In 2014, I had chance to visit Lim Festival, a traditional festival in Vietnam where the famous Quan Ho folk songs are performed. This special festival was held on the thirteenth day of the first lunar month by local residents in Lim village, Bac Ninh province, Vietnam. Coming here on the festive days, I and thousands of visitors enjoyed the singing of traditional love duets (Quan Ho fork songs) performed by “lien anh” and “lien chi” (male and female Quan Ho singers) behind Lim pagoda, in Lim hill and on dragon boats on Lim rivers. Those singers wore traditional costumes and sang songs in pairs. There were strict rules for their performance in which the singers had to not only react quickly but also have a good understanding of traditional tunes as well as the historical and cultural features of the songs. Like other religious festivals, the Lim Festival went through all ritual stages, from the procession to the worshipping ceremony and other activities. I also watched a weaving competition among the village girls who wove and sang Quan Ho simultaneously. Other traditional games such as human chess-playing, cockfighting contest, rice-cooking contest, tug of war and wrestling were also held. Visiting this festival is a memorable experience to me.
