Hanoi (VNA) - In the collective consciousness of the Vietnamese people, the death anniversary of Hung Kings – the legendary founders of the nation, has long been a cultural, spiritual and religious symbol and the convergence of the spirit of great solidarity of ethnic groups in the country.

The death anniversary of Hung Kings is commemorated on the 10th day of the third lunar month, which falls on April 29 this year, and is a national holiday.

Traditional rituals will be conducted at the temples dedicated to Lac Long Quan and Au Coඣ in the Hung Kings Temple relic site to express gratitude to the ones who laid the foundation of the country, while incense and flowers will be offered in tribute to Hung Kings in cities, districts, towns and communities.

Cultural and religious symbol links the past with the present

Legend has it that Lac Long Quan (real name Sung Lam, a son of Kinh Duong Vuong and Than Long Nu) married Au Co (the fairy daughter of De Lai). Au Co then gave birth to a pouch filled with 100 eggs, which soon hatched into a hundred sons. However, soon thereafter, Lac Long Quan and Au Co separated. Lac Long Quan went to the coastal region with 50 of the children, while Au Co went to the highlands with the rest.

Their eldest son was made king, who named the country Van Lang and set up the capital in Phong Chau (modern-day Viet Tri city in Phu Tho province), beginning the 18 generations of the Hung Kings.

The Kings chose Nghia L🐓inh Mountain, the highest in the region, to perform rituals devoted to rice and sun deities to pray for healthy lives and bumper crops.

The process of formation and development of the worship of the Hung Kings has been continuously fostered over many generations. The Hung Kings are revered as the great ancestors of the nation. Therefore, the worship has become a unique type of religious and cultural belief in the cultural and spiritual lives of generations of Vietnamese people; and a fulcrum that creates the strength of Vietnam. This is also a symbol of the great national unity bloc and the pride of the nation throughout its historical periods. Experts said the Hung King worship rituals play an especially important role in the formation and development of Vietnam’s culture characteristics and indentity. It has been also a foundation for unity, love and mutual assistance, spiritual cultural features indispensable in modern society.

To honour their great contributions, a complex of temples dedicated to them was built on Nghia Linh Mountain, and the 10th day of the third lunar month, which falls on April 29 this year, serves as the national commemorative anniversary for the Kings.

The worship of the Hung Kings, closely related to the ancestral worship traditions of most Vietnamese families, was recognised as par༺t of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2012. 

Originating from the ancient land of Phu Tho, the worship of the Hung Kings has spread throughout the country. Nowadays, the veneration of the Hung Kings is also organised in many countries around the world where Vietnamese communities reside. Currently, there are over 1,410 Hung Kings worshipping sites throughout the country. The Hung Kings’ death anniversary has become a national holiday in Vietnam, celebrated by people across the country with various cultural and art activities. In Phu Tho alone, there are over 340 relics associated with the worship of the Hung Kings.   

A ceremony marking the death anniversary of Hung Kings, and the Culture and Tourism Week of Ancestral Land will be held from April 20-29 in the Hung Kings Templewith various activities.

Traditional rituals will be conducted at the temples dedicated to Lac Long Quan and Au Co in the relic site to express gratitude to the ones who laid the foundation of the country, while incense and flowers will be offered in tribute to the Hung Kings in cities, districts, towns and communities.

Other activities include an international conference on Vietnam’s tourism, culture, heritages and sustainable development, a swimming and stand-up paddleboarding competition, the Northwest Tourism Fair 2023, the Hung Vuong Cup football tournament, the volleyball tournament of strong national teams competing for Hung Vuong Cup, the cuisine festival and other cultural, sport and tourism activities like exhibitions, Xoan singing, and the Festival of Traditional Long Dress for Children./.