Incense Offering Ceremony Commemorating Mother Ancestor Au Co on the Day of the “Fairy’s Descent”

On the morning of February 23 (the 7th day of the first lunar month), at the Mother Ancestor Au Co Temple atop Oc Son Mountain, the Hung Kings’ Temple Historic Site organized an incense offering ceremony to commemorate Mother Ancestor Au Co on the day of the Fairy’s Descent.

The ceremony was attended by leaders of the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee, along with representatives from various departments and sectors: Culture, Sports and Tourism; Ethnic and Religious Affairs; Science and Technology; Military Region 2; the President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Protection Command; as well as leaders from several communes, wards, and businesses within the province.

Delegates attend the Incense Offering Ceremony commemorating Mother Ancestor Au Co on the day of the "Fairy’s Descent."

According to legend, on the 7th day of the first lunar month, the Fairy Au Co descended to earth, met and wed Lac Long Quan, and gave birth to a sac of a hundred eggs which hatched into a hundred sons—the origin of the Lac Hong lineage. Mother Ancestor Au Co is credited with teaching the people to plant mulberries, raise silkworms, and weave cloth, while helping them reclaim land and establish villages, making the land fertile and the population prosperous.

Once the settlements were stable and the people knew how to cultivate the fields for a living, Mother Ancestor Au Co and her fairy attendants flew back to heaven. Since then, every year, the people have observed the 25th day of the 12th lunar month as the day of the “Fairy’s Ascent” and the 7th day of the first lunar month as the day of the “Fairy’s Descent”.

The ritual dedicated to the Mother Ancestor is conducted with solemnity and reverence.

During the ceremony, delegates, locals, and tourists participated in the ritual performed by the ritual team from Ha Yen Quyet Communal House (Yen Hoa Ward, Hanoi). In a solemn atmosphere, leaders of the Hung Kings’ Temple Historic Site and delegates offered incense, flowers, and offerings to remember and pay tribute to the merits of Mother Ancestor Au Co. They vowed to strive in their endeavors, unite, and promote the strength of the entire nation to build an increasingly prosperous and beautiful country.

Leaders of the Hung Kings’ Temple Historic Site and delegates offer incense and flowers in memory of Mother Ancestor Au Co.

The incense offering ceremony commemorating Mother Ancestor Au Co on the day of the “Fairy’s Descent” is a significant event in the spiritual life of the people of Phu Tho and the country as a whole. It is not only an occasion to express gratitude for the merits of Mother Ancestor Au Co but also contributes to the preservation and promotion of the traditional cultural values of the Vietnamese people.

Crowds of locals and tourists from across the country offer incense in memory of Mother Ancestor Au Co.

Hong Nhung