Annually, on the 10th day of the third month in lunar calendar,
people from everywhere in Vietnam and international tourists come to Phu
Tho to join Hung King Festival. This is one of important festivals in
the country.
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Bronze Drums |
Hung Temple historical relic is located in Co Tich Hamlet, Hy Chuong
Commune in Viet Tri City (Phu Tho) where Hung kings founded Vietnam
country. This temple is considered the oldest temple in Vietnam, in
according to historical studies. For thousands of years, in legend, Lac
Long Quan and Au Co, parents of Hung Kings are seen as the ancestors of
Vietnamese people. Hung Temple is not just the place of ethnic and
national origin, but also a reverent icon, spiritual convergence and
national unity. Hung Festival is an anniversary of Hung Kings’ death.
This is an important national festival in Vietnam to memorize and
gratitude the merits of Hung Kings, the first emperors of the nation.
This festival is held on the 10th day of the third month in lunar year
in Hung Temple, Phu Tho province. However, it often takes place for
about one week previously with traditional customs of Muong ethnic
people like hitting bronze drums, pilgrimaging to commemorate Hung Kings until the main festival with rituals of offering incense and procession on Upper Temple.
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Cake Making Contest |
Hung King Festival 2014 took place within 5 days, from 6th day to 10th
day (April 5-9 in 2014) in almost everywhere in Phu Tho province as Hung
Temple, Viet Tri City, communes, wards near the temple, and historical
relics of Hung Kings and celebrities under Hung Empire in Phu Tho. The
Hung Temple Festival 2014 was organized by Phu Tho People’s Committee
cooperating with four provinces: Bac Ninh, Quang Binh, Vinh Long, and
Long An with many interesting and featured activities.
The activities in this traditional festival in Vietnam consisted of
important rituals such as offering incense to commemorate Hung Kings,
Lac Long Quan and Au Co- the great national ancestors of Vietnam, and
other celebrities, and festive activities like cultural camping, art
performances, exhibitions of specialties, and culinary cultures of 13
districts and towns. Moreover, in Hung King Temple, many shows of
hitting bronze drums and dragon-dancing, competitions of making Chung
Cake, and exhibitions of unique pictures on rituals of worshiping
ancestors attracted a large number of people in this festival. Besides,
there were exhibitions of typical artworks on the beauty of country,
people taking place in the historical relic, Hung King Temple.
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Hung King Festival |
In Viet Tri City, many programs were held to celebrate King's Death
Anniversary 2014 with the theme on "Coming to rural heritage". For
example, Xoan Singing Festival, exhibitions of artifacts at Hung Vuong
Museum, architectural model of Hung Vuong Tower, paintings were programs
having great meaning in recalling history and promulgating to tourists.
In addition, exhibition of images on "Vietnam Sea and Island
Sovereignty", Hung Vuong Fair, and other contests such as Tennis
Friendship Tournaments, and Fireworks performance in Hung Vuong Square
fascinated a lot of people, and created exciting atmosphere. The new
feature in the festival in 2014 is that the board management of Hung
King Temple staffed the People’s Committee to ask localities to offer
incense at the same time with ritual time in Nghia Linh Mountain (Hung
King Temple). Besides, in the festival, provincial counterparts brought
featured regional performances of Vietnamese traditional music, such as
Don Ca Tai Tu (a traditional music of southern Vietnam, literally "music
of amateurs") of Vinh Long and Long An, Quan Ho singing of Bac Ninh,
and Ho Khoan of Quang Binh.
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Performance |
The organization of Hung Temple Festival, one of the traditional
festivals in Vietnam has purposes of educating traditional morality of
gratitude to Hung Kings, the predecessors of national foundation, and
strengthening unity in the national construction and the Fatherland
protection. Besides, honoring the cultural values of Hung dynasty,
continuing to promulgate two heritages of "Xoan singing of Phu Tho" and
"Hung Kings worship belief" have been recognized by UNESCO, which
contributes to raising the value of the cultural life of Vietnam in
ethnic communities.
Source: http://www.alotrip.com
