Hung King’s Death Anniversary- Hung Temple Festival

(Cinet)- Hung Temple Festival also is called by Hung King's death anniversary, known as a big national sizable festival in Vietnam to remembrance and gratitude for the foundation of the Hung Kings, the first kings of the nation.
 “Wherever one maybe
Nobody forgets the anniversary on the 10^thof the third lunar month”
This idiom was deep in mind of each Viet people, which reminds children generations to memorize the origin and pilgrimage to the ancestral lands aiming to express the gratefulness to grandsire.

Legend of Au Co Great Mother and Lac Long Quan with one hundred sons

Hung Temple Festival also is called by Hung King 's death anniversary, known as a big national sizable festival in Vietnam to remembrance and gratitude for the foundation of the Hung Kings, the first kings of the nation. Traditionally said, Au Co, the Great Mother of Viet ethnic people, gave birth to  one hundred eggs hatching into one hundred sons. When her sons grew up, Au Co took fifty of them to settle in the plain of the present North  Vietnam, where as Lac Long Quan, her husband stayed in this mountainous area with the other fifty, the eldest one of whom then iniatiated Van Lang state and became  King Hung the First , thus starting the historic period of Vietnamese nation.

The senior government and local officials participating in Hung king death anniversary

Every year, the festival is held on the tenth day of third lunar month at Hung Temple, Viet Tri, Phu Tho Province. However, the festival actually took place weeks earlier with folk customs such as knocking on Copper drums of the Muong people, pilgrims to commemorate the Hung Kings and ended on the tenth day of lunar third month with pick-up palanquin ceremonies and processions on  Thuong Temple.

Palanquin ceremonies and processions on  Thuong Temple.

Since ancient times, Hung Temple Festival has been a special position in the minds of Vietnamese people. The emerald tree written in Tran Dynasty, including in the reign of King Le Thanh Tong in 1470 and in the reign of King Le Kinh Tong in 1601 copied and stamped at Hung Temple, said that: "... From the Trieu, Dinh, Le, Ly, Tran dynasty to the reign of King Hong Duc in post-Le Dynasty, the worship grandsire often carried out in the temple in Trung Nghia village. The land tax from the past used in the ritual has not changed ... “
Thus, from the earlier post-Le Dynasty, local people was entrust to manage directly the Hung Temple, including looking after, repairing, worship, as well as organizing Death Anniversary on the tenth day of Lunar third month. In return, they were exempt from tax of 500 fields, from taxes and fees and from going soldiers.

Coming back the origin

By the Nguyen Dynasty, in the 2^nd reign of Khai Dinh King (1917), Le Trung - Phu Tho Province Chief had submitted the day of the ceremony 10^th day of lunar third month as National holiday. This was written in Hung Vuong stele by Bui Ngoc Hoan, Phu Tho Province Chief, established in the 15th reign of Bao Dai King (1940) located in Thuong Temple on Hung Mount. Besides, local residents also celebrated the anniversary on the 11^th day in Lunar third month. From that time, the Hung King Death’s anniversary on 10^th day of lunar third month was formalized by law.
After the August Revolution (1945), the Party and State are interested in Hung Temple. On 18^th February 1946, President Ho Chi Minh signed a decree of the President of the 22 / SL-CTN for public holiday on 10^th day of lunar third month every year to participate in activities Hung King's Death Anniversary - towards ethnic origin.
 

President Ho Chi Minh visited and recommended soldiers at Hung Temple, Phu Tho Province

The President Ho Chi Minh had come to visit the Hung Temple twice (on 19^th 1954 and 19^th August 1962). Uncle Ho made immortal words there: "The Hung Kings were instrumental in building nation - children and I have to safeguard together my nation". The President also mentioned: "It should be noted on protecting, planting flowers, trees aiming to add to the Hung Temple more dignified and beautiful and to become historic park for children to visit later."
In 1995, the Hung King Death’s Anniversary was recorded in the Secretariat’s information as the official holiday of the year. On 2^nd April 2007, the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam has ratified the amendment and supplement Article 73 of the Labor law on that employees have a day-off on the Hung King Death’s Anniversary ( 10^th day of Lunar third month), but are paid for leave day. From that time, 10^th day of lunar third month had become a big holiday meaning National celebration.
 

Cultural activities occurs in Hung Kings Festival

On this day, people all over the country participate in cultural activities aiming to express respects to the Hung Kings who had been instrumental in building nation and our ancestors had safeguarded my nation for the people. 
Anh Ngoc