The seventh annual ploughing festival to bring a year of favourableweather and a bumper crop season took place on February 25 at Doi Soncommune, Duy Tien district in the Red River Delta province of Ha Nam.
The three-day festival consists of a ceremony andfestival activities. The ceremony includes the procession of a hugedrum and King Le Dai Hanh’s ancestral tablet from Long Doi Son Pagoda tothe foot of the Doi Mountain to merge with the processions of thevillage’s guardian god and the father of Doi Tam drum-making.
The joint procession proceeds to the land King Le Dai Hanh ploughedand is followed by a ceremony paying respect to the God of Agricultureto pray for a high-yield season, strong development and prosperity.
A respected older farmer then represents the King ascending theplatform to pray to the God. The old farmer will dress himself with anine-dragon hat and royal robe and descend to the field and plough,which is pulled by a buffalo. He is followed by a crowd spreading greenpea, peanut, and rice seeds.
After the farmer finishes his work, the officials and other old farmers perform the ploughing ritual.
Legend has it that in the year of 987 King Le Dai Hanh came to thefoot of the Doi Mountain to hold the first ploughing ceremony. Thefestival has since then become a tradition held through many dynastiesbefore it disappeared.
The tradition was restored in 2007.-VNA
The three-day festival consists of a ceremony andfestival activities. The ceremony includes the procession of a hugedrum and King Le Dai Hanh’s ancestral tablet from Long Doi Son Pagoda tothe foot of the Doi Mountain to merge with the processions of thevillage’s guardian god and the father of Doi Tam drum-making.
The joint procession proceeds to the land King Le Dai Hanh ploughedand is followed by a ceremony paying respect to the God of Agricultureto pray for a high-yield season, strong development and prosperity.
A respected older farmer then represents the King ascending theplatform to pray to the God. The old farmer will dress himself with anine-dragon hat and royal robe and descend to the field and plough,which is pulled by a buffalo. He is followed by a crowd spreading greenpea, peanut, and rice seeds.
After the farmer finishes his work, the officials and other old farmers perform the ploughing ritual.
Legend has it that in the year of 987 King Le Dai Hanh came to thefoot of the Doi Mountain to hold the first ploughing ceremony. Thefestival has since then become a tradition held through many dynastiesbefore it disappeared.
The tradition was restored in 2007.-VNA
