Spring arrives in mountainous land

Society

Spring arrives in mountainous land

Thursday, February 3, 2022

When the old year is nearing its end and spring arrives, a new year is just around the corner. Brilliant and joyful colours of spring have spread to all villages across the mountainous province of Yen Bai, warming up every kitchen as well as the hearts of both local residents and visitors.

Terraced rice fields in Mu Cang Chai district.

Yen Bai - the gateway of the northwestern region - is described as a beautiful and charming land with endless mountains, colourful terraced rice fields, and overwhelming but poetic landscapes. Once setting foot on curvy roads here, people will feel like they are getting lost in an enchanted fairyland.

When the first rays of spring sunlight stretch across terraced fields in La Pan Tan, Che Cu Nha, and De Xu Phinh communes of Mu Cang Chai district, it’s also the time rapeseed flowers fully blossom, forming brightly yellow carpets blanketing mountain slopes. In particular, the flowers can be seen over vast valleys in Mu Cang Chai.

People can enjoy the rustic and innocent beauty of yellow rapeseed flowers on the hills they cover or even in just small clusters under trees in the yards of ethnic minority people’s houses.

Apart from the tiny blossoms that suddenly show off their brilliance once the sun comes out and dispels morning fog, the kitchen smoke arising from villages of the Mong ethnic people in the midst of terraced fields also signals a spring of wealth.

When the first lunar month comes, it is also the season of peach, plum, and "ban” (Bauhinia variegata) flowers. Moving on the bending roads or coming to villages in the mountainous northwest, visitors can easily spot old peach trees planted there.

"Ban” flowers are in full bloom when peach blossoms fall down in spring drizzles. At that time in Muong Lo valley, the white "ban” flowers mixed with the light green of buds and shoots make the pristine picture of the northwestern region even more beautiful and enchanted.

Besides tea hills and terraced rice fields, the concrete roads traversing rural villages are also a supplement to the prosperity of mountainous areas in spring.

Home to more than 30 ethnic groups, Yen Bai boasts a rich diversity of spring festivals deeply imbued with their identities, including the "Long tong” (going to the field) festival of the Tay and Nung communities, "Cau an” (praying for peace) of the Thai and Muong people, and "Gau tao” of the Mong people. Each festival has its own uniqueness but all of them are meant to express locals’ gratitude to the gods of mountain, forest, and river and pray for bumper crops, good health, and wealth.

The "ban” flower festival of the Thai ethnic group is also called the "Xen ban” or "Xen muong” festival. It is held in the second lunar month, when mountains in the northwestern region are covered with these white flowers. While the "ban” flower festival is an occasion to celebrate the love of couples and the happiness of families, "Long tong” is a typical festival of the Tay people. "Long tong” takes place annually in the first or second lunar month, depending on each locality, with the aim of praying for bumper crops, peace, and well-being.

At those events, there are also a wide range of unique cultural activities such as "khen” (panpipe) and pole dancing, "con” (cloth ball) throwing, crossbow shooting competitions, and group singing. Spring festivals are occasions for people to share their feelings and where many people make each other's acquaintance and then get married. Together with blooming flowers, cultural festivals have formed part of the local life throughout history, contributing to the lively mountainous Yen Bai nowadays.

Anh Dung

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