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.
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.