What day is Hung King's Commemoration and when does it take place?
Today, the Hung Temple Festival, also known as the Hung Kings Commemoration, is an important event to commemorate and express gratitude to the Hung Kings, the first leaders of the Vietnamese people. , who made important contributions to building and protecting the homeland. Therefore, in 1917 during the reign of King Khai Dinh, the Ministry of Rites officially sent an official dispatch dated July 25, sending the provincial officials of Phu Tho province to take the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month to celebrate the annual “international” ceremony, that is, The mandarins had to wear costumes to go to Hung Temple to worship on behalf of the Hue court.
Since then, Hung King’s death anniversary has been known to be on the 10th day of the third month every year, and is passed down by folklore in the song:
“No matter who goes back and forth
Remember the Ancestor’s Anniversary on the tenth day of the third month
Throughout the region, the song continues to spread
The country remains the same as home water for thousands of years.”
Interesting things you may not know about Hung King's Commemoration in Vietnam
There are many interesting things that you should not miss at the Hung King Commemoration Anniversary of Vietnam. The article below will explain this issue more clearly.
History of Hung King's Commemoration
Legend has it that Kinh Duong Vuong gave birth to a son, who later ascended the throne and proclaimed himself Lac Long Quan. Lac Long Quan married Au Co, and together they gave birth to a sac of a hundred eggs, which hatched into a hundred children, the ancestors of the Bai Viet people. One day, King Lac Long Quan told Queen Au Co: “I belong to the Dragon lineage, and you belong to the Fairy lineage, water and fire are not compatible, it is difficult for us to coexist.” As a result, 50 children followed their mother to the mountains, and the remaining 50 children followed their father to the coastal area. Lac Long Quan named his eldest son Hung Vuong as his successor. After 18 generations, the 18th Hung King passed the throne to Thuc Phan, whose name was An Duong Vuong.
To commemorate the Hung Kings’ contributions to building and defending the country, King Le Thanh Tong in 1470 and King Le Kinh Tong in 1601 engraved and sealed this history at Hung Temple. They chose the 11th and 12th days of the third lunar month to commemorate the Hung Kings. During the Nguyen Dynasty, in the 2nd year of Khai Dinh, the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month was officially recognized as the Hung Kings’ Death Anniversary, a day to commemorate the Hung Kings and remind the Vietnamese people to pay their respects. to their ancestors.
Meaning of History
Tradition dictates that every year, the 10th day of the third lunar month has become the spiritual rendezvous of every Vietnamese person. People from all over the country unite to return to their roots and remember their ancestors. Hung King’s Commemoration anniversary is an opportunity for Lac Long and Hong’s descendants to study and appreciate the great contributions of their ancestors to protect the Fatherland like today. On this day, regardless of distance, busy schedules, or travel plans, everyone pays tribute to the Hung Kings, recognizing their key role in building our country.
On December 6, 2012, the significance of the Hung Kings’ Commemoration Anniversary was recognized globally when UNESCO recognized “The Cult of the Hung Kings in Phu Tho” as a symbol of the spirit of solidarity and moral tradition of “Religion of the Hung Kings in Phu Tho”. “Remember your roots” in your home country. It is designated as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity. In the dossier submitted to UNESCO, the value of this heritage is emphasized as showing respect to ancestors, true to the spirit of “Remembering origins” that is deeply ingrained in the subconscious of the Vietnamese people. According to the assessment of UNESCO experts.
Today, the meaning of Hung King’s Commemoration on the 10th day of the third lunar month not only represents the tradition of remembering the roots of the Vietnamese people but also the pride of the Vietnamese people in the international arena.
Why did our ancestors choose March 10 and not another day?
– Number 3 in March is the number of Address
– Number 10 on the 10th day is the number of Heavenly Stem.
The third month of the lunar calendar is the Dragon month according to the Ha Dynasty calendar, Dragon is the dragon, read in Chinese as LUNG, Sino-Vietnamese pronunciation is LONG, Lung and Long are homonyms of LANG, because of this, the Dragon is used to symbolize the King.
– Five is the middle number of Ha-Lac, where the five elements are harmonized, so it is used to refer to leaders, kings, and leaders.
– In Vietnamese: five or five → lang
In Thai and Muong languages today, the word lang also means leader or leader.
– In short: the meaning of the number 3 – Thin is that Lang is the king.
– Number 10 is the KY can; Going all the way back to the beginning is Ky, so KY day is also Ky, KY day is Death Anniversary.
– Number 10 and number 3 are based on 2 systems of Can – Chi according to Translation Studies, the surname HUNG decodes as KY LONG, and the meaning is very clear, meaning KING’S ANNIVERSARY day.
Explore Hung Temple Festival - A unique feature of the Vietnamese people
The Hung Temple Festival is an important national event, and the custom of commemorating the Hung King’s Commemoration anniversary has become a long-standing cultural tradition in Vietnam. This is a national holiday, considered the most sacred and noble part of the consciousness of the Vietnamese people. Therefore, this festival is held solemnly every year with national ceremonies, attracting tens of thousands of people from all over the country and overseas Vietnamese to participate in the journey to find their origins. ethnic origin.
The festival takes place on the 10th day of the third lunar month, however, the festival actually takes place weeks before and ends on the 10th day of the third lunar month with a palanquin procession and incense offering at Thuong Temple. There are two parts: ceremony and festival held at the same time as the main festival day at Hung Temple:
Palanquin procession
The procession of palanquins, colorful with many flags, flowers, parasols, palanquins, and traditional costumes, starts from the foot of the mountain and then passes through the temples to the Thuong temple, where the incense offering ceremony is held.
Incense offering ceremony at Thuong Temple
The offerings are a “three-birth ceremony” (1 pig, 1 goat, and 1 cow), banh chung, banh day, and colorful sticky rice…; The musical instrument is ancient bronze drums. After a bronze drum rang out, the dignitaries entered the ceremony under the control of the master of ceremonies. Next, the elders of the local village around Hung Temple come to worship. Finally, people and tourists make pilgrimages to worship at the temples, commemorating the Hung Kings.
In particular, pilgrims will go to Hung Temple to burn incense. Each person will light a few sticks of incense when arriving at the ancestral land. According to Vietnamese beliefs, every handful of soil and tree stump here is sacred and the tree stumps and rock holes are filled with red incense sticks.
Games, folk arts
The festival has many folk games. These are Xoan singing contests, a special form of folk song of Phu Tho, wrestling contests, tug-of-war contests, or swimming contests at the Bach Hac river confluence, where Hung kings practiced.
Hung Temple Festival is not only a great event honored and maintained over time, but also a great monument with deep roots in the history and cultural heritage of Vietnam. From enchanting, spiritual religious ceremonies, to vibrant cultural activities that showcase the quintessence of Vietnamese traditions, this festival is a captivating tapestry of experiences. When tourists and local people join this journey, they become living witnesses to the long-standing legacy of the Hung Temple festival, as well as a living testament to the profound relationship between people and people. people, ancestors, and the nation’s precious past.
In addition to participating in the Hung Temple Festival, don’t miss the opportunity to explore other wonderful destinations that showcase the country’s diversity and appeal. From the vibrant center of Hanoi, with its rich history and cultural vibrancy, to the pristine beaches of Phu Quoc and Da Nang, offering relaxing beach activities and underwater, as well as the ancient town of Hoi An, with its carefully preserved architecture and unique local craftsmanship.
Refer to the trip schedule here: Vietnam Travel Itinerary: Top #1 Guide You Must Read
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