Ploughing Festival 2025, an annual tradition held on the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, opened in Tien Son commune, Duy Tien district, Ha Nam province on February 4.

The festival features the procession of the memorial tablet of King Le Dai Hanh, from Long Doi Son Pagoda to the foot of Doi Mountain, where it merges with the processions of the local tutelary god, and the founder of the Doi Tam drum making craft.

The joint procession then moves to the paddy area, believed to be the venue of the first ploughing ceremony, so as to carry out rituals praying to the Agricultural God for bumper harvests and prosperity.

King Le Dai Hanh, who is known to have attached great importance to agriculture, travelled to the Doi Mountain in Doi Son commune, Ha Nam province in 987, to plow rice fields there during the Lunar New Year.

Then the practice has become a tradition. The renowned national festival is held annually to pray for a year of bumper harvests, and also express gratitude to predecessors, who have explored, cultivated and expanded paddy fields across the country./.