Dao Xa village festival in Tam Thanh (Vinh Phu), Dao Xa communal house, built in 1671 during the Le dynasty, is dedicated to Hoang Hai Cong…
Dao Xa Village Festival
Dao Xa village festival in Tam Thanh (Vinh Phu), Dao Xa communal house, built in 1671 during the Le dynasty, is dedicated to Hoang Hai Cong, a warrior of King Hung. The festival takes place on the 9th and 10th days of the 7th lunar month. At midnight on the 10th day, people compete in a boat race on Dao Xa lake, commemorating the miraculous 6th – century intervention of national liberator Ly Bon (Ly Bon. the future King Ly Nam De, saw in Dao Xa village two royal boats coming together with the Genie of waters to help him).
Special sampans of Dao Xa are painted black except for the dragon-shaped prow and the poop (shrimp tail shaped) which are lacquered in red and trimmed with gold. The race is between two sampans: the male has a bird-shaped prow and the female a fish-shaped prow. Mention should be made of the Xuan Nguu dance, which is performed on the 5th day of the 1st lunar month. The elephant dance, the procession of the genie’s palanquin and numerous forms of popular entertainment (i.e. traditional wrestling, human chess, and classical and popular theatres tuong and cheo).
