The Feast and Commemoration Festival for Hoàng Sa Soldiers is held in Lý Sơn District, Quảng Ngãi Province. — VNA/VNS Photo

QUẢNG NGÃI — Residents in the island district of Lý Sơn in central province of Quảng Ngãi commemorated sailors of the historic Hoàng Sa (Paracel) flotilla with a traditional ceremony at An Hải village temple on Monday.

“Lễ khao lề thề lính Hoàng Sa” (Feast and Commemoration Festival for Hoàng Sa Soldiers) pays tribute to the men enlisted by the king in the flotilla to patrol the Hoàng Sa and Trường Sa (Spratly) archipelagos to measure maritime routes, set sovereignty markers and collect marine resources.

According to history, the Hoàng Sa flotilla was established in early 17th century under the Nguyễn Lords’ reign in the south of Việt Nam. Each year, 70 fishermen from An Vĩnh and An Hải villages (now part of Tịnh Kỳ Commune, Sơn Tịnh District) were enlisted in the flotilla, which was assigned the mission of surveying sea routes, erecting sovereignty landmarks and steles declaring national territory in the two remote archipelagos. They began their trip in the second lunar month and returned six months later.

Since their mission was fraught with danger, a ceremony was held before the trip to pray for their safety. Puppets representing the soldiers and basics like rice, salt, fuel wood and drinking water were put on replica boats which were then released into the sea to symbolically substitute for the soldiers.

The ceremony has been observed over centuries by families in Lý Sơn and many coastal areas in Quảng Ngãi, and has attracted increasing participation from visitors across Việt Nam.

Trương Duyệt, head of the ritual board of An Hải village's communal house, said that every year in the second lunar month, villagers in An Hải organise a ceremony to commemorate and pay tribute to the heroic soldiers of Hoàng Sa in the past. The ceremony also helps both islanders and tourists better understand the difficulties, hardships and contributions of the Hoàng Sa militia in protecting and preserving national maritime sovereignty.

After the ceremony this year, a boat race was held. In the past, such races were organised to select skilful and strong seafarers to join the Hoàng Sa flotilla. — VNS