According to UNESCO, tugging rituals and games in rice-growing cultures in East and Southeast Asia are practiced to pray for bountiful harvests and prosperity, strengthen community bonds, and mark the beginning of a new agricultural cycle. Their non-competitive nature reminds communities of the spirit of cooperation.
The seated tug-of-war ritual is held during the Tran Vu Temple Festival on the 3rd day of the 3rd lunar month – the birthday of Saint Huyen Thien Tran Vu – with three participating sides: Cho side, Duong side, and Dia side. What makes it unique is that players sit on the ground to pull, with one leg bent and one leg stretched, sitting alternately and facing the two sides of the rope. Legend has it that in the past, during a drought in Ngoc Tri village, young men from the sides competed for water at the village well, and from this the seated tug-of-war game originated.
On December 19, 2014, the seated tug-of-war at Tran Vu Temple was recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a national intangible cultural heritage. In December 2015, "Tugging Rituals and Games," submitted jointly by four countries, was inscribed by UNESCO; Vietnam's dossier covered the localities of Lao Cai, Vinh Phuc, Bac Ninh, and Hanoi.
