
{title}
{publish}
{head}
Every year on January 7th, residents of Hung Hoa town, Tam Nong district, organize a rice cake pounding ceremony to offer at the Mother Temple in honor of General Ho Thien Huong. This cherished tradition has been preserved in the locality for hundreds of years.
Residents of Zone 1, Hung Hoa town, gather at the local Cultural House to prepare for the rice cake pounding ceremony.
The custom of pounding rice cakes in Truc Phe village (now Hung Hoa town, Tam Nong district) dates back to ancient times and is linked to the legend of Holy Mother Ho Thien Huong—a female general of the Hung Kings era who played a significant role in the nation’s defense and development.
In 207 BC, Trieu Da invaded Au Lac. General Dinh Cong Tuan, who defended Ke Gio (now Kinh Ke, Lam Thao district), was besieged by enemy forces. Lady Thien Huong, stationed at Truc Hoa Cave (now Hung Hoa town, Tam Nong district), mobilized the villagers to pound rice cakes and make rice balls to supply his army, helping them break through the siege.
After her passing, the people of Hung Hoa town built a temple in her honor. They also preserved the tradition of pounding rice cakes as an annual offering to the Holy Mother on January 7th and 8th.
Rice cake pounding is typically done by young, strong men. As they pound, they chant a traditional folk song: "Truc Phe hosts a banh giay festival- one side calls, the other pounds with a pestle."
The rice cake is pounded until smooth and soft, then cut into even pieces using a string.
The cake must be shaped while still hot. The artisans first spread a layer of chicken fat before shaping it.
The cake is typically shaped into a round form or a footprint-like design, with a thickness of 5–7 cm.
The artisan carefully works the dough to ensure the cake is round and smooth, making sure the rice grains remain intact on the surface.
The finished banh giay is carried by women dressed in traditional attire and offered at the temple in honor of the Holy Mother.
The tradition of pounding banh giay has become a cherished cultural practice, fostering community spirit and preserving a beautiful heritage passed down through generations.
Thuy Trang
In recent years, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Phu Tho Province has paid close attention to the conservation and promotion of cultural heritage values.
baophutho.vn For the Muong people in Hoa Binh, gongs are not only musical instruments, but also a “sacred soul treasure” accompanying them from birth until...
baophutho.vn The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has officially announced the updated List of National Intangible Cultural Heritages. Following the...
baophutho.vn Set against the rich cultural backdrop of the mountains and forests, the cuisine of the Muong ethnic group has become an essential element in...
baophutho.vn On the morning of July 30, at Thuong Temple on Nghia Linh mountain within the Hung King Temple Historical Site, a delegation from the...
baophutho.vn Following the reorganization of commune-level administrative units, the Muong Vang region, formerly part of Lac Son district, was restructured...
baophutho.vn On the quiet Hill 79 in Hoa Binh Ward, nestled in the heart of the city along the Da River, lies a memory zone that quietly preserves the...
baophutho.vn The traditional art of creating skirt patterns among the Muong people, originally in Hoa Binh province, now part of Phu Tho province, has been...
baophutho.vn The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism has officially released the latest List of National Intangible Cultural Heritages, with the newly...
baophutho.vn The project to merge the three provinces of Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, and Hoa Binh into a new Phu Tho province places high demands on solidarity and...
baophutho.vn On the morning of January 31 (the 3rd day of Tet), Lam Thao Town in Lam Thao District held the opening ceremony for the 2025 Spring Festival...
baophutho.vn Welcoming Tet in spring is a cherished tradition of the Vietnamese people. Among Vietnam’s ethnic groups, although Tet customs and rituals...