Hung Kings Teach Rice Planting Festival

On February 12 (the 15th of January in the lunar calendar), at the Tich Dien Site, Minh Nong Ward, Viet Tri City, the Hung Kings Teach Rice Planting Festival was held. This is the only festival that distinctly represents the origins of rice cultivation, an essential agricultural practice in Vietnamese culture, closely linked with the era of the Hung Kings.

The festival consists of two parts: the ceremony and the cultural activities. The ceremony includes rituals such as the offering to the gods, the worship of the agricultural god, and especially the reenactment of “The Hung Kings Teach Rice Planting,” which is conducted solemnly. Following this, the festival’s cultural activities include rice planting competitions between teams and folk games with the enthusiastic participation of locals and visitors from near and far.

Revived by Viet Tri City in 2018, the festival symbolizes the beginning of rice cultivation in Vietnam, associated with the Hung Kings' era. It is a cultural heritage that the province values and preserves, contributing to positioning Viet Tri as a Festival City linked to the roots of the Vietnamese people.

Some images from the festival:

The festival begins with the procession of offerings brought by the people of Minh Nong Ward to the Tich Dien Site.

The ceremonial part is solemn, including rituals such as the offering to the gods and worshiping the agricultural god to show gratitude to the Hung Kings for their contributions to introducing rice cultivation to our nation.

The “Hung Kings Teach Rice Planting” ritual is held solemnly.

This year, for the first time, farmer Nguyen Quyet Chi from Hoa Phong area, Minh Nong Ward, plays the role of the Hung King.

The ritual of Hung Kings teaching rice planting is held annually with two competing teams. The first-place team will receive a reward from the Hung King to encourage the preservation of the rice cultivation tradition.

Thuy Trang - Truong Quan