Clay firecracker making teams at the 10th Hai Duong Clay Firecracker Festival in 2023. (Photo: Manh Tu/VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Clay firecracker, mimicking the ritual of praying for a good harvest, have been ingrained in the Vietnamese culture as a symbol of resilience against natural disasters and adversities. In folk beliefs, the louder the clay firecracker makes, the more auspicious the upcoming season for crops.
This traditional folk game, known as "phao dat," has a long-standing history in the flatlands of northern Vietnam, particularly in various areas of Hai Duong province.
Annually, as the spring arrives until the lunar April, communities in districts like Ninh Giang, Tu Ky, and Gia Loc in Hai Duong organise clay firecracker competitions. These events often take place in communal yards on the full moon and the first day of each lunar month.
The legends surrounding the game have different sources, but two widely circulated tales prevail. One recounts how locals threw soil into the Hoa River, bordering Hai Duong, Hai Phong, and Thai Binh provinces, to save the Elephant of Emperor Hung Dao Vuong Tran Quoc Tuan during the battle against Yuan-Mongol invaders in 1288.
The second legend traces the origins of the game back to the time of the Trung Sisters, where General Le Chan used clay firecrackers to boost morale and overpower the spirits in the fight against the Han invaders.
In Hai Duong, several villages, such as Minh Duc, Quang Khai (Tu Ky district), Nghia An, Ung Hoe, Kien Quoc (Ninh Giang district), and Duc Xuong (Gia Loc district), have preserved this distinctive folk game.
Clay firecracker making team of Minh Duc commune, Tu Ky district, Hai Duong province (Photo: Manh Tu/TTXVN)
In recent years, beyond maintaining competitions between villages, the provincial authorities of Hai Duong have incorporated the Provincial Clay firecracker Festival into the Con Son-Kiep Bac Spring Festival programme, attracting the attention of both local and international tourists.
As a vital part of the annual Con Son-Kiep Bac Spring Festival, the Clay Firecracker Festival in Hai Duong aims to inspire and promote the martial spirit of the people, foster unity, enhance community health, and contribute to the preservation and promotion of the province's cultural heritage.
The 2023 clay firecracker Festival in Hai Duong drew the participation of 210 makers from seven different communes, including Duc Xuong (Gia Loc district), Minh Duc, Dai Hop, Quang Khai (Tu Ky district), Tan Huong, Nghia An, Tan Quang (Ninh Giang district).
Firecrackers are produced using clay. Each clay firecracker weighs between 30kg and 80kg
Selecting clay, which is free from impurities, is key to making firecrackers that can create loud bangs when they are thrown against the ground.
Firecracker makers must be in good health and have experience in clay firecracker contests.
Clay firecrackers are a traditional folk game which is played in the northern region that involves hurling clay crackers to create noise.
It is done to pray for good harvests and no natural disasters in the year ahead.
It is believed that the louder the noise the more bountiful the crops will be in the coming year./.
