Travel back in time with Vietnam’s traditional guilds festival

By Giang Huy October 2, 2016 | 11:10 pm PT

The Imperial Citadel in Hanoi was transformed into a feast of color over the weekend.

On the morning of October 1, the ceremony paying homage to the fist master of the guild happened at the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long.

On the morning of October 1, a ceremony paying homage to the first masters of the guilds took place at the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long.

The most famous guilds of Hanoi took part in the ceremony: silk guild Van Phuc in Ha Dong, porcelain guild of Bat Trang in Gia Lam District, both Hanoi and woodwork guild La Xuyen of Nam Dinh Province.

The most famous guilds took part in the ceremony: the Van Phuc silk guild from Ha Dong, the Bat Trang and Gia Lam pottery guilds and the La Xuyen carpentry guild from Nam Dinh Province.

Famous porcelain guild of Bat Trang on the other side of the Red river carried along with products the spinning tables for an DIY experience to visitors.

The famous porcelain guild from Bat Trang on the other side of the Red River offered visitors a chance to try spinning the wheel themselves.

With about 30 kiosks that sell the delicacies of Hanoi, the food section here also put on display how the delicacies are made by the craftsmen.

With about 30 kiosks selling Hanoian delicacies, the food section also offered insight into local cuisine.

To further impose the traditionalism of the festival, age-old games like leaf grasshoppers, bamboo dragonflies, capture the flag, catching eels were organized.

In keeping with the traditional theme of the festival, age-old games like leaf grasshoppers, bamboo dragonflies, capture the flag and eel catching were organized.

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Along the paths were pictures of the different guilds and their crafts.

Flying kites on the sidelines.

These bamboo tables are the central piece of the old-time and countryside equivalent of tra da places found all over Vietnam these days, brought here to offer visitors a break from the festivities.

These bamboo tables were the countryside equivalent of the "tra da" places found all over Vietnam these days, and offered a break from the festivities.

Photos by Giang Huy