cho tinh- love festival in taybac, vietnam

People and Cultures

WELCOME TO VIETNAM

Love Festival in TayBac

We are ethnic

minority people in Tay Bac, Vietnam

Let us tell you about Cho Tinh, one of the

most expected festivals in our home

town.

Where is TayBac?

• TayBac- the North-West of Vietnam is a highland area which is situated at the altitude of up to 1600m above the sea level.

• TayBac is well-known for its spectacular sceneries.

Natural beauty of TayBacTayBac comprises high mountains, hills, valleys, jungles, plateaus, pure streams and

rivers

Natural beauty of TayBac

The fanciful villages of ethnic minorities on the banks of the River are gathering in a picturesque scenery.


• The green and peaceful plateaus bring a magnificent picture of natural beauty.

Natural beauty of TayBacThe terraced fields make a stair to the sky

TayBac’s AttractionsThe weather is cool and mostly

foggy all the year round, making it a

visionary land in between

mountains.

This is Sapa It flows between

the ranges, make several roaring

and white frothy waterfalls in the quiet forests.

This is Da river.

The Natural Beauty of TayBac

• Tay Bac is considered the home town of Ban flowers.

• In spring, the jungles are covered with the colour of Ban

Life in TayBac

• TayBac is also famous for the minority multicultural life of hill tribes in the mountainous area.

Life in TayBac

Our culture is very much alive and closely interacts with the nature that surrounds us

Life in TayBac

We learn the first lessons about life on

mom’s back.

We lead a simple life.

Life in TayBac

•Our life bases on the fields, the rivers and the jungles.

Life in TayBac

• Nature also challenges us a lot

• We have to coral ridge covered stairs into fields.

Despite of any and all

difficulties surrounding us, we still

lead a happy life

Love festival

Look at the pink peach-blossoms which tell us spring has come!

We have expected to see them for a long time.

All of us are eager to greet spring.

You may wonder why so?

Cho tinh- Love festivalIt’s time for us to travel from near

and far to the market.

When TayBac is covered with

the pink peach blossoms

Cho tinh- Love festival

• The picturesque mountain villages of TayBac comes alive with shoppers

Of course, we know what we want.

It’s love

Cho tinh- Love festivalTall or short,

sweet or sultry, poor or rich, we are all on the market,

looking for love.


• Cho Tinh means Love markets in Vietnamese.

• They are often a not-to-be-missed social event.

It was given that name as we make the markets a “love-blossoming” land.


• Cho tinh- the love market that we expect in spring is Khai Vau market in Ha Giang province

• It takes place only once a year, on March 27 in the lunar calendar.

• We also have other Love markets which take place in the northern mountain provinces of Lao Cai and Son La (on the first of September).


• To legend, the market’s beginnings date back to the unrequited love between a young boy and girl.

• They met in Meo Vac, but as they were from different tribes, were forbidden to be together.

• A bitter quarrel erupted between the tribes, and the couple was forced to end the affair.


Unable to bear the thought of never seeing each other again, they decided to meet on the same day every year in Khau Vai.

Today, the site of the

forbidden rendezvous is home to the love market.


• Cho Tinh draws crowds in thousands.

• From above, the markets look like a colourful flower garden

• The ethnic colourful dresses make the green plateaus magnificent picture.



In TayBac, all ethnic groups are living in harmony, unity while maintaining the separated lifestyle and cultural identity.

People of all ethnic groups go to Khau vai love market.


• There are virtually no dispute over land and resources, no conflicts of race, creed and ethnic groups in general.

You can recognize us through our traditional costumes


• Dzao women wear elaborate headgear, either embroidered or decorated with silver coins, beads and coloured tassels.


Costumes of Sapa Red Dzao women are considered the most beautiful groups Dzao


The H'Mong people represent one of the largest minority cultures among the 54 minorities in Vietnam.

Cho tinh- Love festivalThese are h’mong people costume and ornaments


• The musical instruments of the Mong include various kinds of "khen" (pan-pipes), flute and lip organs.

• After a hard working day and to celebrate spring, the young men and women often play "khen" and lip organs to express their feelings for their partners.

H’mong people

• H’mong people love the good-natured and relaxed pace of snails, so they use the symbol of the snail as a decoration.

This is a symbol for a young

couple in love! …True Snail

Love!!

They always want to be

together, and hope that some

day they will have children!

This is a symbol of a single snail who can overcome any and

all difficulties surrounding them.

See the mountainous

obstacles surrounding the

snail?!


• Tay people settled in the fertile valley which has many fields, rivers and large streams


• The handicrafts of the Tay is a large supply to local markets such as textile fabrics, map rattan, wooden home, oil pressure, lime burning.


• Thai women wear short vests, long black skirts, scarves, and ornaments.

• Sap, their dancing, has been loved by many people


You can find

TayBac specialties in Cho tinh.

Cho tinh- Love festivalThese are the handicrafts of Dzao people

Cho tinh- Love festivalThese are H’mong people

dresses

Cho tinh- Love festivalThis is thang co- one of the famous food

specialties.


Have you ever tried drinking Sanlui or corn wine in bamboo cups?


• The day of Love Market is alive with different moods: happiness at meeting old friends, nervous as others wait to meet someone new.


• Many of love market shoppers are those who love each other very much but could not wed together because of many different reasons.

Three hundred and sixty-five days were

so longThen I see you againI am no longer young

But there’s still a true love


• Ethnic costumes, jewelry, ethnic musical instruments, culture and art publications are on display at the market, reflecting the life of us.


• The young girls and boys use flutes, khen, songs… to attract opposite sex.


• If you see this in Cho tinh, do not suppose it a crime

• This is wife kidnapping custom of h’mong people.


Cho tinh is so magnificent at night

The night of song and dance, the performances expressing fervent wishes for eternal love.

Romantic melodies fill the night air.


• That first magical night, some of us are lucky enough to leave the market with our new partners and walk hand in hand through the forest.

http://du-lich.chudu24.com/f/d/090706/sapa2.jpg?c=1&w=450


Look at the dance of this

young boy and listen to

his song

There is one day in the year

I dedicate to you

I have no gold or silver

Just my true love

Come with me if you believe

in me


• He keeps looking at me during the dance.

• His music persuades me into his arms.

Oh! how fast does my heart

beat!


• Ban flowers seem to be more beautiful this year

My boy picks up the most beautiful flower and put it in my hair.

Do you know why?


How can I say no to his passionate khen music and his desired eyes?

The stream plays its music

The water fall is as white as silver

Khen music sounds beautiful

Only you with me…

We walk hands in

hands into the forest…


• Different people love in different way• However, the true love is always the

same: passionate, romantic, trustful, and so sweet.

You also expect and dedicate for a

true love, don’t you?

Cho tinh- Love festival Presented by

Nguyen Lan Huong([email protected])

Pictures byMinh DienNguyen Xuan KhanhQuynh Giao

Pictures and information fromTay Bac ki suWebtretho.comTtvnoFlickr.comskydoor.netYou tubeVietnamopentour.comNameo trip-Phuot.com 2008-02-

23

cho tinh- love festival in taybac, vietnam

Spiritual

cho tinh love festival

cho tinh love festival

love markets

unrequited love

love marketthat

taybac nature

true snail love

aboutcho tinh