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Human chess at Cho Go festival. Photo D.T.D |
The first month of lunar year often sees various types of festivals nationwide. Being busy all year round, it’s time for people to relax and enjoy festivities. Tourists who come to the central province of Binh Dinh will be also able to join its unique events celebrating the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday.
Among spring festivals taking place across the province, Dong Da Festival is the most well-known one. It is annually held on the fifth day of the first lunar month. Alongside this, there are many different festivals in Binh Dinh.
Cho Go (Go market) festival takes place on the first three days of the first lunar month in Tuy Phuoc district. Going to the Go market on these days is to not only buy or sell goods but wish oneself the best in the New Year.
Legend has it that when Nguyen Anh’s troops were assigned to attack Quy Nhon in 1799, two Tay Son generals Tran Quang Dieu and Vo Van Dung were asked to lead the army to fight against them in the spring season of 1800. Because most of the Tay Son rebel soldiers came from Dang Ngoai (northern provinces), a festival was held during three day of the Tet festival, aiming to make their homesickness subside. The venue for the festival was a mound locating beside Truong Uc Mountain.
Cho Go festival is now one of traditional customs in the central coastal province of Binh Dinh. Buying something at the market, particularly betel and areca, is mainly to wish for a good fortune at the beginning of a new year.
During three days of the festival there are many festivities, such as music shows, martial arts performance, and folk games.
On the 16th and 17th days of the first lunar month Via Ba festival takes place in An Nhon district’s Nhon Phong commune. According to legend, there was a woman called Do Thi Tan living alone here three centuries ago. During her whole life, Tan worked as a midwife. She passed away on the 16th day of the first lunar month. To commemorate her credit, the local built a Ba temple on the foundation of her old house.
People everywhere often flock to the Ba temple in the afternoon of the 16th day and pray for childbearing. The ritual is set to be held at 11 pm. The locals begin to join folk games in the next morning and other festivities take place until night.
Coming to Phuong Danh blacksmith village located in Dap Da town, tourist could enjoy another festival held on the 12th day of the second lunar month. The village is often decorated with different kinds of flags on that day. Alongside the ritual at the temple and in each house, there are many activities, including cock-fighting, martial arts performance, lion dances, and tug-of-war.
These are three of many festivals taking place in Binh Dinh during the spring time. Such interesting festivals also include boat race on Go Boi River and Ong Pagoda festival. Joining these festivals, people could feel the spirit of the community and have chances to relax after busy working all year round.
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