The Deep Resonance of Cultural Space in the Ancestral Land

Nghia Linh peak remains majestic, as the scent of incense wafts through the ancient, silent trees. The festival drums still echo, sacred flags flutter, and streams of people continue their pilgrimage to pay tribute to the Ancestors. However, the 2026 Hung Kings' Commemoration – Ancestral Land Culture and Tourism Week appears with a new face—an expanded cultural space where the distinctive colors of ethnic communities from Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, and Hoa Binh converge under one roof: the Ancestral Land of the Hung Kings.

Muong ethnic people at Cultural Camp No. 10 (including Tan Lac, Muong Bi, Van Son, Toan Thanh, Muong Hoa, Cao Phong, Muong Thang, and Thung Nai) welcome visitors.

In this sacred atmosphere, 18 cultural camps featuring 148 communes and wards serve as vibrant “puzzle pieces,” creating a multi-colored and identity-rich panorama of the land of origins, leaving a profound impression on compatriots and international tourists.

A Convergence of Cultural Colors from the Ancestral Countryside

Having just finished a spirited gong performance with movements as powerful as mountain winds and as graceful as birds in flight, Ms. Bui Thi Thuy Mung — Head of the Cultural Heritage Club of Dung Tien Commune — quickly adjusted her attire to prepare for the next act. Since the opening of the Hung Temple Camp Festival on April 17, Cultural Camp No. 9 has been bustling with visitors. Traditional folk songs and dances of the Muong people are performed continuously to enthusiastic applause. Ms. Mung emotionally shared: "This is the first time we have performed at the Hung Kings' Festival. I feel a completely different sense of pride bringing our Muong identity here to serve visitors on this sacred national day."

Born in 1995, Ha Thi Thao, a Thai girl from Mai Ha, joined the festival for the first time as a member of the Chieng Chau art troupe. In her vibrant traditional costume, she both performs and introduces traditional household artifacts to tourists. Thao happily shared: "It’s tiring but I’m so proud. Now, we are officially people of the Ancestral Land too..."

These sincere reflections highlight the community bonding within the shared cultural space of the nation’s origins. Alongside ancient Xoan melodies are Gheo singing from Nam Cuong, Thuong rang and Bo meng of the Muong, Soong co of the San Diu, and the Chim gau dance of the Cao Lan. Together, they create a colorful harmony connecting tradition with modernity, deepening the cultural essence of the homecoming festival.

A young Thai woman introduces traditional daily-life utensils.

Artistic Highlights

This year’s festival features 18 camp clusters, each elaborately designed on a 150m2 area, harmonizing traditional architecture with motifs of the Hung King era. The spaces are scientifically arranged into camp houses, gates, product exhibition areas, and community activity zones.

Cultural Camp No. 5, representing the Thanh Son and Tan Son regions, attracts visitors with its traditional stilt house structure and vivid miniatures. Mr. Le Thao — Secretary of the Party Committee of Xuan Dai Commune — noted: "The camp space is designed to reflect the culture of the Ancient Muong Viet people, recreating their traditional lifestyle." Miniatures such as the Long Coc tea hills, Kha Cuu water wheels, and Xuan Son National Park, combined with performances like the Bell dance (Mua chuong) and Sap dance, vividly portray local life.

A special highlight is the traditional culinary space. Dishes such as bamboo-tube sour meat, bamboo-tube rice (Com lam), forest honey, and multi-toed chickens from Thanh Son and Tan Son, alongside the delicacies of the Muong, Thai, Dao, and San Diu peoples, create a rich gastronomic tapestry. These flavors contain indigenous knowledge and reflect the harmonious relationship between humans and the nature of the Northern Midlands and Mountains.

Tourists interact and experience the Sap dance with Dao and Muong ethnic people at Cultural Camp No. 5.

Spreading the Sacred Values of the National Anniversary

More than a cultural activity, the camp festival is vivid proof of the enduring vitality of traditional values in contemporary life. The convergence of cultural colors from Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, and Hoa Binh confirms the powerful spread of the “Children of the Dragon and Fairy” spirit—sharing one origin and one national pride.

In the sacred space of the Ancestral Land, every folk melody and traditional dance is a continuation of the thousand-year cultural lineage of the Ancestors. Amidst the changes of modern life, the 2026 Hung Temple Cultural Camp serves as a meaningful bridge, connecting the past to the present and uniting cultural regions in the province’s new development space. From the sacred Hung Temple, the nation’s cultural pulse continues to beat strongly in the journey of building a prosperous and civilized country.

Ha Phuong