Two Vietnamese villages keep a 1,000-year-old promise
Two villages, Van Phuc and Nga My, have been friends for 1,000 years. They are 30 kilometers apart.
Van Phuc had a ceremony to mark 1,000 years of friendship with Nga My.
The villages have a special friendship called ket cha. They help each other.
This friendship started a long time ago. It is still strong today. The villages work together and help each other.
A historian said the friendship between Van Phuc and Nga My is very special.
The historian said the villages' friendship is strong because they help each other.
A big show celebrated 1,000 years of friendship.
The highlight of the celebration was a big stage show.
The show told the story of the villages' history with music, dance, and narration.
The show used symbols like rivers and bamboo to tell the story.
A famous artist helped tell the story.
The show had music from northern Vietnam. Many artists performed.
The show recreated the atmosphere of village festivals and building flood-control dikes.
The event brought people of different ages together.
Village elders gave the symbol of brotherhood to children.
The tradition of ket cha is special.
Van Phuc and Nga My are far apart, but they are still friends.
The tradition started when the emperor moved the capital to Hanoi.
There were big floods, and the emperor asked for help.
Villagers from Van Phuc helped fix the dike.
The dike was fixed, and the villages were safe again.
The people of Nga My were grateful and wanted to be friends with Van Phuc.
They promised to call each other brother and sister.
The emperor agreed to the friendship and said the villages should not marry each other.
The villages still visit each other and work together.
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