Hung King Temple Festival

Ancestral death anniversary of Hung Kings, in other words, Hung King Temple festival has become one of the greatest national festivals in Viet Nam for a long time. Every year, when the third lunar month comes, all Vietnamese citizens head for Nghia Linh Mountain, Hy Cuong Commune, Lam Thao District, Phu Tho Province in commemoration of Hung kings whose regime was an impressive, brilliant and outstanding start for establishing Viet Nam as a sovereign nation.

Hung King Temple festival is annually held from 8th to 11th of the third month in lunar calendar with the main festival day falling on 10th on which Vietnamese working people are given the right to have a day off. Like other festivals in the northern part of Viet Nam, this festival includes two parts: the incense-offering ceremony and the recreational activities.
Photo: baoquocte.vn

The former, an important part of the festival, is held at Upper temple to express the respect and gratitude of “Dragon and Fairy descendants” to the ancestors. Sacrifices consist of many things such as a pig, a goat, a cow, Chung cake, Day cake and a lavish five-fruits feast. After hearing the sound of an old bronze drum, the state representatives, followed by the elders around and pilgrims will conduct the incense-offering rite.
Photo: Internet

The latter carries out jubilantly around the temples with a mixture of both traditional and modern activities. However, the most outstanding ones are the procession marches, Xoan singing performance in Upper temple and Ca Tru singing performance in Lower temple. Cross-bow shooting, rice cooking, swinging contests, cock fighting, and dragon dancing  also attract many tourists’ attention.

It can be safely concluded that in our nation's cultural heritage, Hung Temple festival  has become a symbol of the strength of national unity, one connection between past and present by " remember the resource while drinking water" ethnics.