On the morning of March 1, 2026 (the 13th day of the first lunar month in the Year of the Horse), the Sằn Giã Village Festival officially opened in a solemn and joyful atmosphere, with the participation of local residents and visitors from near and far.

Drumming to mark the opening of the festival

Sằn Giã, known by its traditional Vietnamese name as Sằn Village, is located to the northwest of the Outer Rampart within the Cổ Loa Special National Relic Site. According to folk legend, this area was once one of the eight military outposts protecting the ancient capital, under the command of General Cao Phổ Lân, contributing to the establishment of a strong defensive position for Cổ Loa Citadel during the early period of nation-building.

According to accounts passed down by village elders, the year Nhâm Thìn (1952) was the last year the people of Sằn Village held their traditional festival before the war spread. Previously, the festival was held annually on the 9th day of the first lunar month, featuring solemn ceremonial rites and a variety of distinctive folk games that attracted large numbers of participants. During the resistance war against the French, the Sằn communal house and pagoda complex was destroyed. Afterwards, local residents established an altar at the village cultural house and rebuilt the pagoda at a different location in order to maintain their spiritual practices and preserve local traditions.

Incense offering ceremony at the Sằn Village Festival

In 2015, Sằn Village was recognized as a Cultural Village, and the 13th day of the first lunar month was officially designated as the annual date for its traditional festival. Since then, the festival has served not only as an occasion to commemorate previous generations but also as a space for community cultural activities, helping strengthen solidarity and nurture pride in the homeland.

The Sằn Giã Village Festival adds to the rich tapestry of early spring festivals in the Bát xã Loa Thành region, spreading the distinctive traditional cultural values of this historically and culturally significant land, while carrying forward the enduring historical and cultural legacy of Cổ Loa.

CO LOA HISTORIC SITE MANAGEMENT BOARD