Leader of Mong Cai 1 Ward performs the ceremonial drum-beating ritual to open the Tra Co Communal House Festival.

The communal house, closely associated with the early settlement and land reclamation of the coastal community of Tra Co, has been recognised as a Special National Relic, while the Tra Co Communal House Festival has been inscribed on Vietnam's National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The sea procession

The festival features a series of traditional rituals, including the sea procession, the Moc Duc (Buddha bathing ceremony), the An Vi (enshrinement ceremony), along with a variety of traditional folk games. Held annually, the festival honours the founding ancestors, fosters national pride, and raises public awareness of preserving and promoting Vietnam's traditional cultural heritage. It also provides an opportunity to showcase Mong Cai's unique cultural heritage to both domestic and international visitors.

By QMG's reporter