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Hung Kings Festival Draws Massive Crowd in Vietnam

Hung Kings Festival Draws Massive Crowd in Vietnam

Groups from Chu Hoa, Hung Lo and Kim Duc (Viet Tri city), Tien Kien and Hung Son (Lam Thao district) headed to the Hung Kings Temple on Nghia Linh Mountain. 

The procession was led by lion dancers, followed by groups carrying national flag and festive flag and another playing ritual drums and gongs. Meanwhile, the next group carried symbolic weapons and parasols, which was followed by mandarin actors and local people.

They presented offerings of chung cakes (square glutinous rice cakes), banh day (round glutinous rice cakes) and their local specialties to the Hung Kings at the temple altar.

According to the organising board, this is the 7th year the procession took place in communes on the occasion of the death anniversary of the Hung Kings (the 10th day of the third lunar month). 

Palanquin procession to honour Hung Kings. Image: Vietnam Net Bridge
Palanquin procession to honour Hung Kings. Image: Vietnam Net Bridge

 

This traditional ritual, which has been preserved for thousands of years, features the country’s cultural characteristics and consolidates national solidarity.

It also makes contributions to honouring the worshipping rituals of the Hung Kings, which was recognised as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012.

The same day, a contest for making banh chung and banh day was organised at the Hung Kings Temple historic relic site, drawing 14 teams from 13 districts, towns and cities. 

The contest was held annually to show gratitude to Hung Kings for building a sound custom for the nation.

At the foot of the hill, thousands have arrived, moving very slowly. It could take hours for them to reach the main site. Image: VN Express International
At the foot of the hill, thousands have arrived, moving very slowly. It could take hours for them to reach the main site. Image: VN Express International

 

Two winners will get the chance to offer their traditional cakes to the Hung Kings on the 10th day of the third lunar month, which falls on April 6 this year.

Vietnamese legend has it that Lac Long Quan, son of Kinh Duong Vuong, married Au Co, daughter of King De Lai. Au Co gave birth to a sack containing 100 eggs from which 100 children were born. 

The couple then decided to separate to populate the land, so half the children followed their mother to the highlands and the rest went with their father to the sea.

The first child went with mother Au Co to Phong Chau, now Phu Tho province. He then became King Hung and founded the first nation in the history of Vietnam, Van Lang.          

After the ceremony, five rounds of security are in place to deal with the yearly hustle. Image: VN Express International
After the ceremony, five rounds of security are in place to deal with the yearly hustle. Image: VN Express International

 

Ruling the country for 18 generations, the Hung Kings taught the people how to grow wet rice. They chose Nghia Linh Mountain, the highest in the region, to perform rituals devoted to rice and sun deities to pray for lush crops.

To honour the Hung Kings, a complex of temples dedicated to them was built on Nghia Linh Mountain, and the tenth day of the third lunar month serves as their anniversary.

The worshipping rituals of the Hung Kings are closely related to the ancestral worship traditions of most Vietnamese families, an important part of people's spiritual lives.


Source : Vietnam Net Bridge | VN Express International

Indah Gilang Pusparani

Indah is a researcher at Badan Perencanaan Pembangunan Penelitian dan Pengembangan Daerah Kota Cirebon (Regional Development Planning and Research Agency of Cirebon Municipality). She covers More international relations, tourism, and startups in Southeast Asia region and beyond. Indah graduated from MSc Development Administration and Planning from University College London, United Kingdom in 2015. She finished bachelor degree from International Relations from University of Indonesia in 2014, with two exchange programs in Political Science at National University of Singapore and New Media in Journalism at Ball State University, USA. She was awarded Diplomacy Award at Harvard World Model United Nations and named as Indonesian Gifted Researcher by Australian National University. She is Researcher at Regional Planning Board in Cirebon, West Java. She previously worked as Editor in Bening Communication, the Commonwealth Parliament Association UK, and diplomacy consulting firm Best Delegate LLC in USA. Less
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