On April 13, the People's Committee of Ly Son district organized the Tu Linh (Four Holy Beast) traditional boat racing festival, attracting thousands of local people and tourists.
The Tu Linh traditional boat racing festival of Ly Son district has been recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. This festival has been preserved and conserved for nearly 200 years.
The festival was first held in 1826, according to Ly Son islanders. It aims to pay homage to the island's ancestral inhabitants and soldiers who have fought for national sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes.
The event is also an opportunity for local fishermen to pray for prosperity, peace and smooth voyages at sea.
Eight boats participating in the race are decorated following the images of four holy beasts, including Long (dragon), Lan (unicorn), Quy (turtle) and Phung (phoenix). Before the festival opens, teams typically worship their specific gods.
Ly Son islanders believe the winning team would enjoy the most peace and prosperity during the year.
Participants should be healthy and skillful men. In the past, the boats were designed for only 14 people; however, in recent years, they have been designed to carry 24 men.
This year, the winning team belonged to the Long boat team. The second prize came to the Phung boat team, and the third and fourth prizes belonged to the Quy and Lan boat teams respectively.
Minh Thien
