The jockeys competed on the opening day of the Fansipan horse race with the theme of Horseshoe on the Clouds in June 2019. (Photo: Quoc Khanh/VNA) Not a commercial, not a professional race, the Horse Racing Festival in Bac Ha is a race of farmers and racehorses are also pack horses. On May 31, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism gave Bac Ha horse racing festival (Bac Ha district, Lao Cai province) on the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage. This is considered a great opportunity for Lao Cai province to preserve the unique cultural features in the Northwest highlands. For those who have been born and raised in the “white plateau” land of Bac Ha, Lao Cai, it seems that the daily “sweeping piles… thumping” sounds of the horse-drawn carriages beat on the winding hill roads. , especially at night in the morning, in the afternoon sun or cool afternoon, has been deeply ingrained in the subconscious. The familiar sound of horse hooves also reminds the children of Bac Ha who have been away from home for a long time to be impressed by the traditional horse racing tournament that has existed for hundreds of years in this locality. In the sunny summer days when the hillsides of the Bac Ha highland are full of red plums, it is also the time when the pack horses, the “barefoot knights” temporarily put aside their daily farming work, eagerly preparing to participate in the traditional horse racing tournament – a sports tournament imbued with the traditional cultural beauty of the highland ethnic groups in Lao Cai. In the highland districts Lao Cai The horse is both a close friend and an important daily means of transportation. Every day, in the mornings that have not yet cleared the dew, even though it is still cold, horses still work hard to help the Mong family carry farming tools, fertilizers, and seeds to the fields. In the evening, when the sun shines through the western mountains, it is also the time when horses patiently carry the harvested products from the fields to home. Upland mountain roads are steep and winding, rocky mountains are bumpy, only a horse – a close friend, can help the Mong people sow corn and rice grains on the top of the mountain, and the slopes are precarious. Horse is a friend in everyday life but also a sacred animal in the religious life of the Mong people. The horse is the only thing that transforms into a stretcher to bring the dead to eternity. Only the horse has enough mystical power to carry the Hmong shaman to the heavens, the earth, and the rivers and seas to find the souls of the sick and heal the Hmong. According to Ms. Chu Thi Duong, Vice Chairwoman of Bac Ha District People’s Committee, maintaining the Bac Ha Traditional Horse Racing Tournament is one of the local efforts to honor the fine cultural values ​​of ethnic minorities. Bac Ha highland in general and praised the unique and emotional attachment between upland people and animals that are extremely attached and familiar in their daily life and spiritual life. Click to see standard size. According to history, the Bac Ha horse race is usually held in the spring on a regional scale. In 1975, Bac Ha held a parade with over 200 horses going around the central area to celebrate the liberation of the South and reunification of the country. In the spring of 1980, Bac Ha District Team (Military Command) organized a horse race, shooting to choose good horsemen and gunners to join the militia and transport food by road. After that, Bac Ha did not organize another tournament. In 2007, the Bac Ha traditional horse racing tournament was officially restored. Since then, the award has become an annual festival of Bac Ha district, held once a year, meeting the needs of people to enjoy the cultural and spiritual life, contributing to the preservation and promotion of cultural and sports traditions of ethnic minorities in Bac Ha; promote the image of people, travel Bac Ha to traveler at home and abroad, becoming a highlight to attract tourists to Bac Ha. The previous Bac Ha horse racing festival took place around fields and hills, and ended up in a field in the center of town. When nearly reaching the finish line, the horsemen quickly jumped to the ground, pulled the flintlock on their shoulders and aimed at the target, fired 5 shots, then snatched the red ball, jumped on the horse and returned to the starting point. Whoever is both fast and hits the target the most is the winner. Today, the horse race in Bac Ha is no longer a shooting competition, the jockeys also have a separate arena, the race is organized and more attractive to viewers. Not a commercial, not a professional race, horse racing in Bac Ha is a race of farmers and racehorses are pack horses. In particular, horse racing in Bac Ha is “carpentry racing,” where jockeys ride on horseback without a saddle, without pedals, but only with a belt to tie the horse, two iron hooks tied to the ropes on either side of the jaw to control. In the process of participating in the competition, looking at the jockeys crouching on the backs of the “strong horses” are galloping to see the difficulty and courage of the horsemen on the track. Mr. Vang Van Huynh, a jockey who has won 2 consecutive championships (in 2012 and 2013), shared that when competing, he also needs to observe the opponent’s horse to control the horse, and at the same time, keep a distance to avoid the horse jostling. Collisions can cause accidents: “Sit firmly on your back to control the horse when running. When cornering, pull the reins and slow down to avoid falling. When the road is straight, release the reins and spur the horse to run at full speed. force.” Every year, the Bac Ha traditional horse racing tournament attracts a lot of domestic and foreign tourists to attend. The audience experienced all kinds of emotions: holding their breath when a horse ran too far out of the yard, running towards the barrier; Get your heart racing when a jockey falls off his horse on the track or burst with joy when the horses race past their opponents spectacularly. Mr. Sung Seo Using (Su Man Khang village, Ta Van Chu commune, Bac Ha district) with a long history of raising famous horses in Bac Ha said: “A good horse for racing must be a male horse with a tall body, long hooves, straight, smooth hair, fast sharp eyes, wide chest, slim belly, long and even running steps.Choose a horse to go racing, the legs must be straight, the hooves are thick… if the toenails protrude like a duck’s foot, the horse runs poorly.” On the racetracks of the Bac Ha Traditional Horse Race, the impression left on visitors is always the overflowing excitement and admiration for the brave and simple local ethnic boys, along with the Powerful racing horses bring to the audience attractive performances and hot competitions. Those are the unforgettable experiences in the hearts of every visitor when once coming to the Bac Ha plateau.

Located on a limestone plateau, at an altitude of more than 1,000m above sea level, with a cool year-round climate, Bac Ha is famous for its plum orchards planted on hillsides and flat valleys sandwiched between mountains. toweringly high. From the first successful hybrid seedlings more than 40 years ago, up to now, the whole district of Bac Ha has about 500 ha of Tam Hoa plums, concentrated in seven communes and towns: Bac Ha town and the following communes: Ta Chai, Ban Pho, Lung Phinh, Thai Giang Pho, Na Hoi and Nam Mon. Unlike Tam Hoa plum areas in other localities in the country, Tam Hoa plum in Bac Ha has a dark purple skin, covered with white chalk, moderate sweetness, very suitable for Vietnamese taste. Depending on the size of the plum, people here classify plums with very funny and rustic names, such as: stupid plum, selected plum, big plum, plum plum and plum plum …. Tam Hoa plum season this year is fruity, high quality, is starting to be harvested, the output is estimated at more than 3,500 tons, an increase of 450 tons compared to 2020. To consume Tam Hoa plums in the context of the Covid-19 epidemic, the district Bac Ha focuses on promoting and applying e-commerce, strengthening links in product consumption. Recently, Bac Ha District Agricultural Service Center has cooperated with Lao Cai Post Office to sign a contract to bring Tam Hoa plum products of farmers in the district to be sold on Postmart. Tam Hoa plums in Bac Ha plateau (Lao Cai) begin to ripen from mid-late May, fully ripen and finish harvesting in June every year. This year, Tam Hoa plums are in season, very fruitful. A 5-6 year old plum tree like this can produce tons of fruit. Fruits clustered on low drooping branches… … clinging to the top of a tall tree. When ripe, Tam Hoa plums turn a beautiful purple-red color, with thick pulp, small seeds, sweet and sour taste. Farmers bring Tam Hoa plums to Bac Ha town to sell to tourists and traders from all over the world. Selected plums, large fruits are sold for 30-35 thousand VND/kg. Smaller plums are packed in bags and sold in buckets for 8-10 thousand VND/kg to traders. Consumers buy plums and bring them back. The whole district of Bac Ha currently has more than 500 hectares of Tam Hoa plums, with an output of more than 3,500 tons of fruit per year.

According to Mr. Nguyen Xuan Giang, Head of Agriculture and Rural Development Department of Bac Ha district, the whole district currently has about 70 hectares of French peaches, varieties DT 2 and Micret, concentrated in communes: Ta Chai, Na Hoi, Ban Pho and Bac Ha town. . French peaches are expensive, because of their beautiful design, fresh taste, and early ripening compared to traditional native peaches, so they are easy to sell. Grown on the hills of the people of Ta Chai, Na Hoi, Ban Pho communes (Bac Ha). Mr. Nguyen Huy Trung, Chairman of Bac Ha Tourism Association said: Early ripening of French peaches has brought double benefits to Bac Ha farmers, both earning income from fruit picking and attracting tourists to visit. visit, experience… The two-year-old French peach tree has already produced a lot of fruit. Ripe fruit is very beautiful. Cool and crunchy sweet taste. In the harvest season, people bring them down to sell in Bac Ha town. Early ripening French peaches are very attractive to consumers and tourists when coming here.

Hoai Sa (Hanoi) is an English travel blogger. He has 7 years working at Vietnam News Agency, currently working in the diplomatic service. With an interest in experiential travel, especially to places few people go to, especially mountainous areas, and cultural tourism. As a former British student, he wrote the book Four seasons, a thousand miles of England (2018) was well received by the study abroad community. Although she has been to many regions in Vietnam, she was impressed with Hoang Su Phi so Hoai Sa stopped here and delved deeper to write the book. Love story of the mountain – Horizontal and vertical Hoang Su Phi Ph . The author shares more about the journey and the process of writing the book. Written from admiration to Hoang Su Phi – Since when did Hoai Sa come to Hoang Su Phi? What brought you to that land? – Originally a travel blogger in English (address captainessy ), writing for foreigners who come to Vietnam for the first time in the style of experiential tourism, nature, I often go to mountainous areas in all three regions of the country. For a long time, I have known the beautiful Hoang Su Phi terraced fields and is a heritage recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The terraced fields in Sa Pa, Lao Cai, and Mu Cang Chai, Yen Bai, I have all gone through, but the most beautiful terraced fields in Vietnam, as many photographers call it, I have not been. It was not until 2018, when I visited two terraced fields in Ban Phung and Ban Luoc in Hoang Su Phi, that I decided to write about this place out of admiration for their beauty. Book Love Story of the Mountain – Horizontal and Vertical Hoang Su Phi. Photo: HS – What things about Hoang Su Phi left a special impression on you? – Like most people from afar, my first impression must be the majestic beauty of Hoang Su Phi terraced fields. Tourism potential in Hoang Su Phi is huge. But the longer I stay, the more I realize this is a land rich in cultural identities of ethnic minorities. More than 10 ethnic groups here, most are Nung, Dao, Tay, H’Mong, then less are Kinh, La Chi, Cao Lan, Hoa… all retain their identity. One of the reasons for that is that the roads are difficult, making the storm of urbanization and the storm of development slow to pass. Taking advantage of this, some localities here have done community-based tourism, in a sustainable direction, and resonated in Ha Giang. The commercialization, the erosion of national cultural traditions is not as great as in Sa Pa or Dong Van. – In your opinion, what is the difference that makes this land special? – Ha Giang is best known for two things: It is the headland of the country and has the Dong Van rock plateau (a part of which is still remembered as Ha Giang as a major battlefield during the Border War). The strangeness of a name like Hoang Su Phi itself makes people feel different. In Ha Giang, only Hoang Su Phi is a district with a 3-letter name, originally in Chinese, Hoang Thu Bi, meaning “golden bark”. This place belongs to the Bac Ha Plateau, separate from the rocky plateau to the east of Ha Giang. When talking about the road in Ha Giang, in the past, people have a saying: “Nhat Su Phi, second Bac Me”, to talk about the difficult road to Hoang Su Phi, contributing to the “little-known” character of the district. As mentioned, terraced fields are what outsiders hear about Hoang Su Phi. But it is also a product of labor, agricultural culture here, besides a lot of labor and other cultural beauty associated with forests and mountains. Rice, for example, plays an important role for the people of Hoang Su Phi, participating in all kinds of festivals, because it is “spiritual” in the spiritual life of the people. This is reflected in the article about the New Rice festival of the Nung people and the story of making banh day on Tet of the Dao people. Author Hoai Sa in Thong Nguyen terraced fields. Photo: NVCC. The poetic stories of the mountains – The title of the book “Love Story of the Mountain” evokes beauty and poetry. Is that land just a dream? That land has many poetic stories. The love of the couple built on the fields, in the hills of Shan Tuyet tea… are well known in Hoang Su Phi. Although it is not a rich district, it is in that “not rich” that many interesting cultural and labor rays are reflected. For example, there is a story about a mountain artist who can play 5 musical instruments in the poor commune of Tan Tien, often representing the commune to take exams in the district. Or like the Ceremony of Gratitude for the youth of the Dao Ao Dai is a joyful occasion for the whole village. But of course not only that. In Hoang Su Phi, I realized many concerns about my hometown and development. This is recorded in the writing about Nom script of the Dao people, when the younger generation is no longer interested in learning this script, and it is increasingly disappearing. Or it is also a story about thinking between developing hot tourism and preserving traditional values. Saying that is not to disparage or “show the way for deer to run”, but to emphasize that this beautiful land always has many ways to build and develop life, based on its advantages. . Dao women in Ao Dai in Ban Luoc festival. Photo: HS – Through the book, what did the author do to help readers understand more about this land? Why did you choose the form of expression as “the fairy tale” and not the travel diary? – The book consists of 17 separate but not discrete articles because it is always throughout the beauty and wonder of Hoang Su Phi’s people, culture, profession, customs, festivals, and experiences in the visits. destroy the two peaks of the northeast at Hoang Su Phi. They are arranged alternately so that the reader experiences one sensation after another continuously. Moreover, the book is written from the point of view of people from far away coming to Hoang Su Phi, so it is aimed at people from far away who have little understanding of this western Ha Giang. – To have the material to write this book, how many trips did the author have to visit and explore the land and people? – The author encapsulates the content of the book in 10 trips to Hoang Su Phi over 2 years. Most of that time, the author stayed at homestays of indigenous people scattered in the communes. These homestays have a family atmosphere, close friends with strangers. Thanks to that, the stories about Hoang Su Phi seemed to flow naturally. The character who teaches Nom Dao in the book is also such a landlord. Almost everywhere I went to learn about topics, I was also enthusiastically welcomed and instructed by the natives, especially the Red Dao brothers and sisters. In Ban Luoc commune of the Dao Ao Dai, I stayed with the leader of the commune, so that I could immerse myself more deeply in the commune tourism festival during the golden season. The times to go to the terrace to collect rice, go up to the tea hill with the gardener to pick shan Tuyet leaves, give a true sense of the typical local profession.