Bac Ninh: Opening Ceremony of the 599th Anniversary of the Xuong Giang Victory Festival

BAC NINH - On February 21st (the 5th day of the Lunar New Year), at the Xương Giang Victory Site, a special national historical site, the Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee, and Fatherland Front Committee of Bac Giang ward organized the opening ceremony of the 599th Anniversary of the Xương Giang Victory (1427 - 2026).

Báo Bắc Ninh•21/02/2026

Delegates offered incense at Xương Giang Temple before the opening ceremony of the festival.

Attending the event were comrades: Nguyen Hong Thai, Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee; Nguyen Thi Huong, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee; Nguyen Viet Oanh, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council; and Pham Hoang Son, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee.

Also attending were leaders of the Provincial People's Council, People's Committee, and Fatherland Front Committee; the Provincial National Assembly Delegation; members of the Provincial Party Standing Committee; representatives of provincial departments, agencies, and organizations; leaders of some neighboring provinces and cities; wards and communes in the province; and a large number of local people and tourists from all over.

The program was broadcast live on Bac Ninh Newspaper, Radio, and Television.

Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Hong Thai beat the drum to officially open the festival.

Before the opening ceremony, delegates and the people offered incense and rang gongs and drums to officially open the festival. In the afternoon of the same day, the organizing committee held a sacrificial ceremony and released fish and birds as part of a ritual to pray for national peace and prosperity.

Delegates and a large number of people attended the festival.

In his opening remarks, Comrade Tran Van Thanh, Chairman of the People's Committee of Bac Giang Ward, emphasized: In the spring of 1418, the Lam Son Uprising, initiated by national hero Le Loi, began in the highlands of Thanh Hoa . By mid-1426, the rebel army advanced north, besieging Dong Quan citadel. Faced with this situation, the Ming army, while seeking peace, urgently dispatched reinforcements. Understanding the enemy's intentions, under the brilliant leadership of Le Loi and the renowned cultural figure Nguyen Trai, the Lam Son rebels implemented the strategy of "besieging the citadel and destroying the reinforcements," concentrating their forces to annihilate the arriving troops.

Comrade Tran Van Thanh delivered the opening speech at the festival.

Among the sieges and attacks on enemy fortresses, the battle at Xương Giang Fortress is considered the most arduous and fierce. After more than six months of siege and over 30 battles, both large and small, the Lam Sơn rebels and the local people captured Xương Giang Fortress ten days before reinforcements arrived in Vietnam, creating a favorable position for the decisive victory that followed, ending 20 years of brutal Ming rule and ushering in a period of peace and prosperity for Đại Việt. This victory became a glorious milestone, adding another glorious chapter to the history of our nation's resistance against foreign invaders.

Drum performance and lion/dragon dance at the opening ceremony.

For centuries, the people of Xương Giang have organized a festival at the beginning of spring (from the 5th to the 7th of January) every year to commemorate the great contributions of their ancestors and the heroic fighters who bravely fought in the Lam Sơn uprising, contributing to the glorious Chi Lăng - Xương Giang victory in the history of the nation.

With its unique historical and cultural values, in 2019, the Xuong Giang Victory Site was recognized by the Prime Minister as a Special National Monument; in 2023, the Xuong Giang Traditional Festival was included in the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The epic performance recreated the ancient attack on Xương Giang citadel by our army and people.

Following the ceremony, delegates and the public enjoyed the artistic program "The Everlasting Spirit of Xuong Giang," consisting of three parts: "The Spirit of Xuong Giang," "Xuong Giang Shines Brightly in the Spring Sky," and "Continuing the Tradition - Illuminating the Future."

With elaborate staging, stunning visuals, captivating music, and professional acting, the artists and actors of the Bac Ninh Cheo Theatre delivered a vibrant epic performance about a land of outstanding people and rich history, showcasing the distinctive cultural features of Lang Thuong Prefecture, the ancient Kinh Bac region, and present-day Bac Ninh. This was accompanied by the heroic spirit of our army and people in the fight against foreign invaders.

Meritorious Artist Thai Son performs at the opening ceremony of the festival.

At the same time, many musical and dance performances praising spring, the Party, President Ho Chi Minh, the homeland, and the country, performed by famous singers and artists from the central government and Bac Ninh such as Meritorious Artist Thai Son, Meritorious Artist Quynh Mai, Duong Duc, Hoang Yen, Ha Trang, Dang Quan, Dinh Tuan, Ngoc Ha, Duc Thinh, Minh Ngoc… were integrated and connected, further highlighting the theme of the special art program on the opening night of the festival.

An artistic performance at the festival.

On February 22nd and 23rd (the 6th and 7th days of the first lunar month), the Xuong Giang Festival continues with performances of intangible cultural heritage (Cheo singing, Quan Ho singing, Ca Tru singing); screening of animated films about the history of the Xuong Giang Victory; and an exhibition of commemorative photos of the Xuong Giang Victory. Traditional folk games and a rural market space featuring local specialties will also be organized.

Le Thanh - Thu Thuy

Source: https://baobacninhtv.vn/bac-ninh-khai-mac-le-hoi-599-nam-chien-thang-xuong-giang-postid439555.bbg