Nearly 300 people took part in a huge tug-of-war game on Thursday within the framework of a festival organized as a memorial to the founder of a city in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta region.

The culture and information division of Ha Tien City in Kien Giang Province organized the tug-of-war game on the day as part of the festival to commemorate the 287th death anniversary of Mac Cuu, a Chinese exile, according to Nguyen Thi Minh Trang, head of the division.

Mac Cuu founded the principality of Ha Tien and ruled it as its first monarch. He died in 1735.

Thursday’s game included two events, one for state-run units and the other for the public, with the latter attracting 287 participants, who were divided into two teams -- Son Xuyen and Xa Tac.

“The number of 287 players is meant to highlight the 287th death anniversary of Mac Cuu,” Trang said.

“This is the biggest tug-of-war game ever held in Ha Tien and Kien Giang,” the official affirmed, adding that she expected the activity to help attract visitors to Ha Tien during this summer holiday.

Ngo Thi My Chuc, a local living in Dong Ho Ward, said that this was the first time she and the local people had played a tug-of-war game with such a large number of participants.

Chuc hailed the game as a chance for physical training for her and other people.

Eventually, the education and training division of Ha Tien won the first prize worth VND3 million (US$129) of the event for state-run units while the VND10-million ($430) award in the public category went to the Son Xuyen team.

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