The God Fish Procession

This is a traditional festival that has been going on for a very long time, and preserved by the Muong people in the God Fish Stream area. The procession is hold annually in 8th and 9th January (lunar calendar), so that it is also called the Spring Beginning Festival. This is the event for local people to demonstrate their sincerity to the Gods, and also pray for another year with success, fortune and prospect. Therefore, it fascinates people in the area and also others from nearby regions.   

Similar to other festivals in Vietnam, this procession has two major sections: the rite and the festivals. The rite begins by catching a god fish from the stream, and then this fish is processed from the stream to the stadium of the area for the opening ceremony. After that, the people report what they have done so far in last year to the God, and pray for another good new year.  Compared to the formal rite, the festival part is more exciting with many traditional activities like stilt walking, crossbow shootings and traditional drama. These activities make for a fun and interesting atmosphere with the sound of traditional instrument, and help people relax before the season. One should not miss this when travelling to Thanh Hoa.