A festival featuring the age-old sport of “vật cầu”, a game which involves men wrestling over a ball, took place in Hanoi’s Thuy Linh village on the sixth day of the first lunar month, or February 15 this year, luring thousands of excited visitors.
The festival is held to commemorate Linh Lang Highest Royal, who is the fourth son of King Ly Thanh Tong. It takes place on the afternoon of the fourth, fifth, and sixth days of the first lunar month annually.
This unique, centuries-old sporting event demonstrates the strength, intelligence, and resilience of the players, as well as solidarity of the whole community.
The match ball weighs a total of 20kg with the pitch being set out with holes in each corner. The aim of the game is to push the ball into one of the opposing team’s holes.
Competing in the game are four different teams made up of eight men per side. Whilst trying to push the ball into their opponent’s hole, each team fiercely competes as they wrestle for possession of the ball.
The teams put in every effort as they attempt to push their way through and get the ball into one of their opponent’s holes.
As soon as one of the players gains possession of the ball, his teammates try and support him to get the task done.
The winners represent wrestlers with the honour of attending the incense offering ceremony at the communal house.
For many wrestlers, the game is like physical practice, and it is simply played for pleasure.
Vietnamnet.vn
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