The ceremony is a heartfelt wish of the Ly Son islanders to remember their ancestors, and also a link connecting the younger generation with national history, fostering patriotism and awareness of protecting the sacred sovereignty of the Fatherland's seas and islands, said Tran Cuong, Head of the An Vinh village communal house's ceremonial committee. The ritual is also a vivid historical evidence of Vietnam's sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos.
Following the main ceremony was the traditional Four Sacred Animals boat race, which reenacted the selection of strong, skilled seafarers to supplement the team tasked with protecting the sovereignty of the seas and islands in Hoang Sa and Truong Sa.
According to historical records, in late 16th or early 17th century, the Nguyen Lords established the Hoang Sa and Bac Hai (North Sea) flotillas to patrol, exploit, and exercise sovereignty over the Paracel and Spratly islands. Each year, 70 strong, healthy young men skilled in swimming from the villages of An Vinh, An Hai, the Sa Ky estuary area, and Ly Son Island were selected to serve. The Feast and Commemoration Festival for Hoang Sa (Paracel) Soldiers was held to motivate the soldiers.
