This large festival is held on the 9th day of the 4th month of the lunar calendar. The date commemorates Saint Giong who defeated the An invaders. In order to show their gratitude to the hero of Giong Village who sacrificed his life to fight invaders, the people proclaimed him Saint Giong. The Giong Festival…
To get to Kiep Bac Temple from Hanoi City, take the National Highway that leads to the township of Bac Ninh (about 30 km). Then, go along National Highway No.18 that stretches from Bac Ninh to Pha Lai, and which eventually leads to Kiep Bac Temple. The Kiep Bac Temple Festival lasts from the 15th…
From time immemorial, boat racing has appeared in Vietnam. It is not only a competition but also a ritual in honour of the Water God, stemming from the act of praying for water among agricluture-based people. In some places there are only two boats in competition (in Ðào Xá, Phú Tho), a male boat with the…
The game of vieing for ball is a ritual in some festivals or a custom in others. Its names and rules can be different from locality to locality. It is an activity wishing for bumper crops of the peasants. A round wooden ball, sometimes a coconut or grapefruit must undergo the ritual of presenting to…
Both boys and girls play the game of keo cua lua xe. Two children sit opposite each other, holding each other’s hands tightly. While reciting a song, they push and pull each other’s arms and pretend as if they are sawing a piece of wood between them. They say each word as they push or…
Every year, on the 15th day of the 8th month in lunar calendar, the children throughout the country in Vietnam are given permission by their parents to march in a procession and carry their lanterns, to eat the Mid-Autumn Festival cakes and to perform the dragon (unicorn) dance, oh, how great and uproarious they…
Every year, on the 15th day of the 8th month in lunar calendar, the children throughout the country in Vietnam are given permission by their parents to march in a procession and carry their lanterns, to eat the Mid-Autumn Festival cakes and to perform the dragon (unicorn) dance, oh, how great and uproarious they…
The first day is for the ceremony to receive the great calendar. Moha Sang-Kran is considered a calendar which gives a detailed account of dates and festivals in a year and a forecast of rainfall so the villagers can foresee if they get a good or bad crop that year. On this day, at a…
Fire dancing is one of the most thrilling traditional arts performed by young men in the northern province of Ha Giang. After the last harvest at the end of the year, young boys of the Pa Then Ethnic Minority Group in Bac Quang and Quang Binh Districts in Ha Giang Province hold a fire dancing ceremony…
Two festival seasons have been held annually in Con Son Pagoda in the Chi Linh District of the northern province of Hai Duong. The spring festival season originated on the 22nd day of the first lunar month in 1334 and marks the anniversary of the death of monk Huyen Quang, one of the founders of Truc…
At the time when Bo ma, a variety of wild flower that is used as an offering of the Thai ethnic people to Then (genies), and hundreds of varieties of wild flowers are in blossom and the area of Pu Nho Kho Mountain is full of festive atmosphere, Thai people in Khong Lao Commune, Phong…
Ooc-Om-Bok Festival is a religious service that worships the moon deity of the Khmer minority group and prays for good luck, happiness, good weather and bumper crops. The festival is usually held when the dry season begins and rice are ripening on the fields. The Moon-worshiping ceremony takes place on the evening of 14th of…
Thầy Village (nowadays called as Thụy Khê Village) is located at the foot of Sài Sơn Mountain, and belongs to Quốc Oai District, Hà Nội. The mountain has a number of old pagodas the most well known of which is the Thầy Pagoda where is also worshipped Từ Đạo Hạnh, a monk of the Lý…
Cổ Loa is a commune belonging to Đông Anh, a suburban district of Hà Nội City. Starting from Hà Nội, we can reach the commune by going along Highway 1, crossing Chương Dương Bridge and then Cầu Đuống Bridge, and thereafter following Highway 3 for three kilometers. Getting there, one can see the remains of…
The festival of welcoming the Lord Whale or the cult of the Lord Whale is popular in many coastal localities from Ngang Pass to Ha Tien, Phu Quoc Island. This constitutes one of the biggest festivals of the fishermen. Different names are given to this festival: the procession of the Whale's skeleton, the ceremony of…
During the festival, goldsmiths from Ho Chi Minh City and Southern provinces gather to worship ancestor, exchange experiences as well as help each other to develop jewellery trades of the ancestral. Time: The 7th to the 9th day of the second lunar month. Place: Le Chau Congregation, 586 Tran Hung Dao, District 5, Ho Chi…
Phan Cong Hon who led the people of 18 hamlets of Betel Garden in an attack on the residence of District Chief in 1885. The death anniversary is held resembling the genie worshipping ceremony. Time: The 25th day of the second lunar month. Place: Ba Diem Commune, Hoc Mon District, Ho Chi Minh City. Objects…
"Doan Ngo Festival”, also called “Tết giết sâu bọ” (translated as Festival for “Killing the persons’ inner insects”), is the second most significant festival (to the Lunar New Year Tet Holiday) of Vietnam. What does these names mean? Literally,Tet refers to festival, Doan means the start, Ngo is the seventh animalof the Chinese zodiac- the…
“My friend, please stay here, do not return home. When doing so, you make me weep silently. The two flaps of my dress will be soaked with tears...” are the so beautiful words of a popular Quan Ho song named “Goodbye” (or “Gia ban” in Vietnamese), that makes our supposed upcoming pilgrimage to the Lim…
Every year, a large number of visitors from all over the country participate a national festival - Hung King Temple Festival - an incense offering ceremony in honor of Hung Kings, who were instrumental in the founding of the nation. Legend associated with the Hung Kings It is said that thousands of years ago,Lac Long Quan…
