On the morning of February 1, 2025 (the fourth day of the Lunar New Year), the Lac Thuy district People’s Committee hosted the opening of the Tien pagoda festival. Attending the event were alternate member of the Party Central Committee and Secretary of the Hoa Binh provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Phi Long, permanent Vice Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial People’s Commtitee Bui Duc Hinh.
Provincial, district leaders and
delegates offer incense at 2025 Tien pagoda festival in Lac Thuy district.
Vice Secretary of the district Party Committee and Chairman of the
district People’s Committee Nguyen Van Hai beats the drum to kick off 2025 Tien
pagoda festival.
A palanquin procession at the opening ceremony.
A lion and dragon dance performance at the opening ceremony.
At the heart of the festival lies the Tien Pagoda Cave Complex, a national
relic site recognised in 2011 with 21 distinct historical, cultural, scenic and
archaeological sites, each holding unique historical and cultural significance.
In 2025, the festival continues at the provincial level, spanning from January
31- February 2 with an array of cultural, sports, and folk activities, along
with traditional art performances such as lion and dragon dances, worship of
Mother Goddesses of ThreeRealms at Trinh and Mau temples and Tien pagoda,
and folk musical instrument playing, Muong gong, folk and Chau Van singing.
A music show at the opening of Tien pagoda festival in Lac Thuy district.
Visitors enjoy bamboo pole dancing and watching lion dance performances
at the festival.
Visitors take a ride on the cable car at Tien pagoda.
Sport activities draw a large number of locals and tourists to watch and
cheer.
The annual festival aims to instill a deep sense of patriotism, national pride,
and love for the homeland among all social classes, especially the youth. This
year, the newly operational Huong Binh cable car project offers a scenic
connection between Tien, Huong and Tam Chuc pagodas, significantly reducing
travel time for locals and tourists alike.
Through various festivities, residents and visitors can deeply appreciate the
strong influence of traditional cultural values in spiritual life, fostering a
positive mindset at the outset of the new year. The festival also encourages
people of all backgrounds to enthusiastically engage in labour, production and
studies to achieve 2025 socio-economic development goals, contributing to
realising the Resolution of the 17th provincial Party Congress and the 25th
district Party Congress.
In many major cultural events in Hanoi, the sound of the Muong people's gongs has become a special tone, contributing to the unique harmony that praises the cultural values accumulated over thousands of years along with the sacred soul of the capital city.
On the first day back to work and school after the Lunar New Year holiday, thousands of female officials, civil servants, and students from grade nine and above in Lac Son district proudly wore the traditional Muong attire. The vibrant brocade patterns created a striking cultural display, reinforcing the community's commitment to preserving and promoting their heritage.
The provincial-level Khai Ha festival 2025 of the Muong ethnic minority group took place at Phong Phu commune’s stadium in Tan Lac district of Hoa Binh province on the morning of February 5 (the 8th day of the first lunar month of the Year of the Snake).
"Xuong Dong” (going to the field) festival opened in Yen Phu commune of Hoa Binh’s Lac Son district on February 5, or the eighth day of the Year of the Snake, drawing thousands of locals and visitors to partake in a variety of activities.
When spring comes, festivals are held in villages in all four Muong areas, namely Bi, Vang, Thanh, and Dong in Hoa Binh provinces. Along with the preservation and restoration of festivals, many unique rituals in the festivals are recreated, which attract a lot of local residents and tourists.
Residents in Mai Chau district’s Pa Co commune have boldly restored and developed some traditional occupations, such as flax growing, weaving, indigo dyeing, and beeswax painting, contributing to not only preserving cultural values, but also promoting economic development in ethnic minority inhabited-areas.