In Pictures: Ha Nam’s festival recreates image of King ploughing
The traditional Doi Son Tich Dien (ploughing) Festival 2024 officially opened in Tien Son Commune, Duy Tien Provincial Town, Ha Nam Province, on February 16 (the seventh day of the first lunar month), attracting a large number of locals and visitors.
The traditional Doi Son Ploughing Festival takes place in the fields of Doi Tam Village, Duy Tien Provincial Town, Ha Nam Province on February 16.
The festival is a ceremony of the King ploughing to encourage people to take care of farming and agricultural development. In the spring of 987 during the Le Dynasty, King Le Dai Hanh decided to plough a field in Doi Son Commune and found a golden jar.
The festival includes the procession of a huge drum and memorial tablet of King Le Dai Hanh.The procession then proceeds to the field where the king ploughed.
Opening the festival, Doi Tam villagers perform a drum and dragon dance, praying for a high-yield season and prosperity.
The unique dragon dance performance at Doi Son Ploughing Festival.
The delegates perform spiritual rituals at the festival.
After that, an old man with a noble and respectful demeanor, good health and experience in ploughing fields, who is also a member of a cultured family, was chosen to perform rituals paying homage to King Le Dai Hanh.
Then the person, who plays the role of King Le Dai Hanh, dresses in imperial robe (with dragon design) and mask will go to the fields to plough.
Young men and women sow the first seeds following the ploughing plots of King Le Dai Hanh.
The King will carry out three ploughing lines with the hope for a year of favourable weather, good harvests, and prosperity.
