Every year, when March comes, every Vietnamese person is moved and sincerely looks forward to the Ancestor's Death Anniversary and becomes more deeply aware of their personal responsibility to their historical roots, deeply attached to their homeland and Fatherland; remembering President Ho Chi Minh 's advice: "The Hung Kings had the merit of building the country, we, your descendants, must work together to protect the country."
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| Palanquin procession at Hung Temple festival. Photo: VNA |
Since ancient times, in the mind of every Vietnamese people, they have always been proud of their origin as "children of Lac, descendants of the Dragon". The Hung Kings' death anniversary is a symbol of spiritual culture, beliefs, a convergence point of great solidarity spirit, an important occasion for every Vietnamese person to turn to their roots, remembering the great merits of the Hung Kings in the cause of building and defending the country.
"No matter where you go
Remember the Ancestor's Death Anniversary on March 10th...”
That folk song has been ingrained in the subconscious of every Vietnamese citizen for generations. Every year, when March comes, millions of hearts of people carrying the blood of Lac Hong turn toward the ancestral land - Nghia Linh mountain, Co Tich village, Hy Cuong commune, Lam Thao district, Phu Tho province, to express gratitude to their ancestors with sacred respect.
For thousands of years, the tradition of commemorating the Hung Kings' death anniversary to commemorate the Dragon father, the Fairy mother and the 18 Hung Kings has shown national pride and self-respect, affirming that all Vietnamese people of all ethnicities, all classes, regardless of age, gender, whether living in Vietnam or abroad, have the same origin, the same death anniversary on the 10th day of the third lunar month every year, which has become a spiritual meeting place for every Vietnamese person. The death anniversary is also an occasion for families to gather together, love and protect each other. The family is the "cradle" of love, educating people's personality; thereby educating the tradition of humane morality, knowing how to respect ancestors, grandparents, and parents. From ancient times to the present, Vietnamese people believe that: Trees have roots, water has sources, birds have nests, people have ancestors, houses have house ancestors, clans have clan ancestors, villages have village ancestors and therefore the country has its ancestors.
The legend of Lac Long Quan - Au Co is the direct spiritual basis for the formation of the Hung Kings' Commemoration Festival. Accordingly, every Vietnamese person is in the same womb (compatriot) born by mother Au Co. 50 children followed their mother to the forest, 50 children followed their father to the sea to expand the territory. The eldest son followed his mother to Phong Chau (now Phu Tho) to establish Van Lang - the first state in the history of the Vietnamese people and was honored as King Hung. The Hung Kings had the merit of building the country, teaching people to grow rice, performing rituals and beliefs. This became the foundation for the civilizations of the Vietnamese people. The image of King Hung has been closely associated with the sacred soul of the mountains and rivers of Vietnam, becoming a noble symbol of patriotism and national unity.
According to historical records, since the post-Le Dynasty, the worship of the Hung Kings was performed by local people. During the reign of King Le Thanh Tong, the Hung Temple festival was brought to the national level, and the ceremony was presided over by a mandarin representing the royal court. After the August Revolution in 1945, the Vietnamese State, although still young, paid great attention to the Hung Temple. During his lifetime, President Ho Chi Minh visited the Hung Temple twice and he advised: "The Hung Kings had the merit of building the country, you and I must work together to protect the country". That call of Uncle Ho was the word of the Fatherland, of the nation; it was also the oath of the country before the spirit of the Hung Kings. Carrying out that teaching is the responsibility and duty of every citizen of our country.
Up to now, the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam has issued a resolution recognizing the Hung King's death anniversary on the tenth day of the third lunar month every year as a national holiday. Hung King worship has been spreading strongly, becoming a strong glue that binds the "compatriot" sentiment. In 2013, based on cultural values, UNESCO issued a resolution recognizing Hung King worship as "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity". The Vietnamese people's worship of the National Ancestor is the most concentrated expression at the national level; this is a unique feature with human significance rarely seen in other ethnic groups and countries in the world. Currently, in Phu Tho province, there are hundreds of villages with communal houses and temples to worship Hung Kings and in our country, many provinces and cities have established temples to worship Hung Kings. The morality of looking back to the origin, being grateful to those who have contributed to giving birth and creating life for people is the morality of the Vietnamese people. Love for the homeland and country is nurtured and passed down from here. Respecting ancestors means respecting mother Au Co and King Hung, who "had the merit of building the country".
Together with the people of the whole country, every year when March comes, the sectors and localities in Lam Dong province have organized many practical activities to show their remembrance of the national tradition. In particular, on the tenth day of the third lunar month every year, Lam Dong province solemnly organizes the Hung Kings' Commemoration Ceremony to commemorate the Hung Kings' merits in building and defending the country at Au Lac Temple on the top of Phoenix Mountain in Prenn Waterfall Tourist Area, Da Lat. Provincial leaders and thousands of people, tourists of ethnic groups inside and outside the province, and students of universities, colleges, and vocational high schools in Da Lat city attended. With a sincere and grateful heart, the provincial leaders and representatives of departments, religions and people of ethnic groups in the province offered incense to commemorate the merits in building and defending the country of the Hung Kings and previous generations. After the ceremony commemorating the Hung Kings, the festival took place with many exciting activities including performances, folk games... The activities taking place in the festival created a joyful and exciting atmosphere, contributing to preserving and promoting the unique traditional cultural beauty of the nation.
Responding to activities towards the Hung Kings' death anniversary, many high schools in the province organized activities to review the national historical traditions, organized students to decorate fruit trays, banh chung, etc.; organized art programs with traditional songs praising King Hung, Mother Au Co, or the melody "Lac Hong Bloodline" performed by students. In addition, teachers also discussed and shared with students about the Vietnamese culture of gratitude, which is the morality of "When drinking water, remember the source", "When eating fruit, remember the person who planted the tree" so that students are more aware of their personal responsibility to their homeland and country.
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