Travel Guide » Vietnam Travel Guide » Vietnam Culture » Folk games
During Tet, a number of villages in northern and central Vietnam hold cooking contests that may sound simple, but follow strict and complex rules: Cooking in the wind and rain. Tu Trong Village, Thanh Hoa Province has a temple dedicated to the 11th century warrior Le Phung Hieu.
From time immemorial, boat racing has appeared in Vietnam. It is not only a competition but also a ritual in honor of the Water God, stemming from the act of praying for water among agriculture-based people.
On a beautiful spring day in Nam Dinh, a light breeze blows over the multicolored traditional flags planted at the four corners of the arena where the finalists of the National Wrestling Championship are about to compete.
A long with other traditional festival games, releasing pigeons has attracted numerous participants since the distant past. Some villages including Tam Giang and Hoan Son villages in Bac Ninh Province still maintain the tradition.
Human chess (co nguoi), “Human chess” (co nguoi) is a popular game at village and temple festival. The game follows the general rules of Chinese chess. The concept is recognizably similar to Western chess, but with a different-sized board and different pieces, including cannons and guards, each ...
The game of vieing for ball is a ritual in some festivals or a custom in others. Its names and rules can be different from locality to locality. It is an activity wishing for bumper crops of the peasants.
The village of Xuan La in Phu Xuyen District, Ha Tay Province is well known for its skill in making delicate To He toys, which are figurines fashioned from colored rice dough. These simple toys still give children immense joy during the Mid-Autumn season.
The rhythmic sound of a drum echoes for kilometers-vibrating, pressing, increasing in urgency. Any spectators arriving late from neighboring villages hasten along their way. The crowd grows larger and larger around a flat piece of empty space in front of the village pagoda.
Each ethnic group in Vietnam has unique ways of celebrating Tet. The Tay people of Cao Bang and Lang Son Provinces have a special Tet game that not only ushers in the spring but also serves as a matchmaker.
Both boys and girls play the game of keo cua lua xe. Two children sit opposite each other, holding each other’s hands tightly. While reciting a song, they push and pull each other’s arms and pretend as if they are sawing a piece of wood between them.
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