Jul - 04 - 2025
The Doi Son Ploughing Festival recreates the ritual of the king tilling the land at the start of spring to encourage production, held in Tien Son Commune, Duy Tien Town, Ha Nam Province (Ninh Binh today). The festival is held annually, featuring full traditional rituals and festive activities. Over time, the festival has been revitalized and has become one of the most prominent cultural events in the Northern Delta region.
Origin and significance of the festival
The Doi Son Ploughing Festival is held annually from the 5th to the 7th day of the first lunar month.
The origin of the event
In the spring of 987, during the annual spring plowing festival, King Le Dai Hanh visited the region of Doi Mountain and Chau River. He held the plow to encourage people to cultivate rice and focus on agriculture. From this event, the spring plowing ritual evolved into a traditional ceremony, embodying the feudal state's philosophy of "taking agriculture as the foundation". The Doi Son Ploughing ceremony was maintained through various dynasties, including the Ly, Tran, and Nguyen, and has become a distinctive symbol of Vietnamese agricultural culture.
Meaning of the event
The Doi Son Ploughing Festival holds deep significance in reviving the tradition of encouraging agriculture, reflecting the Vietnamese philosophy of “taking agriculture as the foundation”. The ritual of the king plowing the field at the beginning of spring symbolizes the state's care for farmers’ livelihoods and serves as a ceremony to pray for favorable weather, bountiful harvests, and national peace and prosperity.
Festival is a unique cultural feature of Doi Son and Ha Nam Province
The ceremonial and celebratory aspects of the festival
The Doi Son Ploughing Festival was revived in 2009, reenacting Emperor Le Dai Hanh’s legendary act of plowing fields to promote agriculture. Since then, the Doi Son Ploughing Festival has been held annually at the local level and every five years on a national scale.
The main ritual of the festival
The Doi Son Ploughing Festival's ceremonial part starts with a vibrant procession. Drums and a palanquin carrying the spirit tablet of King Le Dai Hanh are brought from Long Doi Son Pagoda down to the mountain's base. There, this procession unites with the delegation of the Village Tutelary God and the Doi Tam drum-making guild.
Together, the procession moves towards the sacred field at the foot of Doi Mountain. This is the historic site where King Le Dai Hanh once personally plowed the land at the start of the year. His actions were meant to encourage the people to prioritize agricultural production. At the ceremonial field, local delegates and residents respectfully perform an incense offering ritual. They pay homage to the God of Agriculture and express gratitude to heaven and earth. Through this, they pray for good weather, abundant harvests, and a prosperous life for all.
Following the rituals honoring the God of Agriculture and other benevolent deities, a significant moment unfolds. A respected local elder is chosen to embody King Le Dai Hanh. This elder performs the ritual of taking on the king's spirit, then proceeds to plow the first three furrows in the field. This is arguably the most crucial part of the ceremony, symbolizing the arrival of spring and the official start of the new planting season.
The person chosen to perform the royal spirit embodiment ritual steps onto the ceremonial platform to offer prayers to King Le Dai Hanh and the God of Agriculture
Finally, local leaders and residents come together to participate in plowing the field and sowing various seeds, including beans, peanuts, and rice. This collective action powerfully demonstrates a spirit of agricultural promotion. It ignites enthusiasm for labor at the year's outset and expresses shared hopes for a successful harvest.
After the king finishes plowing the field, local leaders and veteran farmers take turns plowing nine furrows
The festival's celebratory section
The celebratory part of the Doi Son Ploughing Festival kicks off with the rousing sound of festival drums and an energetic dragon dance, creating an exciting early spring atmosphere. A prominent activity is the buffalo painting and decorating competition, where artists and artisans display vibrant images symbolizing good fortune and prayers for bountiful harvests. Alongside this, traditional folk games such as tug-of-war, swinging, blindfolded pot smashing, and duck catching attract large numbers of locals and tourists. These activities help to revive the traditional festive atmosphere of the Northern Delta region.
The spring buffalo painting contest features bright colors, conveying hopes and wishes for the New Year
The Doi Son Ploughing Festival is a meaningful occasion each year. It commemorates the contributions of King Le Dai Hanh while honoring the value of agriculture and community solidarity. With its solemn rituals and vibrant activities, this festival continues to assert itself as a precious cultural heritage, helping to preserve and promote Vietnam's national identity. Visit Ha Nam for the Doi Son Ploughing Festival to embrace its sacred traditions and hope for a year of abundance.
