La Phu, a village 20 kilometres from Hanoi, was known for its silk products in the past and now for wool weaving for export and malt making. It is one of the localities in Hoai Duc district, Ha Noi west city having significant records in socio-economic and political development. Like many villages nationwide, La Phu has its own village festival, but the pig procession and offerings on the night of the 13th of lunar January every year are only found in this area.
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| Photo by Mạnh Thắng |
This custom was initiated a long time ago. The village temple has many precious exhibits including royal proclamations from the seventeenth century honoured to a general who had struggled for the peace of the village. It was said that the general, born on the seventh of lunar January, had trained his troops in La Phu village. Whenever the enemy troubled the area, the villagers prepared steamed sticky rice and pigs to give a feast to the general and his troops before the fight and after victory.
The villagers then decided to select the thirteenth of lunar January to mark the general’s death and his contributions by building a temple to worship the general. During the festival, the villagers arrange a number of processions and cultural and sports activities.
The pig procession is the most significant activity of the festival. The villagers raise a pig with special care from the previous year to reach 120-200 kilograms. The procession is featured with some old people and 32 young people, all wearing formal uniform and going from the main path of the village to the temple.
Many people from other neighbouring areas join the festival with people of La Phu pray to the village tutelary god for a bumper crop and happiness all the year. You have a plan for holiday package of your family yet? La Phu Festival in Vietnam will be an so interesting suggestion.
