The Hung Kings Temple Festival, a deeply spiritual and cultural symbol, is an occasion for millions of Vietnamese people, both domestically and abroad, to look towards Phu Tho, the ancestral land. More than just a significant historical and cultural event, the Hung Kings Festival is a testament to the enduring vitality of the “Remember the source” tradition, a thread connecting the past, present, and future, fostering solidarity and national pride among Vietnamese people. Solemnly held on the 10th day of the third lunar month annually, this festival not only reenacts dignified and reverent rituals but also serves as a diverse and rich cultural space with numerous unique ceremonial and festive activities.
Exploring the Hung Kings Festival: From Legends to Cultural Practices
The Hung Kings Festival is not merely a holiday, but a cultural and historical journey spanning thousands of years. To fully understand the value and significance of this festival, we need to journey back in time, to the roots of our nation, and explore the layers of culture deeply embedded in each ritual and activity.
Historical Origins and Legends of the Hung Kings
Historical records and folk legends recount that the Hung Kings were the first rulers of Van Lang, the primordial state of the Vietnamese nation. The Hung Kings are credited with establishing the country, expanding its borders, teaching people to cultivate rice paddies, and building a distinctive indigenous culture. Hung Temple, located on Nghia Linh Mountain, is the place of worship for the Hung Kings and their predecessors who contributed to the nation.
The Hung Kings worship belief originates from the deep gratitude of the Vietnamese people towards their ancestors, those who laid the foundation for the formation and development of the country. The Hung Kings Festival is not only an occasion to commemorate the merits of the Hung Kings but also an opportunity for every Vietnamese person to remember their origins, and their responsibility to preserve and promote the good cultural values of the nation.
Solemn Ceremonial Section: Reenacting Ancient Rituals
The ceremonial section of the Hung Kings Festival is imbued with solemnity and reverence, expressing deep gratitude and respect for the Hung Kings. The main rituals in the ceremonial section include:
- Incense Offering Ceremony: This is the most important ritual, held at the Upper Temple (Den Thuong), the main temple dedicated to the Hung Kings. The incense offering ceremony is usually performed by leaders of the Party, State, central and local ministries, departments, and agencies, along with the participation of large numbers of people and tourists. The scent of trầm incense and smoke spreading like words of gratitude, remembrance echoing back to the origins.
- Procession of Palanquins: The palanquin procession starts from the foot of Nghia Linh Mountain, passes through the temples, and ends at the Upper Temple. The palanquins are splendidly decorated, with tablets of the Hung Kings placed on them, expressing respect and solemnity. The procession includes male and female ritual performers, a traditional orchestra, flags, parasols, creating a sacred and colorful traditional scene.
- Sacrifice Ritual: The sacrifice ritual is performed according to ancient traditions, with full steps such as welcoming deities, welcoming spring, presenting offerings, reading prayers… The prayer texts often praise the merits of the Hung Kings, affirm the meaning of the festival, and pray for national peace and prosperity.
Incense offering ceremony at Hung Kings Temple Festival, the most solemn ritual expressing respect to ancestors.
Lively Festive Section: Immersing in Folk Cultural Space
If the ceremonial section brings a solemn and reverent atmosphere, the festive section of the Hung Kings Festival is a joyful and bustling space with many unique folk cultural activities. The festive section is not only for entertainment but also contributes to preserving and promoting the traditional cultural values of the nation. Typical activities in the festive section include:
- Phu Tho Xoan Singing: Xoan singing, a unique folk art form of Phu Tho, has been recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. During the Hung Kings Festival, Xoan singing is often performed at outdoor stages, attracting large audiences with its smooth, deep melodies and graceful, delicate movements.
- Bronze Drum Beating: The sound of bronze drums echoing through mountains and rivers like a call to action, reminding people of their origins and the martial spirit of the nation. The bronze drum beating ritual is often performed in the festive section, creating a solemn and heroic atmosphere.
- Folk Games: The Hung Kings Festival is also a place where many traditional folk games take place, such as wrestling, tug-of-war, boat racing, human chess, archery, greasy pole climbing… These games not only bring moments of joyful entertainment but also demonstrate the martial spirit, dexterity, and solidarity of the Vietnamese people.
- Cultural and Culinary Fair: The cultural fair is a place to display and introduce the unique cultural and tourism features of localities inside and outside Phu Tho province. The culinary area introduces specialty dishes of the ancestral land, providing visitors with rich and diverse culinary experiences.
Hung Kings Commemoration Day – National Holiday Expressing the “Remember the Source” Ethos
Hung Kings Commemoration Day, i.e., the 10th day of the third lunar month, has been recognized by the Vietnamese State as one of the major national holidays. This affirms the particularly important position of the Hung Kings Festival in the cultural and spiritual life of the Vietnamese people.
The Hung Kings Commemoration Day becoming a national holiday is not only a tribute to the Hung Kings but also an affirmation of the “Remember the source” ethos, a beautiful cultural tradition of the Vietnamese nation. This holiday reminds every citizen of their responsibility to preserve and promote the cultural and historical values that our ancestors painstakingly built and nurtured.
According to Article 4 of Decree 145/2013/ND-CP, Hung Kings Commemoration Day is one of the major holidays of Vietnam, along with other important holidays such as Lunar New Year (Tet Nguyen Dan), Southern Liberation and National Reunification Day, National Day… This shows the importance of Hung Kings Commemoration Day in the system of national holidays, reflecting the State’s concern and respect for traditional cultural values.
Principles for Organizing the Hung Kings Festival According to Legal Regulations
The organization of the Hung Kings Festival, as well as other festivals across the country, must comply with the principles stipulated in Decree 110/2018/ND-CP. These principles aim to ensure that festivals are organized in a solemn, civilized, safe, and effective manner, while promoting good traditional cultural values. Specifically, Article 5 of Decree 110/2018/ND-CP stipulates the following principles:
- Educating Traditions and Honoring Merits: The festival must aim to educate patriotic traditions, national pride, the “Remember the source” ethos, and honor the merits of predecessors and historical figures. The Hung Kings Festival is an opportunity for every citizen to deeply understand the history, culture, and architecture of the Hung Kings Temple Relic, as well as the good traditions of the festival.
- Solemn, Practical, and Effective: The festival needs to be organized in a solemn manner, appropriate to the scale and content, ensuring practicality and effectiveness. For traditional festivals like Hung Kings, the organization needs to closely adhere to the essence and historical and cultural significance, while reducing the frequency and duration of other cultural festivals to focus resources on key events.
- Traditional and Civilized Rituals: Rituals in the festival must be solemn, ensuring tradition, while avoiding rituals that are violent, offensive, or inconsistent with the traditions of peace and humanity of the Vietnamese nation.
- Education and Value Orientation: The festival needs to contribute to educating and orienting people to form noble behaviors, attitudes, and perceptions, eliminating negative trends such as chasing after material benefits, greed, and personal interests.
- Protecting Relics and the Environment: In the process of organizing the festival, it is necessary to implement measures to protect relics, scenic spots, ensure security and order, social safety, fire prevention and fighting, traffic safety, and environmental sanitation.
- Combating Profiteering and Coercion: It is strictly forbidden to take advantage of festival organization for personal gain, serving group interests, or coercing organizations and individuals to participate in financial contributions contrary to regulations.
- Saving and Socialization: Prioritize the use of socialized resources, minimizing the use of state budget in festival organization, ensuring thrift and combating wastefulness.
Conclusion: Hung Kings Festival – A Spiritual and Cultural Destination
The Hung Kings Festival is not only a significant cultural and historical event but also a symbol of the solidarity, national pride, and “Remember the source” ethos of the Vietnamese people. Every third lunar month, millions of Vietnamese people pilgrimage to Phu Tho, seeking their roots, immersing themselves in the sacred atmosphere and unique cultural activities of the festival.
Come to the Hung Kings Festival once to deeply feel the cultural and historical values of the nation, to show gratitude to the ancestors, and to love and be proud of the Vietnamese country and people even more. The Hung Kings Festival is not only a spiritual tourism destination but also a place for every Vietnamese person to return to their cultural identity, to their national roots, contributing to building a Vietnam that is increasingly rich and developed.