A ball wrestling game, called Khanh Ha, is organized every forth lunar month for unmarried men in Bac Giang Province.
Interested parties head to Van Ha Commune, Viet Yen District to be teamed up before the game, which is held on the 12th to 14th days of the lunar month (this year: May 10-12), according to a Tien Phong photo feature.
The contest is held to celebrate the legendary victory of two local brothers Truong Hong and Truong Hat over a lagoon monsters following their return from helping Trieu Quang Phuc, a leader and commanding general in Vietnam’s 6th century victory over invaders from China’s Liang Empire.
The brothers allegedly achieved a godlike status after forcing the monster to yield to them.
Senior villagers organize the game on the ground in front of the gods’ temple. They said the game was once held during the rainy season in the abundant mud puddles.
It is also a time for locals to pray for good weather and bumper crops, and thus considered a tradition of the wet rice culture.
Source: thanhniennews.com
