Charm seekers faint at chaotic Tran Temple fest

Photo: Tuoi Tre

A not so charming scene occurred yesterday evening at the Tran Temple Festival held in the northern province of Nam Dinh when dozens fainted after jostling and elbowing one another to lay their hands on a lucky talisman being sold there.

Traditionally thought to bring good luck, the yellow charms are officially priced at VND20,000 (US$1) each but since many could not reach the sale points, the amulets were sold 10 times more expensive by scalpers.

Charms were in so high a demand that the festival’s management board sent more employees to sell them but still could not meet pilgrims’ needs.

Although the festival officially opened at 11:00 pm yesterday, nearby roads were flooded much earlier.

From 20:00 pm, police set up barriers to prevent tourists from elbowing one another to reach the amulets but this proved fruitless.

Some extremists shouted and climbed over the barriers.

The packed, frenzied atmosphere caused dozens to faint, mostly elderly people and women.

The Tran Temple Festival is held annually on the death anniversary of General Tran Hung Dao, falling on 15th day of the first lunar month.

It takes place at the historical site of the Tran Dynasty at the outskirts of Nam Dinh.

The festival features solemn rituals, such as palanquin procession, and traditional cultural activities.

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Love duets tune up

BAC NINH – A love duet singing festival kicks off today in the northern province of Bac Ninh.

The two-day festival will gather dozens of amateur and professional love duet (quan ho) singers at communes of Noi Due, Lien Bao and Lim Town.

The singing would be in a-cappella style (without musical instruments) which was the local style of love duets, People's Committee deputy chairman Nguyen Huu Manh said.

The entertainment would take place in six tents scattered throughout the area and on boats, temples and the homes of 10 local love duet artists.

Folk games such as traditional swinging, wrestling, hide and seek and card games also will be organised.

The festival activities and venues had been widely publicised in a leaflet campaign, Manh said.

The art of love duets was inscribed in the UNESCO's representative list of intangible cultural heritage in September, 2009.

The art is also performed in other festivals in the province such as the O Village festival (on the lunar 4th and 5th of the first month) in Xuan O Village; the Nhoi Village Festival (lunar 7th of the first month); the Diem Village Festival (lunar 5th to 7th of the first month) in Yen Phong District; the Dinh Bang Village Festival (lunar 12nd to 16th of the second month) in Tu Son District. – VNS

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City honours participants in HCM City's Tet festival

HCM CITY — The Saigontourist Holding Company yesterday organised a closing ceremony for Nguyen Hue Flower Street which opened during the Tet (Lunar New Year) Festival.

The city People's Committee commended the active participation of 48 organisations and 78 individuals in the 2011 Tet Festival.

An estimated of 1 million people visited Nguyen Hue Flower Street during Tet.

The main sponsor for this section, Kinh Do Company, contributed VND500 million (US$25,000) to the Sponsoring Association for Poor Patients.

The organiser also collected VND68 million ($3,400) of coins from the Wishing Pond that were sent to the association.

Hue kicks off eight-day New Year festival

HCM CITY — Thua Thien-Hue Province authorities on Thursday kicked off an eight-day annual festival celebrating the New Year at Huyen Tran Temple in Hue City.

The temple worships both Princess Huyen Tran, who is considered the founder of Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Tri and Quang Nam provinces, and her father, King Tran Nhan Tong (1258-1308).

The first event of the festival was a prayer and ritual ceremony conducted by Buddhist monks to pray for peace and prosperity in the new year. Leaders and residents of Thua Thien-Hue and Quang Tri lit incense sticks during the ceremony.

The festivities include lanterns, traditional prayers for good luck, folklore performances, handicraft exhibitions and a vegetarian food festival.

The festival ends on February 17.

Hoi An students to learn Japanese in pilot plan

QUANG NAM — The central province of Quang Nam on Thursday started a pilot programme to teach Japanese language at the primary and junior-high school levels.

The lessons are being taught in one third-grade class at Luong The Vinh primary school and two sixth-grade classes at Kim Dong junior high school in Hoi An.

The programme's organisers are Hoi An City People's Committee and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the Human Resources Institute (HRI) Viet Nam.

Japanese teachers from HRI Viet Nam are in charge of helping the students get acquainted with Japanese language and culture through interactive activities.

Nakamura Kouji, a teacher at Kim Dong School, said: "I started to discover a big world outside Japan when I first made contact with foreigners."

"I hope that Vietnamese students like the subject and realise it is a way for them to know more about the country, people and culture of Japan," Nakamura added.

Since the 17th century, Hoi An has a longstanding history of commercial exchanges with Japan. Many relics of Japan can be found in Hoi An. — VNS

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When fishermen have a whale of a time

Having a coastline of 3,260 km means for Vietnam the sea is intimately connected with its economy, culture, and history and has had a major influence on them.

Not surprisingly, fishing communities have traditionally celebrated festivals throughout the year, mostly to revere nature and invoke its blessings.

With the New Year just past, the celebrations reach a crescendo as people pray for a lucky year, good weather, good catches, and just good luck.

As an old Vietnamese saying has it, the first month of a year is for making merry.

Traveling south from Quang Ninh through 22 provinces, one can witness festivals one after another.

In Phan Thiet, for hundreds of years a boat race dressed in splendid costumes has taken place on the Ca Ty River on the second day of the New Year.

Local coracles also join in and compete for the prize.

City dwellers flock to the river banks, which are a splash of red due to team flags, and cheer the teams.

As the race began, a spectator managed to shout to us amid the clamor of the excited crowds: “Yeah it is a yearly tradition we are all proud of. It symbolizes our strength and determination versus the power of nature.”

More solemn but no less important is the Nghinh Ong Festival (Welcome the Guardian), the most widely celebrated festival from Quang Binh Province down, each place with its own version of it.

The festival is closely connected with locals’ practice of worshipping whales which are believed to guard fishermen at sea.

Tales of fishermen protected from sharks or brought ashore after their boats were wrecked have been handed down through generations and retold time and again to pay tribute to the huge mammals.

No matter how far they are out at sea, fishermen always make it back home in time to attend what is the year’s biggest festival for them.

 

In Ho Chi Minh City, the Nghinh Ong Festival celebrated in Can Gio District features a procession towards the sea from a temple where the whale is worshipped.

Along its route, fishermen and their families make votive offerings and burn incense to pray for a year of good catches and blessings.

“We fishermen never use his real name, but refer to him as ‘Mr’ to show our respect and gratitude,” one local whispered amid the solemn atmosphere as the procession passed.

The procession then climbs aboard the main golden dragon boat which is escorted by groups of flamboyantly decorated fishing boats.

Offerings presented, the flotilla returns to shore where groups of lion and dragon dancers formally welcome the spirit of the sacred guardian back to the temple.

The festival then turns lively with traditional singing and dancing and theatrical and sports performances in which fishermen and other locals eagerly participate.

After a year of hard and dangerous work at sea, the fishermen deservedly let their hair down.

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January, a month of festivals and feasts

Vietnam celebrates more than 9,000 local and national festivals that can be categorized as folk, historical-revolutionary, religious, foreign-origin, and cultural-sport-tourist.

They mostly have their origins in the north, according to cultural scholars.

The first lunar month is a “month of festivals and feasts,” according to an old saying.

The New Year marks the arrival of spring according to the Chinese and Vietnamese calendars, and people are eager to visit historical sites and temples and pagodas, go sightseeing, and participate in festivals.

Many of the festivals are aimed at invoking patriotism and solidarity among people and act as platforms to preserve and pass down the nation’s culture to future generations.

Some commemorate national heroes. The Dong Da festival in the north, for instance, pays homage to King Quang Trung’s glorious feat of arms against 29,000 Qing invaders from China in 1789.

Festivals in the 1st lunar month - Saint Giong Festival in Phu Linh Commune, Hanoi, 6th to 8th. - Tich Dien Festival on Doi mountain, the northern Ha Nam Province, 5–7. - Huong Pagoda Festival, Hanoi, starts on the 6th and goes on for three months. - Gia La night-festival in Duong Noi Commune, Hanoi, 6-14. - Sai Temple Festival in Thuy Lam Commune, Hanoi, 12. - Tu Xa Festival in Tu Xa Commune, Lam Thao District, Phu Tho Province, 11 and 12. - Lim Festival in Lim town, Bac Ninh Province, 13. - Co Loa Festival in Dong Anh District, Hanoi, 6-15. - Ba Chua Kho (Queen Kho) Temple Festival in Co Me village, Bac Ninh, 14. - Va Temple Festival in Trung Hung Commune, Hanoi, 15. - Tam Thanh pagoda festival in the northern city of Lang Son, 15. - Long Tong Festival in Cao Bang Province on the China border, 6-15. - Vieng Market Festival in Kim Thai Commune, Vu Ban District, Nam Dinh, 8

Dong Da Fest

Co Loa Fest

Many of the festivals feature traditional sporting events -- like crossbow shooting and wrestling at the Co Loa Festival in Hanoi’s Dong Anh District, fighting, wrestling, and running at the Vi Khe Flower Festival in Nam Dinh Province and the Buffalo Stabbing Festival in Mo Hra village in the Central Highlands.

Buffalo Stabbing Fest

They also showcase traditions like singing love duets, weaving fabric, and many others.

In the south, most festivals are meant to worship ancestors and deities and seek their protection and blessings for prosperity. Like the festival on Ba Den Mountain in Tay Ninh province during spring which people attend to pray for a year of prosperity and success.

Ba Den pagoda

The southern celebrations also often feature ornamental flowers and trees grown by traditional trade villages.

Ethnic peoples usually have spectacular festivals -- like the Tay and Nung’s Long Tong and the Hmong’s Sac Bua in the northwestern region and the Kho Me’s Lunar New Year celebrations in the south.

Long Tong Fest

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Festivals honour rice, heroes and pilgrims

Party time: The opening day of the Huong Pagoda Festival, one of the major festivals in Viet Nam. — VNA/VNS Photo Quoc Khanh Light it up: Thousands join a procession during the firecracker festival in Dong Ky Village in Bac Ninh Province on Sunday. — VNA/VNS Photo Hoang Hung

HA NOI — A three-day festival commemorating mythical Vietnamese hero Saint Giong began in Ha Noi yesterday.

The annual event at Soc Temple is one of several festivals in the north to honour of Saint Giong, a legendary hero who is said to have defeated an army of foreign invaders.

Participants at the Soc Temple festivities took part in offerings to the saint, the moc duc ceremony, symbolising a cleansing process for the temple, and the bamboo procession, which celebrates Saint Giong's martial arts skills with a bamboo weapon used to defeat the invaders.

According to legend, Saint Giong was only three years old when the country was invaded by northern troops. When the infant Giong heard an official from the royal court calling for skilled warriors to defend the motherland, he magically grew in stature.

Last year, the Saint Giong festival was recognised by UNESCO as an example of the world's intangible heritage that should be preserved. It's one of several major festivals across the country during the onset of spring.

Other major festivals include the Huong Pagoda festival, which also started yesterday and features the largest annual pilgrimage of Vietnamese Buddhists.

Pilgrims from across the country flock to the Huong Son Pagoda, in Ha Noi's My Duc District, around 60km west of the city's centre, on the 6th day of the first month of the new lunar year.

The pagoda, built at the end of 17th century, is situated in an area of several important temples dedicated to local saints and agricultural gods on a banks of the Day River.

It is estimated that about 50,000 visitors attended the opening day of this year's festival, which lasts till the end of the third month of the lunar year (end of April). Last year, the number of pilgrims reached 1.3 million.

My Duc District People's Committee chairman Le Van Sang said the local authority had planned a safer and more bustling festival this year. Shops, advertisement banners and food stalls would be strictly controlled to offer the best service to visitors.

Environmental protection would also be enhanced by the pagoda's management board, which planned to process rubbish according to guidelines issued by the Ha Noi Natural Resources and Environment Department.

In other festivals across the north, people in Ha Nam Province begin celebrating the Tich dien (ploughing the rice field) festival today. The three-day festival commemorates the day King Le Dai Hanh ploughed a field to promote farming during the 10th century.

Provincial leaders will join farmers at the plough to open the festival today. Since this year, the festival will be organised annually and upgraded into a national-level event with participation from State leaders every five years.

"The Tich dien festival was a time when leaders of the nation was closer to the people," said Tran Quoc Hung, director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

"The noble tradition should be maintained."

Tens of thousands of visitors also converged on Dong Ky Village, Tu Son Town in the northern province of Bac Ninh, on Sunday in the traditional firecracker festival.

Four respected elders from each of the four hamlets in the village were selected to perform rituals and pray for good weather, bumper crops and prosperity.

The festival, which is organised on the fourth day of the first lunar month and lasts for three days, honours General Thien Cuong, who recruited young villagers to fire on the enemy and was later considered the tutelary god of the village.

Wrestling fest revives

Hundreds of tourists and local residents witnessed an annual traditional wrestling competition held in the central Thua Thien-Hue Province yesterday.

Scores of wrestlers from Thua Thien-Hue and Quang Tri provinces took part in the event held in Thu Le Village in Quang Dien District.

The Thu Le Wrestling Festival, begun by local residents more than 100 years ago, was revived recently after disappearing during the war.

The event will be followed by other festivities like the Princess Huyen Tran Festival in Huong Thuy District on February 11, the Sinh Village Wrestling Competition in Quang Dien District ûon February 12, and the Fish Praying Festival in Phu Vang District on February 14. — VNS

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Ho Chi Minh City bookworms rummage festival

Parents take their children to search for books during the book road festival

Around 150,000 people visited the first-ever Book Road Festival organized in Ho Chi Minh City from January 31 to February 6 during the Lunar New Year.

Located on Mac Thi Buoi, a side street connecting Dong Khoi with the heavy-trafficked Nguyen Hue flower road in District 1, it was filled with people from morning until late at night.

A Q&A session with four writers Do Thi Thanh Binh, Le Thi Kim, Bui Chi Vinh, and Pham Sy Sau on Sunday morning attracted a large audience, some of whom stayed longer than expected to get a chance to talk to the famous writers.

The festival also provided a special area for children to read books and color drawings, which proved a huge attraction with kids.

People looking for rare books published before the Renovation period could exchange or buy them at a stall put up by the city’s General Science Library, some for merely VND10,000 (50 US cents).

“At first, we did not think we would be able to sell many books during Tet but it turned out people in HCMC bought a lot,” said Tu Ha, a cashier for a bookstall at the event.

“Books on Buddhism, culture, and philosophy; works by famous authors like Tran Dan and To Hoai; and translated items by well-known publishers like Nha Nam, Tri Thuc, and Dong A, were in great demand.”

Fahasa, the biggest book distributor in the country, reported sales worth VND500 million (US$ 25,500) during the week.

“This is a success [at the festival in the city with population of 8 million]. Next year perhaps we can seek a larger area, a larger street to organize the festival,” Le Manh Ha, director of the city’s Information and Communication Department, said.

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Huong Pagoda festival kicks off

HA NOI - The biggest annual pilgrimage festival kicks off today – the 6th day of the first lunar new year – at the Huong Son Huong Pagoda, in My Duc District, around 60km west of the Ha Noi central business district.

The relic site, built at the end of 17th century, also consists of dozens of pagodas dedicated to Buddha, and various temples dedicated to local saints and agricultural gods on a bank of the Day River.

It is estimated that about 50,000 tourists would visit the relic this year. The festival lasts till the end of the third month of the lunar year (the end of April).

My Duc District's People's Committee Chairman Le Van Sang said the local authority had planned a safer and more bustling festival this year. Shops, advertisement banners and food shops would be strictly controlled to offer the best service to tourists.

Environmental protection also would be enhanced by the relic management board which planned to process rubbish following guidance by the Ha Noi Natural Resources and Environment Department. - VNS

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Festival for farmer king

Kickin' it: During the festival a number of games were played to celebrate the martial spirit. — VNA/VNS Photo Phuong Hoa: During the festival a number of games were played to celebrate the martial spirit. — VNA/VNS Photo Phuong Hoa

HA NOI — Thousands of visitors flocked to Dong Da Hill in Ha Noi yesterday to celebrate the 222nd anniversary of the Ngoc Hoi – Dong Da Victory.

The Dong Da festival takes place annually on the 5th day of the lunar first month. It is a festival organised in memory of King Quang Trung's great military victory.

Many new activities were included in this year's festivities. "The traditions of placing offerings, dragon dance and palanquin procession have been brushed up and given a new face," said Nguyen Thi Kim Anh, director of Dong Da Culture Park.

Performers from the Ha Noi traditional opera recreated the heroic story of King Quang Trung and his troops defeating invaders on the hill in 1789.

Quang Trung, a Tay Son farmer who later became a national hero, defeated more than 200,000 soldiers of the invading Qing army. Dong Da Hill became known as one of the nation's most glorious historical sites.

In the early morning of the festival, a procession for the historical event's celebration commenced at Khuong Thuong and ended at Dong Da Hill. The procession included flags, a processional parasol, palanquins in a variety of colours, and the sounds of gongs and drums.

During the festival a number of games were played to represent the martial spirit. Among them, the procession of Thang Long dragon was considered by many as the most original.

"The festival has become an essential part of the capital's culture. It's a way for people to remind themselves of the historical event and open the eyes of young people," said Tran Duc Hoc, chairman of Dong Da District People's Committee.

Authorities in the central province of Binh Dinh's Tay Son District – King Quang Trung's (Nguyen Hue) homeland – also attended the ceremony and gave speeches recalling the historic battle. — VNS

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Thousands gather for Dong Da fest

Thousands flocked to the Dong Da festival in Hanoi, aimed at marking the 222nd anniversary of the Ngoc Hoi-Dong Da victory.

This year’s fest will feature thurification and palanquin rituals with the participation of delegations from the capital’s districts of Thanh Tri and Thuong Tin and from Binh Dinh province.

The event is to commemorate the glorious feat of arms led by King Quang Trung (Nguyen Hue) against 29,000 Qing invaders in 1789.

The highlight of the program will see artists from Hanoi Traditional Opera Theatre performing an extract from the “Ngoc Han Cong Chua” play from which audience will have a chance to learn about the love between national hero Quang Trung and princess Ngoc Han.

Plays and dances re-enacting the victory will also be performed at the festival.

A series of art performances and traditional games such as dragon and gong dances, martial arts and human chess will also take place at the festival.

The victory of Ngoc Hoi-Dong Da went down in the nation’s history as an immortal epic of the struggle for national construction and defence.

The Dong Da Festival takes place annually on the 5th day of the Lunar New Year (Tet).

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Thousands flock to flower festival

The 2011 Spring Flower Festival in Tao Dan park

Photo: VNA

Thousands of people in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi began visiting the annual spring flower festival that opened Wednesday.

A Spring Flower and Drinks Fair which opened in Hanoi will see some last-minute politicking for the selection of Vietnam 's national flower.

The fair will also feature a photo exhibition by HCMC-based photographer Tran Bich dedicated to the lotus, a leading candidate for designation as the national flower.

Bich is dedicated to photographing the lotus, and his images capture the many shapes of the lotus, from bud to faded flower.

Orchids, peach and ochna blossoms are also in contention for the title of national flower, however.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will gather votes on the national flower, national costume and national wine during the festival, and the national flower will be announced on January 28 at the Vietnam Lotus Spirit Gala.

At the Lotus Spirit Gala, artisans from Hanoi, Hue and HCMC will create crafts and artworks celebrating the lotus, including lotus lanterns and sculpture and silk lotus.

"We have used many materials to celebrate the lotus," said Hanoi-based artist Nguyen Manh Hung. "Since it's not the season of the lotus in the north now, we have received fresh lotus from the southern province of Dong Thap ."

The competition to select the national costume hasn't gone as smoothly.

"The ao dai is already the national costume for women, but it's difficult to choose the national costume for men," said Vi Kien Thanh, chief of the ministry's art, photography and exhibitions department.

Meanwhile, the selection of a national wine plan is still in the survey stage, Thanh said.

Over the past three years, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Vietmam Alcohol, Beer and Beverage Association have nominated ruou can (wine drunk from a jar), rice wine, coconut wine and apricot wine for the honour.

The Spring Flowers and Drinks Festival will continue through January 30 at the Culture and Art Centre at 2 Hoa Lu street .

The fair will exhibit and offer prizes for wines and spirits made by both traditional and modern methods, offer opportunities to sample wines, tea and coffee, and will feature performances, folk games, an ao dai (traditional long dress) fashion show, and calligraphy exhibition, as well as recreate customs such as the Kitchen Gods Festival. At least 50 enterprises will also display products for Tet, including decorations and ornamental trees.

Ha Giang province will take the spotlight, recreating a provincial market day with local specialities, cuisine and festivities of the province's ethnic people, including pan-pipe dance and folk duets.

The week-long event, which will last until February 1, a day ahead of the Lunar New Year, displays the beauty of Vietnamese flora in Phu My Hung Residential Area, HCMC.

This festival hopes to attract around 500 booths, displaying all kinds of flowers, plants, birds, fish, ceramics and calligraphy.

This year's flower festival in HCM City is expected to attract thousands visitors with a rich assortment of blossoms.

The Phu My Hung Spring Flower Festival 2011 features a contest of special Vietnamese flowers and ornamental trees, called Hoa Dong Co Noi (Flower of Countryside).

Nguyen Thien Tich, vice chairman of the municipal Association of Orchids and Ornamental Trees, said, "It's a chance for everyone to explore the abundant flora in the country."

The country has more than 12,000 flowers and other kinds of plants.

Along with the contests, the week-long festival will include other activities such as a ceremony to release flowers and garlands, and floating lanterns on Ban Nguyet Lake .

The lake will be decorated with giant lotus flowers, which will be lit for photo opportunities.

Different festival areas include Cat Square with flowers arranged in the shapes of cats, the ochna, apricot and peach blossom section, 12 animal designations of the lunar calendar and the legend about the man, Mai An Tiem, who discovered the watermelon.

There will be music shows at the festival every night until the evening of February 1.

The festival, co-organised by Phu My Hung Joint Venture Company and HCMC Ornamental Creature Association, expects to attract more than 500 enterprises displaying flowers, fruit and Tet (Lunar New Year) products.

Last year, more than 500,000 visitors visited the flower festival held in the residential area.

The majority of these products were produced in the city and outlying areas.

Also on Jan.26, 30 flower markets opened around the city to welcome city dwellers shopping to decorate their houses during the New Year's days.

Flower exhibitions will be held at major parks like Gia Dinh, Le Van Tam and September 23. Ochna, kumquat and daisy are among the most popular.

In District 8, flowers carried by boats from the Mekong Delta are being displayed along the canal at Ben Binh Dong. The market recalls the hectic trading activity of Sai Gon 100 years ago.

Around 25 flower markets in districts 5, 6, 10, 11, Go Vap, Tan Phu, Thu Duc, Binh Tan and Cu Chi have opened.

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Antique exhibition to open during Tet

HA NOI — Antique lovers will be able to indulge at a new exhibition that is being organised by Ha Noi's Antiques Lovers Club.

Royal robes that were worn by kings and mandarins from the Nguyen dynasty, ceramic ware from the Le and Nguyen dynasties and paintings by famous Vietnamese contemporary artists will be on display at the event.

The exhibition will be held at the Exhibition House at No 93 Dinh Tien Hoang Street till February 25.

Antique collector Nguyen Truong, chairman of the club noted that an enormous amount of effort was given to preserve the objects on display.

Hue to organise prayer for peace and happiness

HUE CITY — A traditional festival to pray for peace and happiness will be held at Hue City's Huyen Tran Cultural Centre.

The eight-day festival will begin on February 10 (the 8th day of the first month of the lunar calendar), featuring three cultural events that highlight the historic royal city's culture and lifestyle.

Dozens of traditional theatre, music and song programmes will be staged by members of professional and amateur art troupes.

Traditional games such as chess and martial arts will feature several hundred people and masters of kung fu.

Visitors will also enjoy open-air culinary and flower-arranging activities during the festival.

The festival is expected to attract 50,000 people.

CNN praises 17th century Truong Luy rampart

HA NOI — CNN aired a documentary on the Truong Luy rampart on Wednesday.

The television station said the site was of significant archaeological interest and an ideal destination for adventure tourists in Southeast Asia.

Truong Luy, which was built in the 17th century, runs north to south for about 200km through the central provinces of Quang Ngai and Binh Dinh along the Truong Son mountain range. — VNS

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Thousands flock to festival

People visit the Spring Flower Festival which opened yesterday in HCM City's September 23 Park. The eight-day festival hopes to attract about 500 booths displaying all kinds of flowers, plants, birds, fish, ceramics and calligraphy. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Vu   Daisy chain: Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, a farmer from Dong Thap Province, takes care of his daisies a few hours before the flower festival is due to open in Phu My Hung Residential Area. — VNS Photo Van Dat

HA NOI — Thousands of people in HCM City and Ha Noi began visiting the annual spring flower festival that opened last night.

A Spring Flower and Drinks Fair which opened in Ha Noi will see some last-minute politicking for the selection of Viet Nam's national flower.

The fair will also feature a photo exhibition by HCM City-based photographer Tran Bich dedicated to the lotus, a leading candidate for designation as the national flower.

Bich is dedicated to photographing the lotus, and his images capture the many shapes of the lotus, from bud to faded flower.

Orchids, peach and ochna blossoms are also in contention for the title of national flower, however.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will gather votes on the national flower, national costume and national wine during the festival, and the national flower will be announced tomorrow at the Viet Nam Lotus Spirit Gala.

At the Lotus Spirit Gala, artisans from Ha Noi, Hue and HCM City will create crafts and artworks celebrating the lotus, including lotus lanterns and sculpture and silk lotus.

"We have used many materials to celebrate the lotus," said Ha Noi-based artist Nguyen Manh Hung. "Since it's not the season of the lotus in the north now, we have received fresh lotus from the southern province of Dong Thap."

The competition to select the national costume hasn't gone as smoothly.

"The ao dai is already the national costume for women, but it's difficult to choose the national costume for men," said Vi Kien Thanh, chief of the ministry's art, photography and exhibitions department.

Meanwhile, the selection of a national wine plan is still in the survey stage, Thanh said. Over the past three years, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Viet Nam Alcohol, Beer and Beverage Association have nominated ruou can (wine drunk from a jar), rice wine, coconut wine and apricot wine for the honour.

The Spring Flowers and Drinks Festival will continue through Sunday at the Culture and Art Centre at 2 Hoa Lu Street.

The fair will exhibit and offer prizes for wines and spirits made by both traditional and modern methods, offer opportunities to sample wines, tea and coffee, and will feature performances, folk games, an ao dai (traditional long dress) fashion show, and calligraphy exhibition, as well as recreate customs such as the Kitchen Gods Festival. At least 50 enterprises will also display products for Tet, including decorations and ornamental trees.

Ha Giang Province will take the spotlight, recreating a provincial market day with local specialities, cuisine and festivities of the province's ethnic people, including pan-pipe dance and folk duets.

The week-long event, which will last until February 1, a day ahead of the Lunar New Year, displays the beauty of Vietnamese flora in Phu My Hung Residential Area, HCM City.

This festival hopes to attract around 500 booths, displaying all kinds of flowers, plants, birds, fish, ceramics and calligraphy.

This year's flower festival in HCM City is expected to attract thousands visitors with a rich assortment of blossoms.

The Phu My Hung Spring Flower Festival 2011 features a contest of special Vietnamese flowers and ornamental trees, called Hoa Dong Co Noi (Flower of Countryside).

Nguyen Thien Tich, vice chairman of the municipal Association of Orchids and Ornamental Trees, said, "It's a chance for everyone to explore the abundant flora in the country."

The country has more than 12,000 flowers and other kinds of plants.

Along with the contests, the week-long festival will include other activities such as a ceremony to release flowers and garlands, and floating lanterns on Ban Nguyet Lake.

The lake will be decorated with giant lotus flowers which will be lit for photo opportunities.

Different festival areas include Cat Square with flowers arranged in the shapes of cats, the ochna, apricot and peach blossom section, 12 animal designations of the lunar calendar and the legend about the man, Mai An Tiem, who discovered the watermelon.

There will be music shows at the festival every night until the evening of February 1.

The festival, co-organised by Phu My Hung Joint Venture Company and HCM City Ornamental Creature Association, expects to attract more than 500 enterprises displaying flowers, fruit and Tet (Lunar New Year) products.

Last year, more than 500,000 visitors visited the flower festival held in the residential area.

The majority of these products were produced in the city and outlying areas.

Also yesterday, 30 flower markets opened around the city to welcome city dwellers shopping to decorate their houses during the New Year's days.

Flower exhibitions will be held at major parks like Gia Dinh, Le Van Tam and September 23. Ochna, kumquat and daisy are among the most popular

In District 8, flowers carried by boats from the Mekong Delta are being displayed along the canal at Ben Binh Dong. The market recalls the hectic trading activity of Sai Gon 100 years ago.

Around 25 flower markets in districts 5, 6, 10, 11, Go Vap, Tan Phu, Thu Duc, Binh Tan and Cu Chi have opened. — VNS

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Spring festival set to brighten capital

Bouquet: A farmer tends flowers in Tay Tuu Village on the outskirts of Ha Noi. Flowers from the village and neighbouring areas will soon appear at a spring festival in the capital city. — VNA/VNS Photo Huy Hung

HA NOI — A bursting spring atmosphere will be brought to downtown Ha Noi by a festival gathering typical products such as bonsai trees from handicraft villages on the outskirts of the city between January 27 and February 1.

The festival, which will be held on Tran Nhan Tong Street and nearby areas in Thong Nhat Park, will feature not only bonsai trees, but flowers from the villages of Nhat Tan, Tay Tuu and Me Linh along with artificial flowers made of paper, bronze and other metals and wood by artisans living in the city.

Various traditional festive food such as gio (boiled minced pork paste), nem chua (fermented pork paste) from Uoc Le Village and jams from Xuan Dinh Village will also be available at the festival, along with worshipping wares from Ha Noi's Son Dong Village, and furniture from Bac Ninh Province's Dong Ky Village.

Traditional folk performances will also take place including quan ho (love duets), cheo (traditional opera) and ca tru (ceremonial singing), as well as folk games and traditional handicraft competitions. — VNS

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Spring festival to stir up capital

HA NOI - A bursting spring atmosphere will be bought to downtown Ha Noi by a festival gathering typical products such as bonsai trees from handicraft villages on the outskirts of the city between January 27 and February 1.

The festival, which will be held on Tran Nhan Tong Street and nearby areas in Thong Nhat Park, will feature not only bonsai trees, but flowers from the villages of Nhat Tan, Tay Tuu, Me Linh along with artificial flowers made of paper, metal, bronze and wood by artisans living in the city.

Various traditional festive food such as gio cha (boiled minced pork paste), nem chua (fermented pork paste) from Uoc Le Village and jams from Xuan Dinh Village will also be available at the festival, along with worshipping wares from Ha Noi's Son Dong Village, and furniture from the northern province of Bac Ninh's Dong Ky Village.

Traditional folk performances will also take place including quan ho (love duets), cheo (traditional opera) and ca tru (ceremonial singing), as well as folk games and traditional handicraft competitions. - VNS

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Photos a unique documentary of Giong festival

Traditional celebration: This photo of a flag dance on Gia Ngu Hill at a Giong Festival held in Phu Dong Village in 1970 was the first image of the festival taken by photographer Van Tho.

HA NOI — A unique exhibition displaying veteran photographer Van Tho's collection of 100 photos of the Giong Festival has opened at the Phu Dong Temple, in Gia Lam District on the outskirts of Ha Noi.

The photos document the dances and worshipping ceremonies as well as the domestic and foreign officials that attend the festival and even the festival preparations.

All of the photos are in colour except for the artist's first image taken in 1970.

"I cannot count the number of photographs I've taken of the annual festival," Tho said since 1970, "I have selected the 100 best as my gift to celebrate the recognition of the festival as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO."

The artist was born in 1943 in Phu Dong Village himself. At the age of seven, he played a soldier in Saint Giong's 90-soldier team in the festival. He recalled falling into the pond in front of the temple and racing home to dry his clothes so that he could finish his role in the event.

"Taking part in the festival is a great honour," he said, "That's why the villagers have happily made contributions."

After the exhibition, Tho plans to build a house in which to store his works and memories of the festival.

"If the project is approved [by local authorities], I will select quintessential photos of the festival by many photographers for display," Tho said.

"The exhibits may also include small models of objects used at the festival so that visitors to the temple can learn how the festival is organised, what it symbolises and what activities take place. They can also practise the traditional dances if they want."

A ceremony was held at the temple on Saturday by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ha Noi Municipal People's Committee and the Viet Nam National Commission for UNESCO to bestow the UNESCO Certification recognising the Saint Giong Festival as a world intangible heritage.

The festival was the third element of Ha Noi's heritage recognised by UNESCO in last year, joining the 82 doctoral stone steles in the Temple of Literature and relics of the Thang Long Royal Citadel.

The festival is dedicated to Saint Giong, born in Phu Dong Village in the reign of King Hung VI. According to legend, he was a man of great strength who fought the northern invaders. After his victory, he flew back to heaven on his iron horse over Soc Mountain, which locates in today's Soc Son District.

There are many festivals held in the northern region to honour Saint Giong. The most popular are the ones in Phu Dong Village in Gia Lam District and Soc Village in Soc Son District.

The event in Phu Dong is annually held on the ninth day of the fourth lunar month and in Soc Son, on the sixth day of the first lunar month. — VNS

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UNESCO recognition of Giong festival celebrated

HA NOI — Festivities celebrating UNESCO's recognition of Giong festival are expected to attract up to 8,000 revellers today in Soc Son District, on the northern outskirts of Ha Noi.

At the event, UNESCO Viet Nam representative Katherine Morin Muller will present the certificate recognising the Giong festival as Intangible Heritage of Humanity to the authorities of Gia Lam and Soc Son villages.

Up to 700 locals from Soc Son District and Phu Dong village will also recreate some of the most impressive elements of the celebrated festival in front of the Giong Temple in Ha Noi's Gia Lam District, where the historic Gia Ngu stone platform resides.

Young artists to compete at international festival

HA NOI — Eight paintings by Vietnamese children 6-10 years old were selected on Wednesday out of nearly 20,000 entries to compete in the Mitsubishi-Enikki Asian Children's Art Festival in Japan.

The judges also selected 10 runners-up and the 10 best group works.

HCM City Ao dai show raises funds for charity

HCM CITY — The Viet Nam Ao Dai Association, dedicated to the traditional Vietnamese ao dai, or long dress, held a charity fashion show in HCM City last night to raise funds for poor households in the nation's central region.

The event was attended by representatives from the consulate generals of the US, France, Russia, Germany, Cuba, Japan, South Korea, India, Indonesia and Laos as well as foreign organisations and businesses.

Proceeds will go to families in difficulty in Phong Dien District in the province of Thua Thien-Hue, and to buy boats to ferry students in Quang Trach District in the central province of Quang Binh, who must cross a river to attend school.

Paradise Park to serve up Tet entertainment

HA NOI — Ha Noi's Bao Son Paradise Park will host festivities during the Tet (Lunar New Year) holidays on February 4-7.

Activities includes folk games, puppetry, circus perfomers, and artists from Bao Son Theatre.

VTV begins series on Khmer culture, lifestyle

HCMCITY — Viet Nam Television has begun to show a series on the culture and lifestyle of the Khmer people living in Viet Nam's south-western region on its VTV1 channel.

The 30-episode series, titled Hay Cung Em Dieu Sarikakeo (Join me in the Sarikakeo Dance), is about the life and love of Sophia, a former Khmer Sarikakeo dancer who lived in a small village in Soc Trang Province in the early 1980s.

The film recounts Sophia's life as a dancer before she moved to An Giang Province and learned weaving.

"We wanted to spotlight the Khmer people and their culture, lifestyle, and dance," said Hue.

There are nearly 1.3 million Khmers in the Delta, living mostly in Soc Trang and Tra Vinh. — VNS

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Flowers, drinks fest planned for Tet

HA NOI - A festival of Spring Flowers and Drinks will be organised next Tuesday to celebrate Tet (the Lunar New Year).

The festival will be held in Ha Noi's Viet Nam Culture and Arts Exhibition Centre. It will introduce traditional customs and feature arts performances and games for visitors such as the traditional long dress show, calligraphy exhibition and a photo exhibition of lotus flowers, the top candidate for the title Viet Nam National Flower.

The exhibition will also show wines and spirits made by modern and traditional methods, with rewards for the most popular.

As many as 50 entrepreneurs will take part in the festival to introduce products served for Tet, such as decorative objects, ornamental trees and consumer goods.

This year the annual event will feature a market-day of the mountainous province of Ha Giang with local specialities, cuisine and festivities of the area's ethnic people such as a pan-pipe, dance and folk duet.

This year's festivities will run at the centre, located at 2 Hoa Lu Street, until the end of January. - VNS

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Hue festival to boost status

Gastronomes' delight: Vietnamese cuisine is among various features of the Hue Handicrafts Festival to be held in April. — Photo Duc Ha

HUE — Local food and bonsai will be showcased at the Hue Handicrafts Festival in April as the former royal capital central city strives to consolidate its status as Viet Nam's cultural and festival city.

Traditional art troupes from around the country will perform various cultural and community programmes at the Vietnamese Cuisine in Hue Style.

The emphasis at the festival will be on open-air culinary and theatre activities, including dance and drama shows, and art exhibitions.

The opening ceremony will be held at the Ngo Mon Square and Dai Noi citadel, while the culinary and cultural shows will go on from morning to late night along the Huong River.

Dozens of culinary experts will be invited to whip up traditional dishes from Hue, Ha Noi, and the southern region.

Hue's royal foods will be highlighted by top local chefs at Dai Noi.

Farming associations, handicraft villages, and agricultural businesses from all over the country will display ornamental fishes, bonsai trees, and flowers at Ngo Mon.

There will also be exclusive performances of nha nhac music using the two-chord fiddle, three-chord zither, and bamboo flute.

The genre was recognised as a world intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2004.

The organiser, the Hue People's Committee, hopes the Hue Handicraft Festival 2011 – to be celebrated from April 30 to May 3 – will establish the city as a cultural and culinary hub.

It said hotels and guesthouses in Hue are ready to welcome visitors and have promised to keep tariffs unchanged during the event. —VNS

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Tet Flower Festival on Jan 28

HCM CITY — Local authorities are gearing up for the annual Spring Flower Festival at Tao Dan Park in HCM City as the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday approaches.

The event will begin on January 28 and end on February 8 (the sixth day of the lunar calendar's first month).

More than 8,000 indigenous and foreign flowers, ornamental fish, bonsai plants and trees will be featured at the festival. They will be provided by florists, farms, handicraft villages and business people involved in agriculture, according to Tran Thien Ha, director of the HCM City Green Tree and Park Company, a member of the festival's organising board.

Well-known handicraft villages and farms in HCM City, Ha Noi and the provinces of Binh Duong, Ben Tre, Tien Giang, Vinh Long and Lam Dong will introduce their products at the festival.

In addition to the flower displays and sales, the event will include musical and dance performances, as well as cultural exhibits such as traditional food festivals and painting displays. The festival's themes highlight the 11th Congress of the Viet Nam Communist Party, which opens today in Ha Noi.

The opening ceremony will include three music and song programmes in praise of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh, which feature dozens of veterans and young performers.

The show titled Sac Hoa Dang Dang-Dang Bac (Flowers for the Party and Uncle Ho) will highlight revolutionary music.

Designed to feel like a colourful garden, Tao Dan Park will attract children and young people who find inspiration in nature.

Visitors will participate in a variety of street shows featuring folk art and games staged by hundreds of puppet and circus performers, which begin at 8pm every night.

Organisers said they have received help and support from the city People's Committee and other offices and organisations. — VNS

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