Han Khuong Festival
Somewhere in this “Lac Xay Chinh” tree, we see the shadow of the universe tree. There are 4 small trees beautifully decorated at the four corners of the Hàn Khuong floor and are called “Lạc xay”. The floor has stairs up and down, called “San bo Han Khuong” (San Hoa Han Khuong). The beautiful Thai girls of the village are often chosen by the owner of Han Khuong. In addition, those who have the virtue and talent to sing in response are called “Xao ton khuong”. “Xao lạc xay” is the name of the four girls sitting at the four corners. When the fire starts to be lit on the floor, it burns brightly in a corner of the village, it is also the time when the owners of Hàn Khuong pull up the ladder, spin their spinning wheels and stretch the thread across the way up and down the Hàn Khuong floor, that is also the time when the official competition begins. At that time, the Thai boys who win the singing competition with the owners of the Han Khuong floor will be allowed to go on the floor. Thai poems such as “Xong Chu Xon Xao” and “Tan Chu Xiet Xuong” are the inspiration for these antithetical songs. When they start, in addition to the dialogue, there are also improvisations between the Thai men on one side and the Han Khuong ladies on the other. These improvisations show the sophistication, sharpness, intelligence and great talent of the Thai men and women.
Next, the girls will start to lower the ladder to the ground when they are impressed by the improvisational talent of the boys in the duet, reaching out to invite them to the Han Khuong stage. After going up to the Han Khuong stage, the girls' side will not give them chairs, the boys' side will ask for chairs to continue testing the boys' talent, perseverance and ability to respond. Just like that, they will ask for chairs and then ask for tobacco pipes... After going through these series of duet performances, the boys will be considered to have passed the challenge and received the girls' consent to join the party until the end of the night. When there is a couple who has feelings for each other, they will come to each other and confess their love with affectionate and profound words of duet. Thus, the party takes place with the attraction of Thai girls who pull their hands by weaving, spinning, and rolling cotton persistently and tirelessly; The boys competed in weaving baskets, weaving homs, playing the flute, and playing the Tinh lute with melodies that captivated people's hearts and feelings.
The Han Khuong Festival can take place from day to day, and above all, there are extremely rich and diverse forms of entertainment such as: Tung con, Xoe dance, to ma le, choi cu... In the afternoon, when the sunset begins to fall, it is also the time when the activities on the Han Khuong floor become warm and quiet with the love exchanges of Thai boys and girls. The Han Khuong activities are not only a very unique cultural feature with deep spiritual values in the daily life of the Thai people, but they are also a symbol of the feelings here. The convergence of Thai culture in the Northwest in general and the Thai people in Lai Chau in particular has created the love exchanges on the Han Khuong floor, which is also the place where life originates and expresses the emotional spiritual cultural activities of the Thai people. The Han Khuong Festival makes people here love life more, see life in a better way, full of affection, tolerance and countless benevolent hearts.