Travel Blog

The Lồng Tồng Festival of the Tày ethnic group in Hà Giang, also known as the Field Descending Festival, takes place annually from the 4th to the 10th day of the lunar New Year. During these days, the Tày community enthusiastically decorates and immerses themselves in the festive atmosphere. Traditional rituals are preserved and passed down, all with the hope of a bountiful harvest, peaceful and joyful life, along with the aspiration for blessings from the divine with favorable weather conditions.

The Lồng Tồng Festival of the Tày ethnic group in Hà Giang plays a significant role in the life of the local minority community, especially in highland areas. It represents a beautiful aspect of the culture of these mountainous people, who hold strong beliefs in their deities. They work diligently throughout the year, anticipating a bountiful harvest, and in their dedication to protecting their families, they invest tireless efforts, always trusting that their deities will provide guidance and support.

In recent years, the Lồng Tồng Festival of the Tày ethnic group in Hà Giang has gained attention both locally and beyond. It is typically organized in Đạo Đức commune, Vị Xuyên district, Hà Giang province, taking place in the best and largest fields within the village. Subsequently, the community gathers in an open area at the foot of the hills, in front of Sùng Khánh Pagoda, to participate in various rituals and enjoy the festive atmosphere. With the simple lifestyle of the community, the Lồng Tồng Festival of the Tày ethnic group in Hà Giang becomes distinctive and captivates the interest of visitors.

The ritual aspect of the Lồng Tồng Festival of the Tày ethnic group in Hà Giang focuses on the ceremony to pray for favorable weather, anticipating a prosperous harvest. This ritual is conducted by the priests and includes the Opening Ceremony to request the Village Guardian's permission, offering gratitude to the Heavenly Deity, seeking blessings from the God of Agriculture, the Mountain Deity, and the Deity of Springs. The outstanding performance of these rituals places particular importance on the descending-to-the-fields ceremony.

The festival begins with the Tày ethnic group's traditional rituals, as the community requests permission from the Village Guardian and performs ceremonies to express gratitude to the Heavenly Deity, seek blessings from the God of Agriculture, the Mountain Deity, and the Deity of Springs. Throughout the festival, the descending-to-the-fields ceremony is considered an indispensable element. The initial part of the festival concentrates on selecting a reputable man, a role model with an exemplary family, and an outstanding farmer to plow the fields. This individual represents the entire village, symbolizing luck, prosperity, and a successful farming season.

After this ritual, the villagers continue by selecting a beautiful and spacious field to initiate the preparations for the offerings in the ceremony to honor the deities. A ceremonial altar is set up with various offerings such as poultry and livestock raised by the villagers, rice wine, traditional cakes, and multicolored sticky rice symbolizing the harmony between Yin and Yang and the unity of heaven and earth.

Following the annual tradition of the Lồng Tồng Festival of the Tày ethnic group in Hà Giang, each village will choose four families to "set the feast," meaning they will be in charge of arranging the offerings on the altar and commencing the ceremony to worship the deities and heaven and earth at the festival. Depending on economic conditions, each family may have a large or small feast, but essential ceremonial items like chicken, pork, sticky rice, and eggs are indispensable.

As the gongs and drums resonate, the ritual leader and representatives from the villages, hamlets, and families participate in the ceremony to pray for a robust and abundant harvest. The ritual leader is chosen to inherit the tradition from a predecessor and is simultaneously respected and revered by the villagers. The leader stands as the representative of the entire community, reciting prayers with the desire for divine blessings for the nation's peace, favorable weather, the vitality of nature, and a plentiful harvest. The wishes extend to the prosperity and happiness of everyone's lives.

Next, following the reading of prayers, Thầy Mo proceeds with the ritual by waving "holy water" – water carefully chosen from sources by the most beautiful village maidens. According to tradition, the person who receives the "holy water" is believed to be blessed with good luck throughout the entire year. Finally, Thầy Mo recites prayers and supplications to deities such as Thần Nông (God of Agriculture), Thần Núi (Mountain God), Thần Suối (Spring God), and others – these deities serve as protectors for a robust harvest, good health, and community harmony within the village.

Continuing after the ceremonial rituals conducted by the ritual master and the hosting families, the Lồng Tồng Festival of the Tày ethnic group in Hà Giang proceeds to the festive part. This is the most captivating segment, drawing the active participation of many tourists and providing an opportunity for a close experience with the daily life and culture of the villagers. Traditional folk games vividly reflect the distinctive characteristics of the highland community, featuring activities such as spinning tops, spinning quoits, con throwing, tug-of-war, stone throwing contests, and plowing competitions. Among them, the game that captures the interest of the majority of tourists is the con throwing competition.

Con Throwing is a popular game in the traditional village festivals of people in highland regions. This game is typically organized in a spacious area, featuring a tall bamboo pole standing upright and a high-hanging bamboo ring placed at the top of the pole for participants to throw the con through. The player's objective is to throw the con and make it land inside the hanging bamboo ring. According to the belief of the Tày ethnic group, if the con successfully hits the ring and causes the fabric covering it to tear, the entire village will be protected and blessed by the deities, ensuring smooth and fortunate circumstances for everyone.

If the fabric covering the ring remains intact, it is believed that the village will face unfortunate events or disasters in that year. In addition to the con throwing game, the plowing competition of the strong young men in the village also attracts attention. This competition aims to find the most skilled and powerful plower. The festival provides an opportunity for young men and women to meet and interact through traditional Tày ethnic songs and dances.