Traditional tug-of-war game handed down as heritage
An ancient form of tug of war is still organised at the Tran Vu Temple Festival on the third day of the third lunar month in Thach Ban ward, Long Bien district, Hanoi.
Two competing teams pull some bamboo, which runs through a hole on a big wooden pillar. The pillar stands firmly on the ground. The athletes lean their feet against wooden pillar to have more power to pull the bamboo back toward their team's side. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - An ancient form of tug of war is still organised atthe Tran Vu Temple Festival on the third day of the third lunar month in ThachBan ward, Long Bien district, Hanoi.
Legend has it that during a serious drought, only one of 12 wells in Ngọc Tri villagestill contained water.
Men from Cho hamlet went to collect water from the well but were stopped by menfrom Dia hamlet. At that time they used bamboo twine to carry the water home.
When a fight for the precious resource broke out, both sides were afraid ofspilling the water, so they sat down and battled to pull the water from each other,some even clinging on to the buckets for dear life.
When the drought was over, elders in the village initiated the game as areflection of the fight at the village festival in order to wish for a betterweather, a bumper crop and a prosperous life.
The event has been recognised as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity byUNESCO.
The festival at Tran Vu Temple includes a ceremony and the tug of war toexpress locals’ respect for the gods and their desire for a peaceful life. —VNS/VNA
On April 7, Thach Ban ward, Hanoi, held a ceremony to receive UNESCO’s certificate recognising the traditional sitting tug-of-war game of Tran Vu temple as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
A ceremony was held in Thach Ban ward, Hanoi’s Long Bien district on April 7 to receive a certificate of UNESCO recognition of the sitting tug-of-war games and rituals at local Tran Vu temple as part of the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
A ceremony was held in Thach Ban ward, Hanoi’s Long Bien district on April 7 to receive a certificate of UNESCO recognition of the sitting tug-of-war games.
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Two competing teams pull some bamboo, which runs through a hole on a big wooden pillar. The pillar stands firmly on the ground. The athletes lean their feet against wooden pillar to have more power to pull the bamboo back toward their team's side. (Photo: VNA) 
