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Every spring, as villages gradually awaken after the Lunar New Year in a vibrant atmosphere, Hue enters its folk festival season – where traditional values are naturally passed down through generations. In the early days of spring, the traditional boat racing festival of Trieu Son Dong village (Hoa Chau ward) takes place with great enthusiasm, not only warming up community life but also leaving a beautiful impression on locals and visitors from near and far.
Without elaborate formalities or the airs of a major event, the Trieu Son Dong boat racing festival retains the rustic charm of a riverside village. For the locals, boat racing is not only a springtime sporting activity but also an opportunity for the community to gather, meet, share joy, and express wishes for peace and prosperity in the new year.
People in Hue still pass down this folk song: "On the tenth, there's the wrestling festival by Sinh, and the boat race on the eleventh at Trieu Son communal house."
For the people here, boat racing is not only a springtime sporting event, but also an opportunity for the community to gather together.
The boat racing festival is not simply a competition at the beginning of the year, but a moment when the entire community returns to the waterfront, sharing joy and expressing new hopes. For tourists, it is also an opportunity to experience a very different Hue: not the imperial palace or royal tombs, but the Hue of the riverside countryside, where spring begins with the sound of festival drums and the rhythmic strokes of oars cutting through the waves.
The old saying goes: "On the tenth, there's wrestling by the pond; on the eleventh, boat racing by the Triều Sơn communal house." These two concise lines are how the people of Huế remember the rhythm of the New Year's festivals, where each passing spring day is associated with a familiar cultural activity of the riverside villages.
As is customary, from early morning on the 11th day of the first lunar month, the festive atmosphere begins to spread throughout the village. Before the oars stir the river's surface, the people of Trieu Son Dong gather at the village communal house for a solemn and respectful traditional ceremony. Incense is offered to commemorate ancestors, expressing wishes for favorable weather, a bountiful harvest, and a peaceful and prosperous new year. The ceremony itself is simple yet meaningful, a necessary moment of calm amidst the bustling spring festivities. There, folk beliefs and the principle of "drinking water, remembering the source" are not only re-enacted through the rituals but also present in the sincere devotion of each person in Hue.
As is customary, from early morning on the 11th day of the first lunar month, the festive atmosphere begins to spread throughout the village.
The boat racing festival is not simply a competition at the beginning of the year, but a moment when the entire community returns to the waterfront.
Immediately after the ceremony, the village atmosphere came alive as the boat race officially began on the river in front of the village. From early morning, people from all the hamlets gathered on both banks of the river. Adults chatted lively, while children eagerly awaited the boats to depart. The sound of the festival drums, mingled with the cheers and shouts of encouragement, created a unique rhythm for this spring festival.
This year, the festival brings together 12 teams of 7-person boats, all made up of young people from the village, representing different hamlets. Each racing team is not just a competing group, but also carries the pride and solidarity of their village.
When the starting signal sounded, the boats cut through the water amidst resounding cheers. On the river, the oars propelled the water in perfect rhythm; on the shore, colorful flags and banners, along with cheering crowds, created a vibrant scene, reflecting the festive atmosphere of Hue's riverside villages in the early days of spring.
Boat racing in Trieu Son Dong doesn't place much emphasis on winning or losing. What the locals value most is the spirit of solidarity, the smooth coordination, and the unwavering determination of the racing teams. It is this simplicity that has helped the festival be preserved over the years as an indispensable cultural feature in community life.
Boat racing in Trieu Son Dong doesn't place much emphasis on winning or losing. What the locals value most is the spirit of solidarity, the smooth coordination, and the unwavering determination of the racing teams.
The traditional boat racing festival of Trieu Son Dong village not only contributes to enriching the local cultural and sporting life, but also provides an opportunity for generations in the village to reflect on, preserve, and continue the cultural values left behind by their ancestors.
For visitors, the festival offers a different perspective on Hue, not the familiar palace setting or historical sites, but the Hue of the countryside, of the peaceful riverside life and the simple warmth of its people. After the festival ends, the echoes of drums, oars, and joyful shouts linger, as a beautiful memory of spring in Hue.
For tourists who love experiencing local culture, Hue is the ideal destination to fully appreciate the atmosphere of folk festivals that are still preserved intact in community life. From wrestling matches and boat races to village rituals, each activity unfolds naturally, without staging, giving viewers the feeling of "living with the people of Hue" in the early days of spring. Amidst the slow, peaceful pace of life in Hue, immersing oneself in a riverside village festival is not just a trip, but a journey to touch cultural memories, where traditional values are persistently continued through each spring.
From wrestling matches and boat races to village rituals, each activity unfolds naturally, without staging, giving viewers the feeling of "living with the people of Hue" during the early days of spring. Photo: Ngoc Binh
