Society

The Cờn Temple Festival in 2025 will be vibrant with running and boat racing.

Reporters and Contributors • February 18, 2025 19:16

Running races, boat races, and competitions in traditional sports... these are some of the unique and vibrant activities at this year's Cờn Temple Festival.

From February 16th to 18th (January 19th to 21st, Year of the Snake), the Cờn Temple area (Hoang Mai town, Nghe An province) – a national historical site – was bustling with a festive atmosphere featuring a series of attractive cultural and sporting activities. Photo: Mạnh Hùng

The solemn rituals and festive activities are interwoven, creating an atmosphere that is both sacred and vibrant. Photo: Mạnh Hùng

Tung kiệu cầu ngư (1) — The Fishing Prayer Ceremony (or "Running Away to Avoid Vomiting") – a characteristic ritual of the festival – is performed solemnly with a procession of five palanquins from the Inner Cờn Temple to the Outer Cờn Temple. Photo: Nhật Thanh

The master of ceremonies performs the traditional fishing prayer ritual. Photo: Nhat Thanh

cuop-loc-2-(1).jpg — After the ritual, people scramble to grab offerings on the beach, believing they will bring good luck home. Photo: Nhat Thanh

Tung kiệu cầu ngư (2) — The procession carrying the palanquin headed towards Cờn Ngoài temple amidst cheers and applause, interspersed with dramatic palanquin-tossing performances. Photo: Nhật Thanh

Đua thuyền (1) — Following the procession, a boat race took place on the Mai Giang River, with 8 teams competing from wards and communes in Hoang Mai town and guest teams from other localities. Photo: Nhat Thanh

Đua thuyền (3) — Spectacular maneuvers by the racers amidst the rhythmic drumming of the festival. The boat race is not only an opportunity for teams and racers to showcase their strength, experience, and team spirit, but also contributes to preserving the unique riverine culture. Photo: Nhat Thanh

Earlier, the competition included traditional sports such as stick pushing. Photo: Mạnh Hùng

...and tug-of-war. These competitions celebrate physical strength and chivalry. Photo: Mạnh Hùng

Bóng chuyền Đền Cờn 2 — Volleyball matches are also one of the traditional activities of the Cờn Temple Festival. Photo: Nhật Thanh

Bóng chuyền Đền Cờn — The dramatic volleyball matches unfolded right on the temple grounds, creating an exciting competitive atmosphere for the spectators. Photo: Nhat Thanh

With its series of unique cultural and sporting activities, the Cờn Temple Festival contributes to promoting the beauty and cultural and tourism values of the locality to a wide range of visitors from near and far. Photo: Mạnh Hùng

Reporters and Contributors