Vietnamese Festivals of the first lunar month

This verse represents the unique age-old culture of an agricultural country like Vietnam. When spring comes, the leisure of the harvest time also comes. Vietnamese people long ago chose the first days of the year to gather with family, worship their ancestors and the gods of heaven and earth and go on a pilgrimage to the pagodas to pray for happiness, prosperity and luck for the whole year.
Traditional festivals bloom during this most beautiful season of the year. It gives Vietnamese the chance to return to the countryside and seek tranquility. It gives expats a chance to understand more about the culture and people.
The Daily introduces some of the major spring festivals in some of the northern provinces consulting the book “Non nuoc Viet Nam” published by the center for tourism information technology of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.
Hanoi
The culturally rich capital boasts over 100 festivals. The Dong Da Festival on the fifth day of the first lunar month (January 30) commemorates the battle of Emperor Quang Trung against the Qing dynasty. The Co Loa Festival from the sixth to the sixteenth day of the first lunar month (January 31 to February 10) at Co Loa Commune in Dong Anh District commemorates King An Duong Vuong who came to the throne in 257 BC.
The Soc Temple Festival on the seventh day of the first lunar month (February 1) commemorates Thanh Giong, one of the four immortal gods of Vietnamese folk culture. Trieu Khuc village in Tan Trieu Commune in Thanh Tri District, well-known for its flat palm hat with strings, embroidery and weaving, holds its festival from the tenth to the twelfth day of the first lunar month (February 4 to 6) to commemorate national hero Phung Hung and honor the art of weaving.
The Huong Pagoda Festival, Vietnam’s longest, lasts from the 15th day of the first lunar month (February 9) to the 15th day of the third lunar month (April 9). The Chuong Village Festival on the tenth day of the first lunar month (February 4) at Don Thu Village in Thanh Oai District honors the handicraft of hat sewing. The god Tan Vien is worshipped at Va Temple in Trung Hung Commune on the 15th day of the first lunar month.
Hai Duong
The province offers representative festivals of the Red River Delta. The Con Son Festival at Con Son Pagoda in Chi Linh District from the 18th to the 23rd day of the first lunar month honors one of the founders of the Truc Lam Zen group. The Cao Temple Festival from the 22nd to the 24th day of the first lunar month (February 16 to 18) honors 15th century national hero Nguyen Trai.
Hung Yen
The province holds the Phu Ung Festival from the 11th to the 25th day of the first lunar month in Phu Ung Village, An Thi District, to worship General Pham Ngu Lao of the 13th century Tran Dynasty.
Ha Giang
The highland province has the three to seven day spring festival of the H’Mong and Dao ethnic peoples after Tet.
Cao Bang
This province has Me Trang Festival (mother moon) of the Tay ethnic people in the Dong Khe area for ten to 15 days after Tet. Long Tong Festival for Tay and Nung ethnic peoples covers the whole first lunar month to open a new crop. Most of the province’s pagodas hold festivals for these people, especially in Hoa An District and Cao Bang Town.
Lao Cai
This highland province has the Gau Tao Festival of the H’Mong ethnic people from the 3rd to the 5th day of the first lunar month, the Long Tong Festival of the Tay people in the rice fields near their village on the 5th or 15th day of the first lunar month, and the dancing festival of the Red Dao ethnic people on the first and second days of the new year.
Lang Son
The province has the Ky Lua Festival to worship the river god at Khau Lu Cave in Dong Kinh Ward, Lang Son Town, from the 22nd to the 27th day of the first lunar month (February 16 to 21). Travelers should not miss Ky Lua Market in the center of Lang Son Town.
Bac Giang
The province has the spring festival of the San Diu and Nung ethnic peoples on the 15th day of the first lunar month.
Bac Ninh
The province has the Lim Festival, a famous folk music festival, from the 11th to the 13th day of the first lunar month.