Reverent officials place a petition to the local god Ly Phuc Man in an ornate box, as part of the Gia festival held in 2000. Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

A military hero of the sixth century, Ly Phuc Man died bravely while defending his country from foreign invasion. Today, in the village of his birth, Ly Phuc Man is honored as a patron god during the spring festival. As part of a three-day event—called the Gia festival, after the village where Ly Phuc Man was born—young men in historic dress enact mock battles and a mile-long procession carries Ly Phuc Man’s ornate palanquin.

The modern Gia festival was reconstructed from the memories of elders, combined with research by Vietnamese scholars. Rituals reflect current as well as traditional values: for instance, women may now participate, but as in the past, no one who has violated the community’s moral code may take an active role in the festival.

VIDEO: A Festival in the Red River Delta, 2000 The Gia festival of Yen So commune, Ha Tay Province, is renowned for its elaborate procession and for a mock battle recalling the exploits of the national hero and local god Ly Phuc Man. You will need to have the Real Player installed on your computer to view this video. (Program length: 5:30 minutes.)