Unique folk games and drumming competition at Temple festival

TPO - The Gam Temple Festival is held with solemn rituals and many attractive folk games. Among them, the unique drum beating competition attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world to attend the festival.

03/17/2025 | 12:57

TPO - The Gam Temple Festival is held with solemn rituals and many attractive folk games. Among them, the unique drum beating competition attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world to attend the festival.

The Gam Temple Festival (Nghe An) takes place from the 13th to the 17th of the second lunar month. This is the only place that combines a Temple and a Pagoda in the same area, creating a unique spiritual and religious complex in Nghe An today.

Gam Temple - Pagoda (Xuan Thanh Commune, Yen Thanh District, Nghe An) is a special religious and belief structure, the only one in Nghe An province that has a Temple and Pagoda in the same area. The complex was built during the Tran Dynasty to worship gods who have contributed to protecting the country and the people. In 2007, Gam Temple - Pagoda was recognized by the Provincial People's Committee as a Provincial Historical and Cultural Relic and was honored to receive the UNESCO Patronage Certificate from the Vietnam Federation of UNESCO Associations in 2018. In 2022, the complex was recognized by the Provincial People's Committee as a spiritual eco-tourism destination.

Every year, the festival is held from the 13th to the 17th of the second lunar month to preserve, conserve and promote various forms of national culture. The festival aims to express the people's faith and respect for the merits of gods, Buddha and ancestors.

The highlight of this year’s Gam Temple-Chua Festival is the Drum Beating Competition. This is considered an exciting competition, attracting thousands of tourists and locals to attend.

This year’s drumming competition has the participation of 13 teams from hamlets and clans in the area. Each team has 7 participants wearing traditional costumes such as ao dai, turban, etc. Among them, there is 1 person playing the big drum (big drum), 3 people playing the small drum and 3 people playing the nao.

According to the rules, each team will play 3 drum beats for about 12 minutes. If the beating exceeds the allotted time, points will be deducted. At the end of the competition, the judges will score and award prizes to the teams.

This year's contest is especially attended by teenagers and children. The youngest participant is Nguyen Canh Dat (5 years old, residing in Thuong Xuan hamlet, Xuan Thanh commune).

Although still young, Nguyen Canh Dat has shown his special talent for playing the sacrificial drum, attracting thousands of people and spectators.

In addition to the drumming competition, this year's festival also features many exciting folk games such as stick pushing, tug of war, pot smashing, wrestling, volleyball, and performances of traditional opera and cheo.

Tug of war attracts many teams from women's associations in the commune to participate in exciting competitions.

The blindfolded duck catching game created lots of laughter for the audience.

Blindfolded pig catching game is enjoyed by many children.

The Gam Temple Festival (Nghe An) takes place from the 13th to the 17th of the second lunar month. This is the only place that combines a Temple and a Pagoda in the same area, creating a unique spiritual and religious complex in Nghe An.

Ngoc Tu

Source: https://tienphong.vn/doc-dao-tro-choi-dan-gian-va-hoi-thi-danh-trong-te-o-le-hoi-den-chua-gam-post1725619.tpo