

In May, the draft will be completed. Kham Thien Giam will directly print and distribute calendars in the Capital and the southern provinces to Khanh Hoa, north to Thanh Hoa. The provinces of Ninh Binh and Binh Thuan will be in charge of printing and issuing calendars. There is also a period when local officials only receive sample calendars and organize printing for people in provinces and cities in the following time. The calendar template was provided by Kham Thien Giam, after printing is completed, Kham Thien Giam will review it to be allocated and distributed. After the provincial officials received the calendars, these officials were responsible for organizing the meetings of the district officials to receive the calendars to distribute to the people.

After 180 years, also in the year of the Ox, the Ban Soc Ceremony on that day was reenacted in the form of theatricalization with the ancient rituals and solemnity. The reenactment of the Ban Soc Ceremony is a reenactment of the spirit of the ancient people and an opportunity for visitors and Hue people to experience the ancient heritage of Hue on the first day of the new year.