1. Vinh Khê Village Wrestling Festival – History, Cultural Values, and Festival Significance
The Vinh Khê Village Wrestling Festival is an ancient traditional wrestling festival of the Northern Delta region. (Source: Collected)
The Vinh Khê Village Wrestling Festival is one of the ancient and typical traditional wrestling festivals of the Northern Delta region, associated with the history of village formation and the martial spirit of the Vietnamese people. Not only does it carry profound historical value, but the festival also serves as a special cultural space, converging folk beliefs, community traditions, and the identity of Hai Phong homeland.
1.1. Where is the Vinh Khê Village Wrestling Festival located?
The Vinh Khê Village Wrestling Festival takes place at the Vinh Khê village communal house, An Dong commune, An Duong district, Hai Phong city. The spacious ancient communal house area, surrounded by a clear blue lake and rows of ancient trees providing cool shade, creates a solemn atmosphere, suitable for traditional New Year rituals.
The Vinh Khê Wrestling Festival has a history of nearly 700 years, originating from the 14th century during the Tran Dynasty. Legend has it that two brothers of the Vu family – who were skilled in martial arts – gathered village young men to protect the hamlet from banditry around the year 1370. The martial spirit and community solidarity of these ancestors form the foundation for the traditional wrestling tradition in Vinh Khê, maintained and developed through many generations.
In 2019, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism officially recognized the Vinh Khê Village Wrestling Festival as a national intangible cultural heritage, belonging to the category of "social customs and beliefs". This recognition not only affirms the long-standing historical and cultural value of the festival but also contributes to promoting the preservation and promotion of this precious heritage.
The Vinh Khê Communal House was built during the reign of King Tran Due Tong, and it is where three tutelary deities are worshipped: the twin brothers Trung Thanh Dai Vuong Vu Giao and Hung Vu Dai Vuong Vu Sao, known for their strength and martial arts, and Dai Vuong Tu Duong Hau Pham Tu Nghi – a general during the Mac dynasty who once won the highest prize in the wrestling festival and was revered as the village tutelary deity.
1.2. The Meaning and Spirit of the Vinh Khê Village Wrestling Festival
The Vinh Khê Village Wrestling Festival is not only an occasion to commemorate the tutelary deities but also clearly expresses the spirit of gratitude for one's origins. During each festival, people offer incense, perform rituals, and pray for a year of peace and prosperity, favorable weather, and a peaceful life. This ritual strengthens the community, expressing gratitude and respect for the ancestors.
The martial spirit and collective strength are clearly demonstrated in each wrestling match. The communal house yard becomes a place to recreate the atmosphere of martial arts training and wrestling of ancient residents, with wrestlers competing in a spirit of honesty, fairness, and mutual respect. These contests bring excitement and appeal to the audience while training the health, will, and courage of the participants.
The Vinh Khê Wrestling Festival is also a living museum of Vietnamese folk culture and beliefs. From the traditional wrestling techniques, the organization according to village customs, the ritual of entering the arena, to the cheering styles, all clearly reflect national identity, contributing to the preservation and promotion of traditional cultural heritage in modern life.
2. Time, Location, and Scale of the Vinh Khê Village Wrestling Festival Organization
The festival carries strong historical values and traditional martial spirit.
(Source: Collected)
The timing and location of the organization are important factors contributing to the special attraction of the Vinh Khe village wrestling festival every spring. Maintaining the traditional timeframe and the ever-expanding scale of organization has helped the festival become a typical cultural-sports rendezvous of the land of An Duong, Hai Phong.
2.1. Time of Vinh Khe Village Wrestling Festival
The Vinh Khe village wrestling festival is usually held annually on the 7th day of the first lunar month, coinciding with the birthday of the two Vu clan tutelary deities. The early spring period, when the festival atmosphere is still bustling, makes the festival special and attracts a large number of people and tourists to attend.
In recent years, after being recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage, the scale of the wrestling festival has expanded. Many festivals have lasted for two days, from the 6th to the 7th day of the first lunar month, creating opportunities for many people and tourists to fully experience the festival activities. For example, the 2025 wrestling festival is expected to take place from the 6th to the 7th day of the first lunar month (February 3-4 in the solar calendar) with a rich program including both traditional ceremonies and lively festivities.
2.2. Location, Scale, and Atmosphere of the Festival
The center for organizing the wrestling festival is the communal house yard and grounds of Vinh Khe communal house, An Dong commune, An Duong district, Hai Phong. This area is scientifically arranged, with a ceremonial space in the communal house, the wrestling ground in the center, surrounding stands for spectators, and areas for games, services, and cuisine. This arrangement honors the sacredness and facilitates cultural-sports activities.
The festival attracts a large number of local people and tourists, making the communal house yard always crowded on the main festival day. Professional and amateur wrestlers from Hai Phong, Ha Noi, Bac Ninh, Ninh Binh participate in the competition, sometimes up to 40 athletes, including faces who have won SEA Games medals or Asian youth championships.
The early spring atmosphere at the wrestling festival is a harmonious blend of solemnity in the ceremony and liveliness in the festivities. Inside the communal house, the sound of drums and gongs, procession rituals, and incense offering create a sacred atmosphere. Outside, cheers, drumbeats, and exciting wrestling matches draw spectators around the ring, offering an exhilarating and captivating experience.
Besides wrestling matches, the festival also organizes many folk cultural activities such as cockfighting, Chinese chess, traditional games, and a food market for attendees. These activities create a vibrant community space, attracting all ages and contributing to the preservation and promotion of the traditional cultural values of Vinh Khe village.
3. Traditional Ceremonies and Special Activities of the Vinh Khe wrestling festival
The wrestling festival space clearly reflects the folk beliefs of the local people. (Source: Collected)
The Vinh Khe wrestling festival is not only a venue for exciting matches but also begins with a traditional ritual system deeply imbued with folk beliefs. The blend of the solemn ceremony and the lively festival creates its unique characteristics, contributing to the enduring vitality of this traditional wrestling festival.
3.1. Solemn Ceremony Rituals
The ceremony part of the Vinh Khe village wrestling festival is solemnly held at the Vinh Khe communal house, with rituals of offering incense and performing sacrifices to commemorate the village tutelary god. Representatives of the organizing committee, elders, clan heads, and local officials all participate in traditional attire, creating a solemn and sacred atmosphere. Some festival occasions also include a procession of the deity palanquin around the village, demonstrating deep reverence for the worshipped deities.
A special highlight of the ceremony is the "giao điệp" ritual combined with a symbolic wrestling performance held right at the communal house. After the sacrifices, two elders in ceremonial attire perform the giao điệp before the tutelary god's altar, as a way to ask permission from the deities to open the wrestling festival. This is followed by the symbolic wrestling performance right before the altar, which both inaugurates the festival part in the yard outside the communal house and recreates the village's long-standing martial arts tradition.
Overall, the ceremony clearly reflects the beliefs of the Red River Delta region, with prayers for peace for the people, abundant harvests, happy families, and a prosperous new year. Simultaneously, the ritual conveys a message about preserving and passing down traditional cultural and martial arts values to the younger generation.
3.2. Traditional Wrestling Matches
The Vinh Khe village wrestling festival includes two main competition categories: children's wrestling and adult male wrestling. The children's competition helps them get acquainted with the traditional wrestling discipline in a safe and joyful environment. The adult male wrestling category gathers experienced wrestlers who have participated in many major domestic and international tournaments.
Each festival occasion, the Vinh Khe communal house yard becomes a meeting point for wrestlers from districts of Hai Phong city such as An Lao, Vinh Bao, Tien Lang, Kien Thuy, An Duong, Duong Kinh, along with Army athletes and famous wrestling schools in Ha Noi, Bac Ninh, Ninh Binh, and Thanh Hoa. Many wrestlers who have won SEA Games medals and Asian junior championships participate, creating thrilling matches.
A unique aspect of the festival is the very generous audience rewards. Spectators and benefactors directly reward outstanding matches and beautiful techniques with cash or gifts, sometimes up to tens of millions of Vietnamese Dong. Additionally, these gifts carry the meaning of wishing good luck and boosting morale at the start of the new year.
Thanks to the combination of lively matches and a bustling festival atmosphere, the Vinh Khe village wrestling festival always attracts a large audience to attend, cheer, and pray for luck. Many people believe that watching wrestling, cheering, and giving gifts (luck) to wrestlers will bring positive energy, favorable conditions, and luck for the entire new year.
4. Wrestling Rules, Regulations, and Martial Ethics
The Vinh Khe wrestling festival is a place that connects the community and preserves the homeland's customs. (Source: Collected)
The Vinh Khe village wrestling festival is not only attractive with its fierce competitions but also preserved by a strict system of rules, imbued with the traditional martial spirit. Through the wrestling rules and conduct on the wrestling mat, the festival conveys values of fairness, solidarity, and the bravery of Vietnamese people through many generations.
4.1. Traditional wrestling rules at the Vinh Khe village wrestling festival
Traditional wrestling matches at Vinh Khe village are organized in a 3-round format, each round lasting 3 minutes. If no winner is determined after 3 rounds, there will be an overtime round with unlimited time until a result is found. This flexible organization allows wrestlers to compete fairly, preserving traditional aspects while fitting the festive atmosphere.
The winner is determined when a wrestler defeats their opponent by making both shoulders and one hip touch the mat for about 3 seconds. This is a traditional criterion, emphasizing authenticity, simplicity, and the martial spirit in wrestling rules. The rules at the Vinh Khe wrestling festival particularly promote honesty, objectivity, and martial arts culture, strictly prohibiting any violent acts or tricks. Referees will remind, supervise, and require wrestlers to adhere to the rules, ensuring absolute safety for the competitors.
The wrestling festival is not just a sports arena but also a traditional festival, where the spirit of harmony is highly valued, combining the strength, will, and bravery of Vietnamese people in every wrestling move.
4.2. Timeless values of solidarity, willpower, and humanity
Each wrestler stepping onto the mat competes not only for themselves but also represents the honor of the village, wrestling school, and locality, creating fierce matches yet respecting opponents and spectators, in the spirit of 'fighting beautifully, winning honorably'. Consequently, the atmosphere of the wrestling festival is both vibrant and rich in humanistic values, deeply marked by community spirit.
The participation of wrestlers and supporters from many provinces and cities contributes to cultural exchange and community connection, while also creating opportunities for coaches to discover and nurture new talents and share training experiences. This is how the Vinh Khe wrestling festival preserves the traditional wrestling heritage and promotes the widespread folk wrestling movement.
Despite many generations passing, the people of Vinh Khe still maintain and promote the tradition of organizing wrestling festivals, considering it a cultural symbol and the martial spirit of their homeland. Many wrestlers who grew up in the village yard, after achieving high results, still return to participate in the festival as a token of gratitude to the place that honed their skills and bravery, affirming its role as both a talent discovery ground and a space for preserving traditional cultural values.
5. Itinerary for experiencing the Vinh Khe village wrestling festival
A reasonable itinerary will help visitors fully experience the sacred, vibrant, and distinctive atmosphere of the Vinh Khe village wrestling festival. Allocating time according to different slots in the day not only allows for full observation of ceremonies and matches but also provides a deep local cultural experience.
The morning is the ideal time for visitors to arrive early at Vinh Khe communal house, witness the incense offering ceremonies, rituals, and the 'giao điệp' ceremony. The opening ceremony with a symbolic wrestling match by two elders signifies the commencement, marking a significant and symbolic moment of the traditional Vinh Khe wrestling festival. After the ceremony concludes, the first matches take place in a gentle atmosphere, helping visitors familiarize themselves with the wrestling festival, observe the wrestlers' skills, and the enthusiastic cheers from the audience.
By noon, visitors can visit local food stalls within the village grounds, enjoy Tet holiday dishes, and specialties from the An Duong – Hai Phong region. Simultaneously, this is the time to participate in or observe folk games, from chess and cockfighting to traditional games in a bustling market atmosphere, offering a vivid local cultural experience.
The afternoon is when the most important matches take place, gathering many strong wrestlers and professional athletes, creating an exciting and lively atmosphere. During breaks between matches, visitors can explore the Vinh Khe communal house relic, learn about its history, royal decrees, and the legends of the two Vũ brothers and the general Phạm Tu Nghi, thereby fully appreciating the cultural and spiritual values of the festival.
Sun World brings a complete scenic journey from an impressive height.
(Source: Collected)
After finishing the wrestling festival experience, visitors can expand their itinerary to explore Hai Phong city and Cat Ba island, famous for its beautiful island scenery along with the ecosystem of Cat Ba National Park. The modern Sun World cable car system helps shorten travel time from the mainland, bringing a combined journey between attending village festivals and island tourism that is convenient, multi-experience, and memorable.
6. Useful experience participating in the Vinh Khe village wrestling festival
The festival contributes to honoring the unique cultural identity of Hai Phong.
(Source: Collected)
To fully enjoy the vibrant yet traditional atmosphere of the Vinh Khe village wrestling festival, visitors should equip themselves with necessary experiences before participating. Small notes on etiquette, attire, and safety will help you have a meaningful, civilized, and respectful experience of local cultural values.
When attending the Vinh Khe village wrestling festival, visitors need to pay attention to preserving etiquette and traditional culture. Attire should be polite and modest, while maintaining a courteous attitude when meeting elders, dignitaries, or the organizing committee. As a national relic and a sacred place of worship, the village communal house requires everyone to respect the spiritual space, making the experience more meaningful and solemn.
Visitors should wear flat shoes or low sandals for convenient movement, as the communal house yard and village paths are often crowded. This helps you stand to watch the matches for a long time comfortably. Throughout the visit, maintain general hygiene, do not litter, and adhere to designated areas for eating and smoking as guided by the organizing committee.
When entering the communal house, please remain quiet, turn off your phone ringer, and do not touch artifacts, statues, or horizontal lacquered boards without permission. In the competition area, avoid crowding and pushing, especially during peak moments of the matches. Maintain a safe distance from the wrestling ring, follow the instructions of the coordination force, and give way to the elderly and children to ensure everyone's safety.
When taking photos, limit the use of flash, lasers, and flycams near the competition area to avoid disturbing the wrestlers and referees. Absolutely do not engage in buying or selling, or prize exchanges at the wrestling ground to maintain a civilized and clean environment according to local regulations. Adhering to these notes will make your trip to the Vinh Khe village wrestling festival complete, safe, and memorable.
The Vinh Khe village wrestling festival is one of the oldest and most distinctive traditional festivals of Hai Phong, closely associated with the cultural history of the An Duong land. With exciting martial arts competitions and a folk-style spirit of martial arts, the festival becomes an attractive destination for tourists who love experiencing local culture.
