The annual “Le khao le the linh Hoang Sa” (Feast and Commemoration Festival for Hoang Sa Soldiers) festival is to pay tribute to the soldiers and sailors who sacrificed their lives over the centuries guarding the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes.

According to Vietnam history, the Hoang Sa Flotilla was set up when the Nguyen Lords began their reign in the south of the country. Sailors of the flotilla overcame roaring waves and storms to survey sea routes, plant milestones and erect steles affirming national territory in Hoang Sa and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes, and mine marine resources under the order of Nguyen Lords. Their missions were full of dangers, and many of them never returned to land. Therefore, before the soldiers left for their mission, a feast was held for them, hence the beginning of the tradition. 

According to traditional beliefs, launching boats with effigies of sailors into the seas aims to pray for peace for the sailors so that they could return home safely

The festival reflected the original feast held under the Nguyen dynasty with replayed objects including effigies of sailors, fishing boat and votive papers, chicken meat, sticky rice, bamboo splints, rolls of rattan strings, salt, rice, etc which the militia-soldiers often took with them on each trip to Hoang Sa.

The event has been observed through hundreds of years by communities in Ly Son islands and many coastal areas in Quang Ngai, and showed the Vietnam’s history of protecting the national sovereignty in the East Sea, especially over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos, contributing to educate the patriotic tradition for the younger generations. 

The festival was recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in April 2013.

DT (bienphong.com.vn)