Sacred atmosphere on the main day of Hung King's death anniversary

Early morning of April 18, despite heavy rain, from all directions, crowds of people headed to the Hung Kings Temple National Special Historical Relic Site, Viet Tri City, Phu Tho Province to attend the Incense Offering Ceremony to commemorate the Hung Kings, on the 10th day of the third lunar month.

The procession sets off to the sacred Nghia Linh peak. (Photo: Nhat Anh/VNA)

From 7:00 a.m., the delegation of leaders of the Party, State, Phu Tho province, localities and a large number of people from all over the country gathered in front of the Hung Temple Relic Site to prepare for the Hung King's death anniversary, to commemorate the Hung King and his ancestors who had contributed to the country's construction and protection.

Millions of hearts turn to the anniversary of the death of the ancestors

The sacred music, gongs and drums echo throughout Nghia Linh mountain, blending with the crowd, making the atmosphere of the main ceremony more solemn.

At exactly 6:30 a.m., the delegation of the Party and State, along with the ritual group, palanquin procession team, and offerings departed from the Hung Temple Festival Center yard, passing through the Nghi Mon Gate, Ha Temple, Trung Temple, and up to Thuong Temple.

The procession reached the sacred peak of Nghia Linh. (Photo: Nhat Anh/VNA)

Leading the procession is the honor guard carrying the national flag, festival flags and wreaths with the words "Forever grateful to the Hung Kings for their contributions to building the country". Following behind are young women wearing red ao dai carrying incense, flowers, offerings and 100 Lac and Hong descendants in ancient costumes, holding high festival flags, showing the strong vitality of the Dragon Fairy lineage, along with the palanquin procession offering incense, flowers, Chung cakes, and Day cakes associated with the legend of Prince Lang Lieu and the concept of Round Heaven and Square Earth of our ancestors.

For every Vietnamese person, whether old or young, whether living in the highlands or lowlands, the folk song "Wherever you go, remember the Ancestor's Death Anniversary on March 10" has been deeply ingrained in their subconscious.

Procession.

Arriving at Hung Temple from 6am, Mrs. Tran Thi Cam's family (Yen Binh district, Yen Bai province) prepared offerings made from ingredients available in their garden to offer to the Hung Kings. Mrs. Cam said that every year, the children and grandchildren in the family gather to prepare a meal to commemorate the ancestors. This year, her family returned to Hung Temple to offer the offerings. According to Mrs. Cam, this is also an opportunity for the family to return to the nation's roots and review the tradition of patriotism, the morality of "When drinking water, remember its source", and show gratitude to the ancestors who contributed to building the country.

As for Mr. Duong Duc Tuong ( Ha Tinh city, Ha Tinh province), this is the first time he has returned to Hung Temple, to light incense sticks to commemorate the merits of his ancestors. He shared: "I feel like I am the children of mother Au Co following my father to the sea, today I am able to return to gather at Hung Temple". Many descendants of Lac Hong from all over the country have also come here to attend the Ancestor's Death Anniversary, everyone blends together in a warm, solemn and respectful atmosphere.

Many families of 3 or 4 generations from far away have also returned to the homeland to commemorate the Hung Kings' contributions to building the country and will stop for many days in Phu Tho to sightsee, learn about unique cultural heritages, and enjoy local products.

The procession to Hung Temple .

According to the Organizing Committee, on the morning of April 18 (March 10 of the lunar calendar), the government and people of Phu Tho province, on behalf of compatriots and soldiers nationwide and overseas Vietnamese, solemnly held an incense offering ceremony to commemorate the Hung Kings at Kinh Thien Palace on the sacred Nghia Linh mountain.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and leaders of the Party, State, Phu Tho province and localities respectfully went to the Upper Palace to offer incense and flowers to express deep gratitude to our ancestors who built the country so that our descendants could continue the Lac Hong tradition to build a rich and civilized Vietnam.

According to Mr. Ho Dai Dung, Vice Chairman of Phu Tho Provincial People's Committee, Head of the Organizing Committee of Hung Kings' Commemoration Day - Hung Temple Festival and Cultural Tourism Week of the Ancestral Land in the year of Giap Thin 2024, in order to carefully prepare for the Ancestral Land's Commemoration Day, aiming to build an exemplary festival for the whole country, Phu Tho province has made efforts to ensure that the festival is organized carefully and safely with a solemn and dignified ceremony, deeply imbued with community. The festival harmoniously combines traditional and modern folk cultural activities, sports and tourism events, demonstrating the unique cultural identity of the Ancestral Land.

Commemorating the nation-building achievements of the Hung Kings

The procession went up to the sacred Nghia Linh peak.

On the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day, in all parts of the country, millions of Vietnamese people's hearts turn to the land of the ancestors to commemorate the Hung Kings and their ancestors who had contributed to the country's construction and protection. Along with Phu Tho, many localities across the country, where there are Hung Kings' temples and thousands of other temples across Vietnam, also celebrate the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day to commemorate the ancestors' merits.

According to researchers, all of us, whether from the North, South, Central, or from the mountains, plains, or coastal regions, share the same egg sac of Au Co. That is a special relationship that only the Vietnamese people have. Therefore, the profound value of the Hung King belief is the bond of love and mutual support of the Vietnamese ethnic community, people who share the same roots and the same source.

With that sincere belief, for thousands of years, generation after generation, every March, millions of Vietnamese people eagerly return to the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day, looking forward to the Hung Temple Festival at the Hung Temple Historical Site (Hy Cuong Commune, Viet Tri City, Phu Tho Province), the origin of the nation and the country. And the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day is forever a symbol of national spirit, a source of strength, a tangible bridge for the Vietnamese people's belief and pride in the glorious past and towards the future.

The procession went up to the sacred Nghia Linh peak.

The 10th day of the 3rd lunar month every year has become the National Death Anniversary to remind every Vietnamese child of the great merit of the Hung Kings who built the country. The annual Hung Kings' Death Anniversary is also a way to recreate the spirit of tradition, convey the typical spiritual and cultural activities of the Hung Kings' worship and create a strong attraction. This is also an opportunity for everyone to listen to the echoes of the past, feel the sacredness of the land of origin, the brilliant historical milestones and many good feelings about the road ahead. That is the strength and belief that each person can find from the land of the nation's origin.

The procession went up to the sacred Nghia Linh peak.

Mr. Le Truong Giang, Director of Hung Temple Historical Relic Site, said that Hung Temple is identified as the largest and oldest center for practicing the Hung King worship belief in the historical development of the Vietnamese people. In particular, after the Hung King worship belief was honored by UNESCO, the number of pilgrims to Hung Temple to worship their ancestors has increased day by day. Every year, on the occasion of the Hung King's death anniversary, Phu Tho province welcomes millions of visitors to Hung Temple to attend the festival.

This year, the number of tourists visiting the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day has increased compared to previous years, especially before the main festival day, the number of tourists has increased dramatically. This is the greatest success in the work of preserving and promoting the value of the Hung Kings' Worship Heritage, which is the origin consciousness of millions of Vietnamese people, proving the vitality and strong spread of the Hung Kings' Worship.