VietNamNet Bridge – A snake dance performed by 15 young men dressed in white is an important part of the Truong Lam Village Festival which is taking place from March 13-16.

The festival includes rituals and a procession.

The ritual reflects a holy snake shedding its skin and is dedicated to the White Snake God, the protector of Truong Lam villagers in Long Bien District.

Legend has it that Prince Hoang Lang, who was born in Truong Lam Village, was the son of the Dragon King. He helped repel invaders in 1077, and then turned into a giant white snake and left Earth.

To commemorate the date, Truong Lam villagers practiced a ritual to pay their respects to the gods and ancestors, according to Au Xuan Kien, head of the management board of the Truong Lam Temple and Pagoda Relics.

During the three-day festival, various activities take place such as processions, rituals, dancing, folk singing and games.

Young men perform a dance of a white snake shedding its skin. — VNS Photo Minh Thu

“The holy dance is performed by 15 strong men who are not married,” said Kien.

“It is our way to pray for a prosperous crop and good weather. A snake shedding its skin is a symbol of fertility and prosperity.”

Last year, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recognised the Truong Lam Village Festival as an national intangible heritage. 

Source: VNS