More than 250,000 tourists participated in the Con Son-Kiep Bac Autumn Festival 2013 in the northern province of Hai Duong from September 19-24 (15th to 20th day of the eighth lunar month).
Opened on September 14, the ten-day festival featured a broad range of traditional spiritual rituals and cultural and sporting activities to commemorate the 713rd anniversary of the passing of National Hero Tran Hung Dao (1228-1300), who made great contributions to the fights against Yuan-Mongol invaders from the north in the 13th century.
The activities included incense offering ceremony, military festival and lanterns night on Luc Dau River, a festival to pray for peace, and the seal opening ceremony at Kiep Bac temple. Traditional games such as wrestling, boat race, and a rice cooking contest were also held during the festival.
Covering an area of more than 8ha in Chi Linh town, the Con Son - Kiep Bac historical site is closely associated with the lives and careers of Tran Hung Dao and Nguyen Trai (1380-1442), who was recognised as a Great Man of Culture of the World by UNESCO in 1980.
The area witnessed important battles between the Tran dynasty army and the Yuan-Mongol invaders.
Con Son - Kiep Bac was recognised as a national heritage site in 1962 and a special national heritage site in 2012.
The Con Son - Kiep Bac spring and autumn festivals were recognised as national intangible cultural heritage in 2012.