TL;DR: Hội xuân (spring festivals) are a series of festivals and folk games held from after Tết Nguyên đán through several lunar months, tied to each ethnic group and each region. This article reports on two places with sources: ném còn, đẩy gậy, stilt walking, swinging and pao throwing among the people of Lai Châu, and the pháo đất game in Hải Dương (now part of Hải Phòng city). These games build strength, keep the bonds of village and neighbourhood, and carry hopes for a good harvest.
What Are Spring Festivals and Folk Games at Tet?
Spring festivals are the period after Tet Nguyen Dan when villages, clans and ethnic communities hold festivals, rituals and folk games. In many places, festivals run from the third day of Tet to the full moon of the first lunar month, sometimes into the third lunar month. Folk games are an indispensable part of spring festivals, serving as entertainment and as a way for communities to pass on labor experience, customs and beliefs to later generations.
In the highlands of the Northwest, ethnic communities in Lai Chau province welcome the new year and hold many festivals right after Tet Nguyen Dan, lasting until the third lunar month, such as the Gau Tao festival, the King Le Loi Temple festival, the Xoe Chieng festival, the Mong ethnic day, the Nang Han festival and the Then Kin Pang festival[1]. For months beforehand, in villages and neighborhoods, people prepare equipment and practice for folk game competitions and performances such as con throwing, mang throwing, stick pushing, tug of war, stilt walking, tu lu, pole climbing and sack jumping[1].
In the Northern Delta, spring festivals are tied to village communal houses, pagodas and temples. The earth firecracker game is a typical example, long established and still preserved in Hai Duong (now part of Hai Phong city)[2]. This game usually takes place from the first lunar month to the end of the fourth lunar month, organized at cultural houses and communal courtyards, and in years when a good harvest is expected, more earth firecracker contests are held[2].
Why Are Folk Games Tied to Spring Festivals?
Folk games are tied to spring festivals first because it is the agricultural off-season. After the harvest, people have free time to gather, compete and pray for the new crop. Second, spring festivals are when the community reaffirms shared values: neighborly ties, solidarity, skill and health. Third, many games carry spiritual meaning, praying for harvest, fertility and luck for the whole year.
In Lai Chau, joining the playground strengthens solidarity and neighborly bonds[1]. Folk games in festivals not only express the cultural, spiritual and religious characteristics of each ethnic group but also help train health and flexibility in daily life and production[1].
As for earth firecrackers, legend in Hai Duong says that during the Trung Sisters' era, soldiers and people used the sound of earth firecrackers to feign military strength and overwhelm the enemy's spirit; another legend says that the war elephant of Tran Hung Dao Dai Vuong got stuck in the mud at the Hoa River and people threw earth into the mud to create a path to save the elephant, and from then on, whenever farm work was done, people gathered to reenact the scene of throwing earth to save the elephant[2]. This is a folk legend, not a verified historical event. People believe that the louder the firecracker sound and the longer the string, the more favorable the rain and sunshine and the better the harvest that year[2].
Earth firecrackers, a typical game of the Northern Delta
An earth firecracker match usually has 4 rounds, each round with 20 throws, and each thrower gets only 1 throw[2]. The winning team in a round must have a total of firecracker lengths greater than the other team by 2 firecracker lengths or more, one firecracker length equals 40cm; a valid firecracker is one whose piece bursts larger than 2 lengths and does not break apart[2]. Each firecracker usually weighs 60 to 80kg, so before throwing, several people are needed to help lift it for the thrower[2].
| Game | Typical region, ethnic group | Main features |
|---|---|---|
| Earth firecracker | Hai Duong (Ninh Giang, Tu Ky) | Clay taken from about 2m deep, firecracker weighs 60 to 80kg, piece length measured for scoring[2] |
| Con throwing | Thai people in Lai Chau | Con vong and con xai, circle on the bamboo pole symbolizes the moon and sun[1] |
| Stick pushing | H'Mong people in Lai Chau | Two people hold each end of a stick, pushing the opponent off the court[1] |
| Rooster feather shuttlecock | H'Mong people in Sin Suoi Ho | Similar to badminton, played in singles or mixed doubles[1] |
| Stilt walking | Thai people in Lai Chau | Stilts made from old bamboo, racing and making beautiful stilts[1] |
| Swinging | H'Mong people in Lai Chau | Swing built from 6 to 8 bamboo poles, pushing hard to go higher[1] |
| Tug of war | Many ethnic groups in Lai Chau | Team competition, showing solidarity[1] |
| Pao throwing | H'Mong people in Lai Chau | Courtship game, can last for hours[1] |
Are Spring Festivals and Folk Games Still Preserving Their Identity Today?
Today, many folk games are still maintained and restored in festivals, especially in highland areas and community tourism villages. In Lai Chau, community tourism villages regularly organize folk games to preserve the cultural beauty of their ethnic group and to serve tourists' experiences[1]. In recent years, Lai Chau province has also included some popular folk games such as tu lu, stick pushing and crossbow shooting in competitions at sports festivals, sports congresses and cultural-sports festival occasions[1].
In Hai Duong, earth firecrackers have become an indispensable folk game in early spring festivals in some localities such as Ninh Giang and Tu Ky, and recently have been included in the Con Son Kiep Bac Spring Festival[2]. Whenever a contest takes place, earth firecrackers always attract the attention and cheers of many domestic and foreign tourists[2].
However, urbanization, migration and lifestyle changes also pose challenges for preserving folk games. Many games are at risk of fading due to lack of successors, lack of space to organize, or being transformed into staged performances. Preserving folk games therefore requires the participation of the community, local authorities and cultural organizations.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Do Spring Festivals Usually Last?
Spring festivals usually start from the third day of Tet to the full moon of the first lunar month, and in some places last until the third lunar month. For example, in Lai Chau, ethnic communities hold many festivals right after Tet Nguyen Dan lasting until the third lunar month[1].
What Is the Meaning of Folk Games at Tet?
Folk games at Tet are both a form of entertainment and a way for the community to pass on labor experience, customs and beliefs. Many games also carry the meaning of praying for harvest, fertility and luck for the whole year.
Which Region Does the Earth Firecracker Game Belong To?
Earth firecrackers are a long-established folk game still preserved in Hai Duong, especially in the former Ninh Giang and Tu Ky districts[2]. This game usually takes place from the first lunar month to the end of the fourth lunar month[2].
