VietNamNet Bridge – In the warm weather, thousands of visitors flocked to the stadium in Hai Luu commune in the northern province of Vinh Phuc on February 19 to witness the finals of the buffalo fighting festival.

 


The stadium is packed with tens of thousands of spectators.


The Hai Luu buffalo fighting festival is the oldest of its kind in Vietnam. It is said that

the festival appeared in the 2nd century B.C, when the Han dynasty invaded

Nam Viet (Vietnam today) of the Trieu Dynasty.


After the Trieu  Dynasty collapse, General Lu Gia pulled his troops to Hai Luu.

After each victory, Lu Gia organized buffalo fights as amusement for his soldiers.

After the battles the fighting buffaloes were killed to give a feast to the soldiers.


After Lu Gia died, Hai Luu people worshiped him as the village god and since

then the buffalo fighting festival has been organized in Hai Luu.


The festival is held annually on the 16th and 17th of the first lunar month.


Battles are very fierce.


The owner of this buffalo has to cover his eyes to ease the rage of the winner.


Both the winners and the losers are killed for sale on the spot, and sold

for VND500,000 to VND700,000 ($25-35) a kilo.

Source: VNE