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Tu Linh traditional boat race takes place on Ly Son Island in Quang Ngai Province on April 30. (Photo: SGGP) |
The competition called “Tu Linh" (Four mythical creatures in Vietnamese culture including Dragon, Unicorn, Turtle, and Phoenix) boat race is one of the series of cultural, sports, and tourism promotional activities of Quang Ngai Province in 2023.
This year’s folk boat race saw the participation of eight with nearly 200 athletes who joined a long distance of 6,000 meters.
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The boat race attracts a lot of visitors and local people. (Photo: SGGP) |
Tu Linh boat race was recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2020. This brings to two traditional festivals in Ly Son that have been accredited as national intangible cultural heritages, including “Le khao le the linh Hoang Sa” (Feast and Commemoration Festival for Hoang Sa Soldiers) ceremony and Tu Linh boat race.
The traditional boat race dates back more than 300 years, aiming at paying tribute to natives’ ancestors who formed the island and soldiers who have fought for the country’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes as well as praying for prosperity, peace, and bumper fish harvests.
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At the award ceremony of the boat race (Photo: SGGP) |
Quang Ngai Province plans to organize a series of cultural and sports activities to promote the locality’s tourism from April 29 to May 22.
The province's tourism promotional program themed “Ly Son – wonder of sea and islands” includes an exhibition on the sea and islands heritages of Ly Son, Tu Linh traditional boat race, a national paragliding competition, a Women's volleyball competition, a running race, a sea swimming competition.
