The Hung Vuong Temple in Phan Ri Cua town was formerly the communal house of Cam Hai village. The communal house was built by the local people in 1859 to worship the tutelary deity of the area and the ancestors who contributed to reclaiming land and gathering people to establish the village in the Phan Ri Cua region.
In 1958, the villagers added the Hung Kings to the worship at Cam Hai village communal house. In 1964, after the Hai Hoi Pagoda was completed, the Phan Ri Cua Buddhist Association invited Buddha to be worshipped in the pagoda and Saints to be worshipped in the historical site. Since then, this place has been dedicated solely to the worship of the Hung Kings, the national ancestors. The name Hung King Temple was born, becoming the official name of the historical site and remaining so to this day.
In 2016, on the occasion of attending the Hung Kings Commemoration Day at Hung Temple ( Phu Tho province ), the delegation from Binh Thuan province solemnly brought "earth, water, and incense sticks" from Hung Temple in Phu Tho back to their homeland in Binh Thuan. The water was taken from Ngoc Well, the earth from Nghia Linh mountain, and the incense sticks from the incense burner at Thuong Temple. Hung King Temple in Phan Ri Cua town was chosen as the place to enshrine and worship these precious and sacred relics.
Each year, the Hung Kings Commemoration Festival in Phan Ri Cua attracts both local people and tourists, encompassing both ceremonial and festive activities. The content, form of rituals, offerings, and methods of implementation in the Hung Kings Commemoration Festival reflect solemnity and reverence, ensuring it aligns with the nationwide Hung Kings worship tradition while also adapting to the customs and traditions of the people of Binh Thuan province. Mr. Vo Minh Chien, Secretary of the Party Committee of Phan Ri Cua town, stated: "Organizing the Hung Kings Commemoration Festival in a spirit of economy, healthiness, and practicality, focusing on our origins and ancestors, attracts people and religious organizations from all over to participate; respectfully offering incense to express gratitude for the merits of the Hung Kings who founded the nation and the ancestors who defended it. The festival is a cultural event that meets the cultural needs of the people; contributing to the education of tradition and the moral principle of 'drinking water, remembering the source'."
Traditionally, the festival begins on the morning of the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month. The provincial leader (the chief officiant) reads the ceremonial address and beats the drum to officially open the festival. Nine young men and nine young women in traditional costumes walk in two rows, carrying 18 sticky rice cakes (bánh chưng) and 18 glutinous rice cakes (bánh giầy) from the ceremonial grounds into the temple. Provincial leaders, representatives of various organizations, and local people offer the sticky rice cakes and incense to commemorate the Hung Kings. Communal houses, temples, shrines, and mausoleums organize solemn processions with ceremonial flags, canopies, gongs, drums, and palanquins, inviting the deities and ancestors of the village to come and pay their respects and offer gifts to the Hung Kings. They report on the villagers' lives and livelihoods over the past year and pray for a more prosperous and abundant new year.
Following the ceremony, delegations from the villages came to pay their respects to King Hung. The temple management board performed the main ritual of offering sacrifices to the Hung Kings with many solemn ceremonies, following the customs and traditions passed down from their ancestors. As for the festivities, the program included activities such as rice cake making competitions, cultural performances, and sports , creating an atmosphere of unity and joy on this important national holiday.
The Hung Kings Commemoration Festival at the Hung Kings Temple in Phan Ri Cua town plays a significant role and holds immense value in the spiritual and religious life of the people. The festival has preserved and promoted unique cultural values that have existed for thousands of years, deeply ingrained in the hearts and minds of every Vietnamese person, becoming a traditional moral principle. This is also a day for the entire Party, army, and people to wholeheartedly remember President Ho Chi Minh's words: "The Hung Kings built the nation – we, their descendants, must together preserve it," and "No matter where one goes, remember the Hung Kings Commemoration Day on the 10th of March."
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