A cultural festival celebrating Hung Kings, known as the country’s founders, will begin on Sunday (April 18) in HCM City and Thu Duc City. Photo suoitien.com

The event opened with a series of traditional games and sports, and cooking competitions at the Hung Kings memorial area located in the Park of Culture and National History in Thu Duc City. 

The main ceremony commemorating the anniversary of the kings' death will be organised on the 10th day of the third month of the lunar calendar, which falls on Wednesday this year. 

It will include incense-offering rituals dedicated to the Hung Kings, the National Father Lac Long Quan and National Mother Au Co, hosted by officials from the People’s Party Committee, People’s Committee and Motherland Front Committee. 

A special exhibition of pictures and ancient objects featuring the country’s history and culture in different periods is being held. 

Folk music and martial arts performances, staged by artists of leading traditional art troupes in the region, will be organised during the ceremony.

Vietnamese songs and instrumental music pieces will be performed. Patriotism, peace, love, youth and spring will be the shows’ themes. 

In HCM City, a youth camp called Tự Hào Nòi Giống Tiên Rồng (Proudly Our Legends) with university students will open at 8am on Thursday at the Tao Dan Cultural Park in District 3. 

As per tradition, Suoi Tien and Dam Sen parks in districts 9 and 11 will hold events for visitors to pay tribute to the Hung Kings.

The HCM City Book Fair will also open on Nguyen Van Binh Street on Tuesday and Wednesday. The fair will display several thousands of book titles from four local major publishers and book distributors, including the HCM City Book Distribution Corporation and Phuong Nam Books.

Many books will feature topics on Vietnamese history and culture. 

“I always visit Tao Dan Park on Hung Kings Memorial Festival every year to offer flowers and incense to commemorate the kings. I wish good health for my family members and prosperity for the whole country,” said Ly Van Chung, a resident of HCM City.  

As per tradition, Suoi Tien and Dam Sen parks in districts 9 and 11 will hold events for visitors to pay tribute to the Hung Kings. Photo suoitien.com

According to Vietnamese legend, Lac Long Quan, the son of Kinh Duong Vuong, married Au Co, the daughter of King De Lai. Au Co then gave birth to a sack containing 100 eggs from which 100 children were born. 

The couple then decided to separate in order to populate the land. Half of the children followed their mother to the highlands, while the rest went with their father to the sea.

The first child went with his mother Au Co to Phong Chau, now Phu Tho Province. He then became King Hung I and founded Van Lang, the first recorded state in the history of Vietnam.     

Ruling the country for 18 generations, the Hung Kings taught the people how to grow wet rice. They chose Nghia Linh Mountain, the highest in the region, to perform rituals devoted to rice and sun deities to pray for lush crops.

In Phu Tho, the annual Hung Kings Memorial Festival or Hung KingsTemple Festival, hosted by the province’s government, is organised from the 6th to 10th day of the third month of the lunar year. 

The event consists of various ceremonies and entertaining activities for tourists and pilgrims nationwide. 

VNS

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