On September 17, 2026, the organizing committee of the traditional Buffalo Fighting Festival in Do Son, Hai Phong, conducted a significant water-fetching ceremony. This ceremony is a crucial part of the festival's traditional rituals, which take place annually in the lunar month of August.

The water-fetching ceremony is one of several important rituals, including the incense offering on the first day, water-fetching on the seventh, deity worship on the eighth, sacrificial offerings on the tenth, and the farewell ceremony on the sixteenth. These rituals are performed with great solemnity, particularly at the Nghè Temple, which holds spiritual significance for the festival.

According to traditional beliefs, water symbolizes the beginning of life and represents purity, growth, and eternity. For the coastal community of Do Son, water is also closely tied to the sea, their livelihoods, and the aspiration to conquer nature. Thus, the water-fetching ceremony is not merely a traditional practice but also a way to honor the ancestors who have shaped the land and to express the community's hopes for national peace, prosperity, and the well-being of its people.

This year, continuing the legacy of their forebears, the water-fetching ceremony was conducted with reverence at the Nghè Temple, where rituals were performed to request water from the shrine of Hùng Trấn Điểm Tước Đại Thần Vương, the guardian deity of Do Son. The water will be used in various rituals during the final round of the traditional Buffalo Fighting Festival in 2026.

The organization of this water-fetching ceremony underscores the commitment of the local Party, government, and people of Do Son to preserve and promote the rich cultural values of their homeland, ensuring that the unique customs and rituals passed down from previous generations continue to thrive for future generations.