The Tich Dien (King’s Ploughing) Festival 2010 will be held in the northern province of Ha Nam from February 18-20. The event marks a spring day in the 10th century when King Le Dai Hanh ploughed a field to encourage people to work diligently.
Farmers in Ha Nam take part in the "Tich Dien" Festival by going to the field and ploughing forrows last year. (Filed photo)
This year, many activities will be held around the time of the festival including a buffalo-decorating contest, hat cheo (a kind of Vietnamese traditional opera), and a lion dance.
Provincial leaders hope the festival will become an annual event and that it will eventually be upgraded to a national-level affair.
The Tich Dien Festival originated during the Tran dynasty in 987CE. During Tet (the lunar New Year), King Le Dai Hanh decided to plough a field in Doi Son Commune of Duy Tien District. It is believed that while ploughing, the King found a vase of gold and a vase of silver.
The King’s successors followed suit and the activity became an annual springtime tradition.
