"No matter where you go
Remember the death anniversary of the ancestors on the tenth of March"
The folk song has been deeply engraved in the hearts of every Vietnamese person, as a reminder of the sacred origin of "Dragon and Fairy's Children". The Hung King's Commemoration Day is not only an occasion for our people to reunite but also arouses pride in the strength of the nation and the unique cultural identity of the Vietnamese people.
This is also the day for us to express our deep gratitude to the Hung Kings, the kings who built and defended the country, and to pay tribute to our ancestors who sacrificed their blood and bones to protect the country. The spirit of “remembering the source of water” is clearly demonstrated through the Hung Kings’ Commemoration Day, reminding each person of their responsibility to preserve and promote the nation’s fine traditions.
The spirit of "remembering the source of the water you drink" is clearly demonstrated on the Hung Kings' death anniversary.
What day is Hung King's death anniversary?
Legend has it that Kinh Duong Vuong gave birth to a son who later succeeded his father to the throne, with the reign name Lac Long Quan. Lac Long Quan married Au Co, a beautiful fairy who descended to earth and gave birth to a sac of one hundred eggs which hatched into one hundred children - the ancestors of the Bach Viet people.
However, because Lac Long Quan had the nature of a Dragon, and Au Co had the nature of a Fairy, “water and fire are incompatible”, the two had to part ways. Lac Long Quan led his fifty children to the sea, and Au Co and her fifty children went up to the mountains. Lac Long Quan’s eldest son was crowned king, succeeded his father, and took the title of Hung Vuong. After eighteen generations of Hung Vuong, the eighteenth Hung Vuong abdicated to Thuc Phan, also known as An Duong Vuong.
Panoramic view of Hung Temple historical relic site (Phu Tho)
To commemorate the great contributions of the Hung Kings, King Le Thanh Tong in 1470 and King Le Kinh Tong in 1601 copied and sealed the documents recording the achievements of the Hung Kings, and kept them at Hung Temple. The 11th and 12th of the third lunar month were chosen as the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day. During the Nguyen Dynasty, in the second year of Khai Dinh (1927), the 10th of the third lunar month was officially chosen as the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day.
Every year, on the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month, the hearts of every Vietnamese person turn to their roots, to the Hung Kings who built and defended the country. This is a holiday of great historical and cultural significance, an occasion for the descendants of Lac Hong to remember the great contributions of their ancestors.
In 2007, the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam officially recognized the 10th day of the third lunar month as a national holiday.
In 2007, the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam officially recognized the 10th day of the third lunar month as a national holiday. This decision affirmed the position and importance of the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day in the spiritual life of the Vietnamese people.
In 2012, UNESCO officially recognized “Hung King worship in Phu Tho” as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. This event marked the importance of Hung King's death anniversary to the Vietnamese people and the world.
In 2012, UNESCO officially recognized "Hung King worship in Phu Tho" as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
Hung Temple Festival - Journey back to the roots
Hung Temple Festival is one of the largest national festivals, demonstrating the long-standing cultural traditions and passionate patriotism of the Vietnamese people. This is a national festival, of the highest sacredness, solemnly held every year with national ceremony, attracting hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese people from all over the country and overseas Vietnamese to "return to the roots of the nation".
The festival takes place at Hung Temple (Phu Tho), lasting from the 8th to the 11th of the third lunar month every year, of which the 10th is the main festival. The festival is divided into two parts: the ceremony and the festival.
Hung Temple Festival attracts hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese people from all over the country and overseas Vietnamese to "return to their national roots".
The ceremony is held solemnly, with the character of a national ceremony, expressing respect and gratitude to the Hung Kings. The offerings include "three-life ceremony" (1 pig, 1 goat and 1 cow), banh chung, banh day, multi-colored sticky rice...; the main musical instrument is the ancient bronze drum. After the sound of the bronze drum, the dignitaries will perform the ceremony under the direction of the master of ceremonies. Next, the elders in the villages around Hung Temple will also come to perform the ceremony. Finally, the people and pilgrims will come to offer incense and commemorate the Hung Kings.
The festival takes place with many entertainment activities, expressing the unique cultural identity of the Vietnamese people. Outstanding activities include Xoan singing competition, Chung cake and Day cake wrapping competition, tug of war, cockfighting, stick pushing... Hung Temple Festival is an opportunity for Lac Hong descendants to remember the Hung Kings' merits in building and defending the country, while fostering patriotism and a sense of responsibility to build and protect the country.
Hung Temple Festival is one of the largest festivals of national scale.
The Hung Kings' Commemoration Day - Hung Temple Festival is an extremely important occasion for us to introduce to the world a priceless cultural heritage of the Vietnamese people. This heritage has existed for thousands of years, deeply rooted in the souls and emotions and has become the traditional morality of our compatriots across the country and overseas Vietnamese. This is the day for our entire nation to express our deep gratitude to the Hung Kings who built and defended the country, and at the same time remember the advice of President Ho Chi Minh: "The Hung Kings built the country - We, your uncles and nephews, must work together to defend the country".
Hung Kings' Commemoration Day - Hung Temple Festival is an extremely important occasion for us to introduce to the world a priceless cultural heritage of the Vietnamese people.
