VietNamNet Bridge – Ancestor worship is a longstanding belief and fine tradition of the Vietnamese people, researchers concluded at an international workshop held yesterday, April 13, in the northern province of Phu Tho.


HTML clipboard Spiritual life: A procession gets under way during the Hung Kings Temple Festival. Ancestor worship is a longstanding tradition for Vietnamese people. (Photo: VNS)
The workshop included presentations on the tradition of ancestor worship from 130 researchers from 16 countries and territories, with discussions on tradition rituals, customs and the value of history and culture; the formation, growth and value of the worship of the Hung Kings in Viet Nam; the transformation of the belief in modern society; and how to preserve the tradition of ancestor worship in the context of globalisation.


"Ancestor worship is a longstanding tradition, one of the foundational elements of national culture which has a very special position in the spiritual life of the Vietnamese people," said Phu Tho People's Committee chairman Hoang Dan Mac.


"While many religious faiths have suffered ups and downs, ancestor worship maintains its firm position in the Vietnamese culture and people's spiritual lives."


Ancestor worship rituals consist of three parts: at home, where an altar is set up to the family's previous generations; at the village level, where people worship a tutelary god; and at national level, where people pay tribute to the Hung Kings, Mac said.


"The belief of ancestor worship is a return to the roots," he said.


The Hung Kings belief is unique and more special than other heritage recognised by UNESCO," said Prof Ngo Duc Thinh. "The Hung Kings are considered the ancestors of the Vietnamese people, and everyone in the country believes that they have a common origin. That's not easy to find in other beliefs around the world."


The workshop was held alongside this week's Hung Kings Temple Festival and was part of the effort to gain UNESCO recognition for the festival as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.


Also participating in the workshop were UNESCO chief representative in Viet Nam Katherine Muller Marin and specialists from Japan, China, Australia, the US and Canada. The provincial People's Committee, the Institute of Culture and Arts under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the National Committee of UNESCO in Viet Nam co-organised the event.


VietNamNet/Viet Nam News