People flock to God Fish Stream to wish for luck
After the Lunar New Year, thousands of people visit the God Fish Stream in Thanh Hoa every day to pray for luck in the New Year. On February 15, the God Fish Procession was held at the Luong Ngoc stream, attracting up to tens of thousands of people.
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| Luong Ngoc Stream, roughly 100 kilometers northwest from Thanh Hoa City, is another interesting place in Thanh Hoa Province. This is home to many fish in the stream located next to Truong Sinh Mountain, and has been named the “God fish stream” by the Muong ethnic minority in Cam Thuy District’s Cam Luong Commune. |
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| “If someone catches and eats God fish from Luong Ngoc Stream, they will lose their life.” That’s what the Muong villagers in Cam Luong warn tourists as they speak of the “God fish stream.” |
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| On the way to the stream, tourists will hear mysterious stories related to the God fish and the traditions of the Muong people, while breathing pure fresh air and enjoying beautiful landscapes along the road surrounded with wild scenery and fragrant corn fields. |
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| Don’t be shocked if you see some coffins hung on the surface of the ponds. It is one of the traditional customs of the Muong ethnic minority. In the past, they used to hang the coffins on the walls of mountains. |
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| Luong Ngoc Stream originates from Truong Sinh Mountain where the fish swim out of a cave in the morning. No one knows their origins. The spring is crowded with an array of fish which are unafraid of humans. |
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| Under the clear water, one can easily see thousands of fish with strange shapes, confusing tourists who try to identify what they are. The body looks like mud carp (cirrhina molitorella) while the head is more like the common carp (cyprinus carpio), with long fins and golden or green scales. |
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| The smallest fish weigh several kilograms but most of the fish are over 10 kilograms each, while in the cave there are bigger fish weighing dozens of kilos, according to locals. The villagers also stress their forefathers warned that bad luck would come to those who catch and kill even one fish from the stream. |
