The local in Van village or fomerly Yen Vien village is excited at organizing the mud ball wrestling festival - a unique, amazing and dramatic festival on the 12th, 13th and 14th days of the fourth lunar month (May 19-21) in every four years.

The fighters perform the ritual of worshiping Saints Tam Giang before the match.

The festival features farmers' belief in worshiping the Sun God as the wish for favorable weather and bumper harvests.

Legend has it that in the past, four siblings namely Truong Hong, Truong Hat, Truong Lung, and Truong Lay followed Trieu Quang Phuc to fight the Liang invaders. When they defeated the Liang army and returned to Da Trach lagoon, they were harassed by black demons in the lagoon.

Both sides entered a battle. The demons set a condition that if they win, they must be given a large reward; and if they lose, they will follow the Truong, called Saints Tam Giang.

In the end, the black demons lost the battle and had to submit to Saints Tam Giang. Therefore, Van villagers opened a mud ball wrestling festival on the day of the saints' enthrallment, with the aim of celebrating the victory. The fighters represent two sides in the battle mentioned above, one team was the Saints’Army, the other team was the water demons.

Before going into battle, the elders performed the incense offering ceremony while the fighters in loincloths proceeded the worshiping ceremony for Saints Tam Giang. They sat in a row facing each other. Each team nominated a wrestler. The winning team served first.

The 20kg ball used in the game is made of jackfruit wood symbolizing the sun. According to the game’s rules, 16 healthy young men are divided into two teams (each with eight people), called the upper and lower teams. Everyone wore loincloths. Before the match, they hold a ceremony in the temple yard, drank wine and ate fruit to increase their courage.

After the ritual master threw the ball into the yard, loincloth-clad young men of the two teams competed for the ball amid dirty muds. Everyone was determined to win the ball. They competed fiercely for three days, with a two-hour match per day.

The spectators watching on the shore were also covered in mud but everyone was happy and saw it as a sign of good luck. They cheered and encouraged both teams and the winner was the common joy of the whole village.

The mud ball wrestling festival was held on a pitch with an area of about 200 square meters. The pitch is muddy, with two holes at its two ends to push the ball into. Each time the ball is pushed into the hole is the end of a round.

Two or four women wearing traditional costumes of the Kinh Bac region carried water from the Cau River to add to the pitch. Because of its unique identity, the Van Village mud ball wrestling festival is always the center of attraction for thousands of people and tourists near and far.

In 2022, Van Village mud ball wrestling festival was recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Some images of the 2024 mud ball wrestling festival in Van village:

Thousands of tourists flock to the festival.

Lion dance before the match.

The wooden ball is placed in a solemn position.

The fighters greet the audience.

The fighters perform the ritual of worshiping Saints Tam Giang.

Ritual of worshiping wrestling is done before competition.

The ball is brought to the playing position.

The fighters and spectators are both covered in mud.

Fierce competition.

The image symbolizes a wish for harmony and bumper harvests - a unique beauty in the Van Village mud ball wrestling festival.

Women carry water from Cau River to add to the pitch.

Children also go to cheer up the fighters.

Burst into joy.

The Dai - Mac Yen