In the traditional ritual system of the Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival, the water procession is a particularly important ritual. According to ancient customs passed down by generations of predecessors, in August of the lunar calendar every year, there are rituals: offering incense to open the festival on the 1st day, water procession on the 7th day, worshiping gods on the 8th day, sacrificing lives on the 10th day and condoning gods on the 16th day.
The rituals are held solemnly and respectfully, in which Nghe Temple is one of the important spiritual spaces of the festival. According to our ancestors' belief, water is the beginning of life, a symbol of proliferation, development, purity and longevity. For the Do Son coastal community, water is also associated with the sea, with the profession, livelihood and the aspiration to conquer nature of many generations of people at the forefront of the waves.
Therefore, the water procession ceremony is not only the practice of an ancient ritual but also expresses the morality of drinking water, remembering the source, gratitude to the predecessors who contributed to reclaiming mountains, destroying rocks, encroaching on the sea, and opening land. At the same time, it sends the good aspirations of the people who always pray for national peace and prosperity, prosperous homeland, and prosperous and happy people.
In 2026, continuing the tradition of our ancestors, the water procession ceremony is solemnly held at Nghe Temple, practicing water praying rituals from the place of worship Hung Tran Diem Tuoc Dai Than Vuong - Thanh Hoang of Do Son General, processing to communal houses and temples to serve worship rituals during the organization of the final round of the Do Son Traditional Buffalo Fighting Festival - VTV 2026.
The organization of the water procession ceremony affirms the determination of the Party Committee, government and people of Do Son in preserving, conserving and promoting the good traditional cultural values of their homeland, so that the unique customs and rituals left by their ancestors continue to be passed down to future generations.
