An ancient form of tug of war is still organised at the Tran Vu Temple Festival on the third day of the third lunar month in Thach Ban ward, Long Bien district, Hanoi.
Two competing teams pull some bamboo, which runs through a hole on
a big wooden pillar. The pillar stands firmly on the ground. The athletes lean
their feet against wooden pillar to have more power to pull the bamboo back
toward their team's side. (Photo: VNA)
Legend has it that during a serious drought, only one of 12 wells
in Ngọc Tri village still contained water.
Men from Cho hamlet went to collect water from the well but were stopped by men
from Dia hamlet. At that time they used bamboo twine to carry the water home.
When a fight for the precious resource broke out, both sides were afraid of
spilling the water, so they sat down and battled to pull the water from each
other, some even clinging on to the buckets for dear life.
When the drought was over, elders in the village initiated the game as a
reflection of the fight at the village festival in order to wish for a better
weather, a bumper crop and a prosperous life.
The event has been recognised as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by
UNESCO.
The festival at Tran Vu Temple includes a ceremony and the tug of war to
express locals’ respect for the gods and their desire for a peaceful life.
Source: VNA
Hoa Binh province has carried out multiple programmes and initiatives to revive its cultural heritage which has gradually fallen into oblivion through the ebbs and flows of history.
The most prominent and defining feature in the prehistoric era of Hoa Binh is the Hoa Binh Culture. The Culture was first discovered in Hoa Binh. The significant prehistoric culture represents not only Vietnam but also Southeast Asia and southern China. Through excavations of cave sites in the limestone regions of Hoa Binh, French archaeologist M. Colani introduced the world to a "Stone Age in Hoa Binh province – Northern Vietnam" in 1927. On January 30, 1932, the First Congress of Far Eastern Prehistorians, held in Hanoi, officially recognised the Hoa Binh Culture.
Known as the "Land of Epic History”, Hoa Binh province, the gateway to Vietnam’s northwest, boasts a strategic location and a unique cultural tapestry woven by its ethnic minority communities.
The People's Committee of Luong Son District recently held a ceremony to receive the certificate recognizing Sau Communal House in Thanh Cao Commune as a provincial-level historical and cultural site.
Recognising the importance of cultural heritage preservation in protecting and promoting the value system of Vietnamese culture, and serving socio-economic development in the new period, Party committees and local administrations in Hoa Binh province have identified it as a key task in the cultural development strategy. The province has been making efforts in mobilising resources, creating consensus among people and engaging ethnic communities in preserving and promoting cultural identity.
Hoa Binh province has captured growing attention both domestically and internationally for its distinctive cultural heritage and rich history. Most notably, it has been renowned for its famous Hoa Binh culture, considered the cradle of ancient Vietnamese civilisation. Looking ahead to significant milestones in 2025 and the 140th anniversary of province establishment in 2026, Hoa Binh Newspaper presents a comprehensive overview of the province's development across economic, social, cultural, tourism, and security domains.
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