The Cham Cultural Exhibition Center in Binh Thuan Province will host a week of cultural events for Tet (Lunar New Year) from January 30 to February 8. The highlight of the program is the exhibition of royal costumes of the Cham imperial family. See what the Cham kings, queen, princes and princess were wearing – [...]
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. According to Tay legend, Pia, an orphan, war poor and lonely. Discouraged with life, he went [...]
A large group plays the children’s game rong ran (dragon-snake). In One person sits on a small hill or some location above the other players; he or she acts as the doctor. The other children stand in a line, holding each other’s belts to form the body of the dragon-snake. The dragon-snake approaches the doctor.
Kite flying is popular throughout the year in Viet Nam but especially so in summer. People of different ages make kites of many shapes, sizes and materials. Children’s kites are often small, simple and covered with paper, while adults’ kites may be more complex, cloth-covered, and feature one or more wind flutes that play melodies [...]
This girls’ game (chơi chuyen) includes ten thin, well-sharpened, round bamboo sticks and a ball, which traditionally is a fig, a miniature variety of eggplant, a small rock or a clod of clay. These days, tennis balls are becoming more popular as a substitute. The player tosses the ball into the air. While the ball [...]
In summertime, groups of children often play with tops along Hanoi’s streets and alleys. Their enthusiasm and happy laughter attract an audience, old and young, and remind older viewers of their younger days. The folk pastime of top spinning still charms city children despite the popularity of modern games such as bowling, skateboarding, billiards and [...]
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. During the temple’s weeklong festival the first [...]
Festive activities are living museums in which typical cultural values of the nation have been preserved for centuries. Formation and meaning of traditional festivals Traditional festivals constitute a form of cultural activities, a spiritual product which the people have created and developed during the course of history. From generation to generation, the Vietnamese people preserve [...]
The Vietnam Circus Federation will host gala circus shows at the Central Circus in Hanoi on January 14-16. The galas to mark the 55th birthday of the federation will feature the very best of Vietnam circus talent. Artists such as Tam Chinh, Thai Manh Hien, Luu Phuc, Ngoc Truc and Manh Cuong from around the [...]
Looking down Trang Tien Street, you can see Hanoi Opera House standing strongly, deserving to be one of Hanoi’s grandest buildings. Hanoi Opera House is an old theatre with French architecture and typical Gothic and Mosaic characters. The facade is colonial French with pillars and balconies overlooking the city center.
