Central Vietnam, a coastal strip bathed in sunshine and wind, is renowned not only for its stunning beaches and World Heritage sites but also as a region deeply preserving unique traditional cultural values. Among these, the traditional festivals of Central Vietnam play a vital role, serving as a vivid portrayal of the spiritual life, beliefs, and history of the local people. Every spring, the provinces and cities of Central Vietnam bustle with the festive atmosphere, from solemn and respectful rituals to lively entertainment activities, attracting a large number of visitors from all directions. Join “Du lịch khắp thế gian” (Travel Around the World) to explore the unique traditional festivals of Central Vietnam, imbued with the regional cultural identity.
Sinh Village Wrestling Festival – Thua Thien Hue
Sinh Village Wrestling Festival, one of the most famous traditional festivals in Central Vietnam, is a cultural rendezvous not to be missed every Lunar New Year in the dreamy Hue. Held on the 10th day of the first lunar month in Phu Mau commune, Phu Vang district, Thua Thien Hue province, this festival has a history of over 400 years, closely linked to the spiritual life and beliefs of the local people.
Sinh Village Wrestling Festival is not only a place for wrestlers to show their strength and skills but also an occasion for people to pray for a new year of peace and prosperity, and bountiful harvests. From early morning, the festival atmosphere is already bustling with the resounding drumbeats of the opening ceremony. The village communal house courtyard becomes a arena, where wrestlers from all over gather to compete. The matches take place extremely vibrantly and fiercely, yet still imbued with the spirit of martial arts. The goal of the wrestlers is “lam lung, trang bung,” which means to wrestle the opponent to fall “lam lung” (back muddy) on the ground and “trang bung” (white belly – completely overturned).
Not only attracting professional wrestlers, Sinh Village Wrestling Festival also extends to everyone, from young men to elderly people, creating a unique atmosphere of cultural and sports exchange. The festival not only brings moments of relaxation and entertainment after a year of hard work but also contributes to educating the younger generation about the spirit of martial arts, physical training, and courage.
Wrestling festival in Sinh village, a cultural beauty of Hue
Dong Da Festival – Binh Dinh
Coming to the land of martial arts Binh Dinh, visitors cannot miss the Dong Da Festival, one of the largest festivals in Central Vietnam, taking place on the 4th and 5th days of Lunar New Year at the Quang Trung Museum. This festival is held to commemorate the glorious Ngoc Hoi – Dong Da victory, a bright milestone in the nation’s history, under the talented leadership of King Quang Trung – Nguyen Hue.
Dong Da Festival is not only an opportunity to recall the heroic pages of the nation’s history but also a source of deep pride for the people of Tay Son martial land. The festival space is filled with a solemn and respectful atmosphere with traditional rituals such as the sacrifice ceremony and incense offering. After the ritual part, the festival part takes place extremely vibrantly with many unique cultural and sports activities, imbued with the martial arts essence of Binh Dinh.
Visitors will admire the skillful and powerful performances of Tay Son martial arts, watch boat races on the river, enjoy traditional classical opera art, and immerse themselves in the atmosphere of reenacting the historical Ngoc Hoi – Dong Da battle. Dong Da Festival not only attracts local people but also attracts visitors from all over, becoming an important cultural and tourist highlight of Binh Dinh every spring.
Vua Mai Temple Festival – Nghe An
Returning to Nghe land, the homeland of sweet folk songs, visitors should come to the Vua Mai Temple Festival, a traditional festival in Central Vietnam imbued with historical and cultural values. The festival is held on the full moon day of the first lunar month in Nam Thai commune, Nam Dan district, Nghe An province, to commemorate the heroic King Mai Hac De, who contributed to leading the people to rise up against the domination of the Tang Dynasty.
Vua Mai Temple Festival is an opportunity for the people of Nghe An to express their gratitude and admiration for the king who contributed to the country and the people. Participating in the festival, visitors will immerse themselves in the sacred and solemn space with traditional rituals such as the water procession, the light opening ceremony, and the incense offering to commemorate King Mai. Besides the solemn ritual part, the festival part also takes place jubilantly with many traditional folk games such as swinging, chicken fighting, tug of war, and ball wrestling, creating a joyful and bustling atmosphere.
In addition, the festival is also an opportunity to introduce the unique products of Nam Dan land such as Nam Dan soy sauce, cassava starch, and peanut butter, contributing to promoting local culinary culture. Vua Mai Temple Festival is not only a spiritual and cultural event but also an opportunity for exchange, community bonding, and tourism promotion of Nghe An.
Ba Thu Bon Festival – Quang Nam
Coming to Quang Nam, a land rich in cultural traditions, visitors cannot ignore the Ba Thu Bon Festival, a festival imbued with folk beliefs and the spirit of community solidarity. The festival is held on the 12th day of the second lunar month every year in Thu Bon village (Duy Tan commune, Duy Xuyen district, Quang Nam province), by the poetic Thu Bon River.
Ba Thu Bon Festival is an opportunity for the people of Quang Nam, especially the Kinh, Cham, and Co Tu ethnic communities living along the Thu Bon River, to express their reverence to the gods, pray for favorable weather, bountiful harvests, and a prosperous and happy life. The festival is imbued with folk beliefs, showing the harmony between humans and nature, and between different ethnic communities.
According to legend, Ba Thu Bon was a beautiful and talented Cham female general who made great contributions to protecting this land. When she was in a desperate situation, she threw herself into the Thu Bon River to sacrifice herself. Her body floated to the downstream area and was worshiped by the local people in a temple. Every year, on the festival day, people organize a solemn sacrifice ceremony to commemorate Ba Thu Bon, expressing their gratitude and respect for the sacred goddess. Ba Thu Bon Festival is not only a religious activity but also an opportunity to connect the community, express solidarity, and pride in local culture.
Cau Ngu Festival – South Central Coastal Provinces
For visitors who love the sea and want to explore the culture of coastal fishermen, the Cau Ngu Festival is an unmissable experience when coming to Central Vietnam. This festival, also known as the Whale Worshiping Festival, is one of the unique cultural festivals of fishermen in the South Central coastal region, stretching from Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa to Binh Thuan provinces.
Cau Ngu Festival is usually held in the first lunar month, when the sea is calm, an opportunity for fishermen to express their gratitude to Ca Ong (whale), their guardian deity at sea. Ca Ong is revered by fishermen as a savior, protecting them from storms and big waves, bringing peace and luck on every sea voyage.
Cau Ngu Festival includes solemn rituals at the Ong Temple, expressing the reverence and gratitude of fishermen to Ca Ong. Besides the ritual part, the festival part takes place vibrantly with many cultural and sports activities imbued with the characteristics of the coastal region such as boat racing, net casting, “ba trao” singing, and traditional opera performances, attracting a large number of people and tourists to participate. Cau Ngu Festival is not only a religious activity but also an opportunity for the fishing community to connect, share experiences, and pray for a new year of favorable weather, full boats of fish and shrimp, and a prosperous and happy life.
Cau Ngu festival – cultural highlights of the coastal residents
Conclusion
Traditional festivals in Central Vietnam are precious gems in the treasure of Vietnamese culture, not only bearing historical and religious values but also unique cultural tourism products, attracting visitors from all directions. Each festival is a story, a unique cultural beauty, contributing to enriching and diversifying the cultural picture of Central Vietnam. Come and experience the bustling festival atmosphere, explore the unique traditional cultural values to deeply feel the beauty of Central Vietnam.