The Cua Ong Temple Festival, which was recently recognised as national special intangible cultural heritage, opened in Cam Pha City, the northern province of Quang Ninh, on March 18.

Palanquin procession at the Cua Ong Temple Festival 

The temple is dedicated to Tran Quoc Tang, the third son of Tran Hung Dao – the supreme commander of Vietnam. He was a hero in the resistance war against Mongol invaders under the Tran Dynasty in the 11th century. The festival commemorates his contributions to defeating enemies and bringing peace to the region.

As part of the opening ceremony, Quang Ninh received the certificate on the national special intangible cultural heritage status bestowed upon Cua Ong Temple Festival.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh acknowledged the province’s contributions to the preservation of cultural and historical values.

He urged Quang Ninh to develop tourism into its spearheaded sector and requested local authorities imrpove the Cua Ong Temple Festival to be on par with its new status. 

This year, the festival was held on a large scale, consisting of a palanquin procession by 28 groups and a folk games festival of human chess, cock fighting, tug of war and a rice cooking contest, among others.

The event also featured a concert with more than 500 artists and a 15-minute firework display.-VNA