(Baonghean.vn) - On the afternoon of the 5th day of the Lunar New Year (February 4, 2014), amidst the bustling atmosphere of spring, with respect and gratitude to the mother of President Ho Chi Minh - Mrs. Hoang Thi Loan, the Nghe An Tourism Association and Saigon Kim Lien Joint Stock Company organized the wrapping of two green sticky rice cakes to offer to her spirit and held a folk competition including stilt walking and sticky rice cake wrapping.
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| The teams participating in the competition. |
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| The team is competing in wrapping banh chung (Vietnamese rice cakes). |
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| The banh chung (Vietnamese rice cake) was wrapped and offered as a tribute to Mrs. Hoang Thi Loan. |
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| The product is finished. |
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| Stilt walking competition. |
Learning from last year's success, to ensure even cooking, this year's large glutinous rice cake contains 1500 smaller cakes inside. These two cakes were traditionally made with glutinous rice, mung beans, meat, pickled onions, and were prepared with guidance from experts at the Dam Sen Tourist Park in Saigon, with the assistance of over 30 people. The cakes were wrapped and cooked at the Saigon - Kim Lien Hotel in Vinh City (Nghe An province) over two days. Each of the two cakes weighs 350kg and measures 1m x 1m x 0.5m.
On the morning of February 5th, the 6th day of the Lunar New Year, Saigon - Kim Lien Joint Stock Company, in coordination with the Nghe An Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Nghe An Tourism Association, will organize a ceremony to offer a pair of banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes) along with incense and flowers in Nam Giang commune, Nam Dan district. The offering of banh chung to the mother of President Ho Chi Minh aims to commemorate and express gratitude for her contributions, upholding the national tradition of remembering one's roots and creating a joyful atmosphere at the beginning of the new year.
Thanh Chung-Pham Ngan
