Water Ball Wrestling Association

Every four years, from the 12th to the 14th of April in the lunar calendar, the people of Van Ha village (formerly known as Yen Vien, popularly called Van village), Viet Yen district, Bac Giang province, eagerly hold the Water Ball Wrestling Festival - a festival rich in history, unique, joyful, dramatic, and "one-of-a-kind" in the village.

Join photographer Nguyen Ngoc Thai in experiencing this festival through his photo series "Water Ball Wrestling". This series was submitted by the author to the Happy Vietnam Photo and Video Contest, organized by the Ministry of Information and Communications .

The traditional wrestling festival at Cau Nuoc village in Van has a long history, deeply intertwined with the cultural and religious life of the local people for generations. Legend says that: In the past, the two brothers Truong Hong and Truong Hat assisted Trieu Quang Phuc in fighting the Liang invaders. After defeating the Liang army at Da Trach swamp, they were harassed by black demons from the swamp. These demons attacked the Holy army. During the battle, the black demons set conditions: if they won, they would receive a great reward; if they lost, they would have to submit to the Holy army. The battle ensued, and in the end, the black demons were defeated and submitted to the Holy Tam Giang deity.

The wrestling rituals begin before the competition. The wrestlers perform a ceremony to worship the Holy Saint of Tam Giang. Before the match, the elders offer incense, and the wrestlers, wearing loincloths, perform a ritual to worship the Holy Saint of Tam Giang. The wrestlers sit in rows facing each other, each team sends out one wrestler, and the winning team gets to throw the ball first.

The players and spectators were covered in mud.

Thousands of tourists from all over flocked to see the festival.

The imagery, symbolizing prayers for a bountiful harvest and harmony, is a distinctive feature of the Water Wrestling Festival.

The joy of victory.

The festival is a traditional belief in the worship of the Sun God by the people of the past, reflecting the characteristics of rice-farming culture and expressing the aspirations of agricultural communities. In 2022, the Van Village Water Ball Wrestling Festival was recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Vietnam.vn