Direct action: Thua Thien-Hue officials conduct a traditional ceremony themselves instead of people dressed as royalty. — VNS Photo Phuoc Buu

THUA THIEN - HUE (VNS)— Thua Thien-Hue authorities conducted a traditional ceremony yesterday morning for worshipping the Land and Rice gods.

While the ceremony was held at Xa Tac Platform, used for worship during the Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945), it was conducted by provincial officials, rather than people dressed up as the king and mandarins as in previous years.

Ritual decoration items, food and the ceremony process remained the same. The officials were dressed in formal male ao dai, the traditional national costume.

The centre re-enacted the ceremony for the first time in 2008 with a grand procession of elephants, horses and people dressed as soldiers, as well as a king and mandarin.

Since then, they have organised the ceremony annually on a smaller scale during the second lunar month.

Researchers still disagree about the meaning of Xa Tac Platform. Some say it represents national unity. After founding the dynasty in 1802, the early kings built the platform using dozens of soil types brought to Hue – then the royal capital – from different parts of the country, according to researcher Ho Tan Phan.— VNS