Long Tong Festival

The Long Tong Festival is one of the largest and most significant events in Lang Son; taking place annually on the 4th day of the lunar year across more than 200 villages in the province. While it is popularly known as Long Tong, different regions have their own names for the festival, including Thong Bung Kham (in Dai Dong district), Thong Na Mon (in Chi Lang district), and Long Dong (in Bac Son district).
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Regardless of the location, Long Tong Festival features similar rituals and activities, including worshiping the God of Agriculture, traditional games, and folk song singing contests. The festival typically begins with a worship ceremony at dawn. In Vietnamese culture, the God of Agriculture is revered as the guardian of fields and gardens, responsible for bringing favorable weather to ensure bountiful harvests and a peaceful year for villagers. To honor this deity in the spring, Vietnamese people partake in worship to seek blessings for the upcoming year. The ceremony kicks off with the Pu Mo, the festival leader, performing rituals at the main village temple before moving to the fields or a nearby hill to pay homage to the God of Agriculture. Festive offerings are prepared for the God, consisting of boiled chicken, fresh fruits, rice wine, and other traditional dishes.
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Following the worship ceremony, the village engages in celebrations right in the rice fields. Participants enjoy delicious sticky rice and sip on the renowned local white rice wine. While the elders savor the food, young men and women participate in an assortment of traditional games. Occasionally, lion dance teams from neighboring villages are invited to perform at the festivities. It is believed that the presence of a lion dance during the festival signifies good luck and prosperity for families throughout the year.