TL;DR: The Sinh Village wrestling festival, also called the Lại Ân Village wrestling festival, is held on the 10th day of the first lunar month each year at the communal house yard of Lại Ân Village (commonly known as Sinh Village), now in Dương Nỗ Ward, Hue City. According to press sources recorded in 2026, the festival is more than 400 years old and is tied to the land and the Nguyen lords' era, opening with a ceremony to pay respects to the village tutelary god and the custom of releasing sky lanterns to announce the festival, followed by wrestling pairs applying the traditional "muddy back, white belly" rule. Sinh Village wrestling festival is not yet listed in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List, so it should not be called a national heritage.
When and where does the Sinh Village wrestling festival take place?
The Sinh Village wrestling festival, also called the Lại Ân Village wrestling festival, takes place on the 10th day of the first lunar month each year at the communal house yard of Lại Ân Village (popularly known as Sinh Village), now in Dương Nỗ Ward, Hue City[1][2]. Before July 1, 2025, this area was Lại Ân Hamlet, Phú Mậu Commune, Phú Vang District; under the current two-tier administrative system, the village lies within Dương Nỗ Ward of Hue City.
Hue residents have a folk verse reminding their descendants: "Whoever goes here and there; On the Tenth day of wrestling, remember to return to Sinh"[1]. The verse shows that the 10th day of the first lunar month has become a fixed milestone in the early spring life of this land.
The Sinh Village wrestling festival is a traditional festival rich in martial spirit, with a history of more than 400 years, tied to the former imperial capital land[1]. According to Nhân Dân newspaper's coverage during the Bính Ngọ spring festival season (2026), that year's wrestling festival attracted nearly 100 male and female wrestlers from communes and wards across Hue City[1].
The Sinh Village wrestling festival is not yet listed in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List. The press sources reviewed all describe it as a traditional festival, a traditional cultural activity, a sports activity contributing to preserving and promoting traditional cultural values, and do not record a national heritage title for this wrestling festival[1][2].
When did the Sinh Village wrestling festival begin?
According to press sources recorded during the 2026 festival season, the Sinh Village wrestling festival is more than 400 years old, tied to the former imperial capital land and maintained through many generations[1][2]. This age figure comes from the source, and is not a date established by a village founding document or specific inscription in the sources reviewed.
According to Mr. Phạm Công Nhuận, Head of the Council of Clan Heads of Sinh Village, the wrestling festival has existed for hundreds of years in Lại Ân Village, closely tied to the tradition of building and defending the nation; since the 15th century, Sinh Village residents have held a wrestling festival each Tet to wish for a lucky year, enough health for plowing, and a good harvest[1].
The legend about the founder of Sinh Village wrestling
According to local historical records cited by Thanh Niên newspaper, long ago Sinh Village was just alluvial land where three river branches met. The flat, spacious terrain was used by the Nguyen lords as a martial arts training ground for young soldiers. One of them, fascinated by the wrestling moves of the military commanders, joined the army; after many battles, when the war ended, he returned to the village, started a family, and taught wrestling to his children and grandchildren to improve their health, and was later honored by the village as the founder of wrestling[2].
It should be clearly distinguished: this is a local legend reproduced by the newspaper, not a historical event verified by contemporaneous documents. The common way of telling it in folk tradition and in newspapers is to recount the legend, not to assert it as a historical record.
Historical context according to the sources
Nhân Dân newspaper recounts that during the Tran and Ho dynasties, Hóa Châu Citadel was the administrative seat of a southern frontier region of Đại Việt, built in an area of special strategic position, guarding a vital waterway of which the Thanh Phước - Sinh area was the gateway. To train soldiers, wrestling was a favored sport; Sinh Village youths actively participated and it gradually became an annual movement for physical training in labor and defense of the homeland[1].
Also according to Nhân Dân, under the Nguyen dynasty, thanks to its especially important position on vital waterways, the Sinh junction was invested by the court as a naval training site. With the motto of prioritizing physical training, the feudal state encouraged soldiers to organize wrestling, and later fixed the 10th day of the first lunar month as the day of the sports festival, held right in Sinh Village[1].
Thanh Niên newspaper describes the wrestling festival as maintained, preserved, and promoted over several hundred years since the Nguyen lords' era[2]. The sources do not fully agree on the starting point: some say it is tied to the Tran - Ho era and Hóa Châu Citadel, others say it is tied to the Nguyen lords' era. This is a point that should be clearly stated as sources differing, rather than choosing one side and presenting it as if there were only one account.
How does the Sinh Village wrestling festival unfold?
The Sinh Village wrestling festival takes place in exactly one day, consisting of two separate parts: the ceremonial part and the festive part[2]. The ceremonial part is solemn, while the festive part is competitive and draws a large audience.
| Time of day | Activity | Source note |
|---|---|---|
| Early morning of the 10th day of the first lunar month | Elders and clan heads pay respects to the tutelary god, pray for national peace and favorable weather, and remind descendants of ancestors' merits | Traditional opening ritual of the festival[1][2] |
| After the ritual | Custom of releasing sky lanterns, performed as a signal announcing the festival, conveying wishes for a peaceful, lucky new year | A cultural feature unique to Sinh Village[1] |
| After the opening drum | The "le wrestling" of local youth and strong young men | Takes place from early morning[1] |
| Throughout the 10th day | Wrestling pairs compete by age group, from qualifiers to semifinals and finals | Lasts all day[1][2] |
| End of festival | Awards given to wrestlers | There are First, Second, Third prizes, and a character and ethics prize[1] |
The wrestling ring is set up on a sandy ground. According to Nhân Dân's description during the 2026 festival season, that year's wrestling festival was held in a newly planned space within a 0.5-hectare area in the center of Lại Ân Village[1]. The ring was quite bustling and lively with cheers and encouragement; the stands around the ring were packed with spectators[1].
The Sinh Village wrestling festival is quite different from wrestling festivals in some other rural villages, because residents organize it as a purely recreational activity after Tet, not for the purpose of selecting martial artists for the feudal court at that time[1].
What are the wrestling rules of the Sinh Village festival?
The Sinh Village wrestling festival basically applies the traditional rules of national wrestling. A wrestler who is thrown "muddy back, white belly" loses[1]. This expression refers to the situation where the opponent falls on their back so that the back touches the ground completely[2].
| Rule item | Organization according to source |
|---|---|
| Winning condition | Throw the opponent so they fall on their back, back touching the ground completely, per the "muddy back, white belly" rule[1][2] |
| Qualifying round | A wrestler must defeat 3 opponents to pass the qualifying round[1] |
| After qualifiers | Wrestlers who pass the qualifiers enter the semifinals[1] |
| Semifinals | Must defeat one more opponent to reach the final[1] |
| Grouping | Divided by age, not by weight class[2] |
| Age groups | Nhân Dân records two age groups: youth (under 15) and youth (over 16); Thanh Niên records three age groups: children, adolescents, and adults[1][2] |
| Attire | Wrestlers are bare-chested, wear shorts, and tie a blue or red belt to distinguish sides[2] |
| Eligibility | Not necessarily local; any spectator can be invited onto the ring to wrestle[1][2] |
| Prizes | First, Second, Third prizes; a character and ethics prize for wrestlers with fair play spirit; the village also sets aside a bonus for all participating wrestlers[1] |
| First prize items | Betel nut, betel leaf, and wine from the Council of Clan Heads of Sinh Village along with a flag, medal, and cash prize[1] |
The sources differ on two notable points. First, on the number of opponents to defeat in the qualifying round: Nhân Dân writes that a wrestler must defeat 3 opponents[1], while Thanh Niên writes that each wrestler must win absolutely against two opponents[2]. Second, on age grouping: Nhân Dân records two groups, Thanh Niên records three groups[1][2]. Readers should know this is where sources disagree, and the specific organization may change from season to season.
The most unique point of the Sinh Village wrestling festival is its openness. Village rules stipulate that anyone, not necessarily local, as long as they have enough health and passion, can register to compete on the ring[2]. This openness created the exciting, bustling atmosphere throughout the festival day[1].
Why has the Sinh Village wrestling festival been maintained through generations?
The Sinh Village wrestling festival carries many overlapping layers of meaning. First is the layer of wishing for harvest and health: besides the meaning of praying for favorable weather, national peace, and a bountiful harvest, the festival is also a sports activity contributing to preserving and promoting the traditional cultural values of the nation[1].
In folk belief, the wrestling festival is seen as an occasion for young men to train courage, resourcefulness, and confidence; the festival drum carries a prayer for a new year of healthy people, a peaceful village, good harvests, and happiness for all[2]. This is the understanding of festival-goers as recorded by the press, not an assertion about the festival's actual effectiveness.
The wrestling festival is also an occasion to select good wrestlers for the local sports movement[1]. For teenagers, the festival is an occasion to train physical strength and a good, healthy character[1].
One detail showing the festival's appeal to those far from home: Ms. Đinh Thùy Trang, 47, an overseas Vietnamese settled in Canada, shared with Thanh Niên newspaper that despite living abroad for many years, she always remembers the drum sound of her hometown festival; returning to Hue right on the 10th day of the first lunar month, seeing young people compete with all their might while maintaining martial spirit and not using dangerous moves, she felt very proud[2].
The Sinh Village wrestling festival is among the post-Tet cultural festivals of Hue City, along with the Thủ Lệ Village Wrestling Festival, the Cau Ngu Festival, boat races in various localities, and the Chuon Village Festival; these festivals are held annually and add excitement and joy to many families and visitors[1].
Is the Sinh Village wrestling festival a national intangible cultural heritage?
No. According to the sources reviewed, the Sinh Village wrestling festival is not yet listed in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List. The articles describe it as a traditional festival, a traditional cultural activity, a sports activity contributing to preserving and promoting the traditional cultural values of the nation, and do not record a national heritage title for this wrestling festival[1][2].
Making this distinction clearly has practical significance. A festival with a long history, maintained by the community and widely covered by the press is still a traditional festival of value, but that value does not mean the festival has been listed as a national heritage. These are two different matters and should be written separately.
What should visitors note when attending the Sinh Village wrestling festival?
The festival takes place in exactly one day, the 10th day of the first lunar month, so visitors should arrive early in the morning to catch the ceremony and the first matches[1][2]. The "le wrestling" of local youth and strong young men takes place right from early morning, after the opening drum[1].
The location is the area of Lại Ân Village communal house (Sinh Village), Dương Nỗ Ward, Hue City[1][2]. The 2026 festival season was held in a newly planned space within a 0.5-hectare area in the center of Lại Ân Village, so visitors should ask for directions to the new wrestling ring area instead of only searching by the old location[1].
Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: if you want to follow the entire festival, you should be present before the opening time to see the ceremony of paying respects to the tutelary god and the custom of releasing sky lanterns, as these are the two opening rituals that many latecomers often miss. For first-time visitors, learning about the "muddy back, white belly" rule in advance will make it easier to follow the matches, because winning and losing in national wrestling is not counted by points but by the opponent's falling posture.
