A festival was held at the Dong Da Park in Hanoi on January 30 to mark the 220th anniversary of Ngoc Hoi-Dong Da victory led by national hero Nguyen Hue over Qing invaders.

Addressing the event, Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Nguyen The Thao praised Hanoi's thousand-year-old culture and tradition of patriotism with the Ngoc Hoi-Dong Da victory being one of the most majestic event.

A festival of ancient Hanoian dances was held on February 1 to mark the Lunar New Year holiday and included a performance of a dance feared lost for more than half a century.

The event attracted more than 300 artists of all ages, from youngsters to octogenarians, from all areas of the capital city.

Seven of the nine performances at the event were being unveiled for the first time, and some could be traced back almost 2,000 years to the historic uprising led by national heroines Trung Trac and Trung Nhi.

The Thang Long Royal Citadel Spring Festival 2009 officially opened in Hanoi on January 29, the fourth day of the Lunar New Year.

The opening ceremony began with a performance of Bai Bong, an ancient royal dance, followed by rituals performed by delegations from the city's various districts.

The Tich Dien Doi Son Festival (King's Ploughing Festival), which was initiated more than 1,000 years ago to promote agriculture, has been restored in northern Ha Nam Province.

Thousands people have flocked to Doi Son Commune, Duy Tien District, on February 1 to witness buffaloes ploughing the first furrows for the new year, wishing for bumper harvests, and a prosperous life.