VietNamNet Bridge – Numerous celebratory activities will be held in northern Phu Tho Province from April 23-28 to commemorate the Hung Kings, the legendary founders of Van Lang – the first known State of Vietnam.

A rite at a ceremony marking the Hung King's death anniversary

A ceremony marking the Hung Kings’ death anniversary will be organised on April 28, the 10th day of the third lunar month, known as the national commemorative day, Vice Chairman of the Phu Tho People’s Committee Ha Ke San told the press on April 16.

Before that, other ceremonies will be held to celebrate the death anniversary of the Hung Kings’ father Lac Long Quan and pay tribute to their mother Au Co on April 24, added the official, who is also Head of the Hung Kings Temple Festival’s organising board.

He continued to say that a tourism fair for the northwest region will also take place in eight north-western provinces and in Japan’s Nara prefecture. It aims to increase tourism cooperation among localities and build a brand name for regional tourism.

An exhibition of items donated to the Temple, a cooking contest of traditional “chung” and “giay” cakes, and cultural performances from attending localities will also be part of the festival.

“Xoan” singing programmes will be held to promote Phu Tho’s folk singing, given it has been included as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding, San noted.

He told Vietnam News Agency reporters in a separate interview that Phu Tho province has employed comprehensive measures to ensure security, order and safety at the event, as this year’s festival expects to welcome 6-7 million visitors.

Vietnamese legend has it that Lac Long Quan, son of Kinh Duong Vuong, married Au Co, the 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 go their separate ways in order to populate the land and propagate the race, so half of the children followed their mother to the highlands and the remaining half went with their father to the sea.

The first child went with mother Au Co to Phong Chau, now Phu Tho Province. He then went on to become King Hung and found the first nation of Vietnam; called Van Lang.

Ruling the country over 18 generations, the Hung Kings taught the people how to grow 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 great contributions of 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 the national commemorative anniversary.

The worshipping rituals of the Hung Kings are closely related to the ancestral worshipping tradition of most Vietnamese families which forms an important part of people's spiritual lives. It was recognised as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012.

Nhan Dan