Lam Thao before the opening day of Hung Kings’ Temple festival

Lam Thao district is actively completing the participation contents within the framework of Hung Kings’ Death Anniversary - Hung Kings’ Temple Festival and Fatherland Culture - Tourism Week in the year of Dragon 2024, to get the best results, bringing a meaningful festival season for tourists from all over when making pilgrimage to the Fatherland.

Present in Xuan Lung commune, a land not only famous near and far for its tradition of studiousness but also for cakes branded “Dong village”, people are happy and excited because their local product of Banh Chung has recently been recognized as an OCOP product. Thanks to that, this year, Xuan Lung commune was selected to represent Lam Thao district to participate in the contest of wrapping, cooking banh chung, and pounding banh giay, held on April 16 (the 8th day of the third lunar month) in the Hung Kings’ Temple Historical Relic Site.

Mr. Nguyen Van Vinh - Vice Chairman of Xuan Lung Commune People’s Committee said: “This is the first year Xuan Lung commune was selected to participate in the contest, so immediately from the date of the district People’s Committee’s plan, we proactively selected participants and formed two teams including: One team that wraps and cooks banh chung and the other team that pounds banh giay. The selected members are all healthy, skillful, enthusiastic, agile and experienced. From now until the day of the competition, we will continue to have many more practice sessions to get the best results.”

Along with the contest of wrapping and cooking banh chung, and pounding banh giay, cultural, arts and sports activities... is the annual palanquin procession ceremony to Hung Kings’ Temple by suburban localities. As a rule, Lam Thao district has Hung Son town and Tien Kien commune as two localities that annually participate in the palanquin procession.

To prepare well for the palanquin procession, the People’s Committee of Hung Son Town established a palanquin procession organizing committee and assigned the management board of Hy Son communal house historical and cultural relics to preside and coordinate with residential areas 13, 14 and 15 to recruit human resources, and train the palanquin procession formation, and participate in the palanquin procession to Hung Kings’ Temple of localities on the outskirts of the Relic Area on April 15 (i.e., March 7 of the lunar calendar). At the same time, the town also directed residential areas with relics to worship Hung Kings and famous people and generals of the Hung Kings’ period to hold incense offering ceremonies at the relics on April 18 (ie March 10 of the lunar calendar) to ensure solemnity and respect, and pay tribute to the merits of the Hung Kings.

These days, members of the Management Board of Hy Son communal house are actively preparing essential items, palanquins, flags, parasols, ceremonial decorations, and rehearsing rituals to serve the palanquin procession to express their gratitude and respect for ancestors and Hung Kings, demonstrating the morality of “drinking water, remember the source” of the people in the Fatherland to their ancestors.

Mr. Nguyen Hong Phuong - Deputy Director of the District Center for Culture, Sports, Tourism and Communications said: “Currently, localities are designated to participate in activities at the Hung Kings’ Death Anniversary - Hung Kings’ Temple Festival and Fatherland Culture and Tourism Week in the year of Dragon 2024 are both actively practicing in the spirit of solidarity and responsibility. We have mobilized 100% of communes, towns and Youth Unions to participate in cultural performances at the cultural camp. Only Phung Nguyen commune chose to send delegations to participate in the Mass Arts Festival - Xoan singing and Phu Tho folk singing. For the Cultural Camp, we have completed all stages and are ready for the opening day.”

Thu Huong