Feast and Commemoration Festival for Hoang Sa Soldiers (Source: VNA) Quang Ngai(VNA) – “Le khao le the linh Hoang Sa” (Feast and Commemoration Festival forHoang Sa Soldiers) was held in An Hai commune, Ly Son district, the centralprovince of Quang Ngai, on April 6.
Following a traditional offering ceremonywas a boat race with the participation of four teams from An Hai commune.
According to Vietnam’s feudal statehistory, the Hoang Sa Flotilla was set up when the Nguyen Lords began their reignin the south of the country. Thousands of sailors overcame roaring waves andstorms to survey sea routes, plant milestones and erect steles affirmingnational territory in Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos,and exploit marine resources ordered by Nguyen Lords. Their missions were fullof dangers, and many of them never returned to land.
To pay tribute to the men enlisted in the flotilla, “Le khao le the linh HoangSa” has been observed through hundreds of years by families in Ly Son islandand many coastal areas in Quang Ngai.
The festival, which is held every April onthe island, was recognised as part of the national intangible cultural heritageby the State in 2016. It reflects Vietnam’s history of protecting the nationalsovereignty in the East Sea, especially over Hoang Sa and Truong Saarchipelagos.
Ly Son island covers an area of less than 10 sq.km but it has nearly 100relics, most of which are related to the Hoang Sa Flotilla, such as the emptygraves built for Hoang Sa soldiers who never returned to land, the templesdedicated to Pham Quang Anh and Vo Van Khiet who were captains of the Hoang SaFlotilla, and a showroom displaying the items of the Hoang Sa Flotilla sailorswho also controlled Bac Hai and Ba Ri Lagoon.
A monument and memorial house dedicated to the Hoang Sa Flotilla stand near themain road of the island.-VNA
VNA
