The old farmer wore a mask, played the role of a king and went to the field to plow.

On the morning of February 4 (the 7th day of the Lunar New Year), at Doi Tin field, Tien Son commune (Duy Tien town, Ha Nam), the 2025 Doi Son Tich Dien Festival took place.

Tich Dien Festival is a cultural beauty of Doi Son villagers in particular and Ha Nam province in general, recreating the tradition of "Dĩ nong vi ban", encouraging agriculture, attracting the attention of many people and tourists from all over.

According to historical records, the Tich Dien festival originated when King Le Dai Hanh returned to the foot of Doi mountain to perform the plowing ceremony (Tich Dien) in the spring of Dinh Hoi year, the 7th year of Thien Phuc (987).

Since then, this festival has become a beautiful custom, solemnly and respectfully performed by later dynasties, because of its humanistic meaning and spirit of encouraging agricultural production.

History says: "One time the king plows is better than a thousand times the king issues an edict to give advice, one time the king is close to the people is better than a thousand times the king calls out and encourages."

After the drum dance and dragon dance to open the festival, artisan Pham Chi Khang - Head of the Doi Tam village's Planning Committee - read a speech before the spirit tablets of King Le Dai Hanh and Than Nong to open the 2025 Doi Son Tich Dien festival.

Former Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan and delegates and guests performed the incense offering ceremony before the spirit tablets of King Le Dai Hanh and Than Nong.

This is the 6th year that Mr. Nguyen Ngoc An (75 years old, in Duy Tien, Ha Nam) has played the role of the king plowing the fields to open the Tich Dien festival. During the festival, Mr. An was chosen to perform the ceremony of entering the king's spirit and stepping up to the altar to pray to King Le and Than Nong.

The old farmer wearing a royal robe recreates the image of King Le Dai Hanh plowing the field.

Following the king was a group of young girls sowing seeds including green beans, peanuts and rice.

After the king finished plowing the fields, the local leaders and old farmers would plow the fields for 9 hours.

The Doi Son Tich Dien Festival in 2025 will be held for 3 days, from February 2 to February 4 (ie January 5-7, At Ty year).

The festival will include sports competitions and folk games; buffalo painting and decoration contest; rice cake making contest of Doi Tam village families; plowing contest; exhibition activities of booths introducing typical agricultural and handicraft products of Duy Tien town and Ha Nam province...

The day before, the buffalo decoration painting contest of the Tich Dien Doi Son Festival 2025 took place, marking a new year with new aspirations, meaningful as the opening of the spring of the artists with bright motifs and colors hidden through the strokes and good wishes for themselves, their families and society.

Mr. Tran Ngoc Dung (Duy Tien, Ha Nam) has been participating in the Tich Dien Festival buffalo decoration painting contest for the past 10 years. Mr. Dung said that this year he brought his buffalo to the contest with the image of a snake painted on its back, hoping for a year of bountiful harvest. Last year, his buffalo won first prize, but this year it only came in second.

Dantri.com.vn

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/xa-hoi/lao-nong-deo-mat-na-dong-vai-vua-xuong-ruong-di-cay-20250204112540464.htm