The Distinctive Hy Cuong Palanquin Procession

For a long time, the palanquin procession has been a unique cultural feature that cannot be missing during the Hung Kings’ Death Anniversary. This traditional activity holds special significance, reflecting the noble values in the belief culture, as well as showing pride in the origin, national self-esteem, and the ethical principle of “drinking water, remembering the source” of the Vietnamese people.

In early March, in Hy Cuong Commune (Viet Tri City), in the bustling atmosphere leading up to the Hung Kings’ Death Anniversary, the members of the palanquin procession group of the commune are busy arranging and carefully cleaning every small detail of the items used in the procession, preparing the costumes, and making the necessary arrangements for the palanquin procession to the Hung Kings Temple.

This year marks the 10th year—exactly a decade—that Mr. Trieu Van Tien has participated in the palanquin procession from Hy Cuong Commune to the Hung Kings Temple on the 10th day of the third lunar month. As the leader of the procession, immediately after the commune’s People’s Committee deployed the Plan for Organizing and Participating in the Activities for the Hung Kings’ Death Anniversary and the Fatherland Culture and Tourism Week in the Year of the Snake 2025, Mr. Tien, along with the members of the Organizing Committee, held a meeting to assign tasks. Together with local organizations, they actively encouraged officials, members, and the community to participate.

Notably, among the communes, wards, and towns surrounding the Hung Kings Temple Historical Relic Area, the palanquin procession from Hy Cuong is the only one allowed to carry the palanquin and offer offerings to the Upper Temple on the main festival day. Therefore, everything must be meticulously prepared, ensuring safety and following traditional rituals.

The annual palanquin procession during the Hung Kings’ Death Anniversary enhances the cultural and spiritual values of the worship of the Hung Kings in Phu Tho—an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. For Mr. Tien, participating in the procession to the Hung Kings Temple, being trusted by the local leadership and the organizing committee to serve as the leader of the procession, is a great honor and pride. The annual procession to the Hung Kings Temple on the Death Anniversary holds significant meaning, not only for Mr. Trieu Van Tien or the people of Hy Cuong Commune but for all descendants of the Vietnamese people across the nation, who all look towards the homeland, the Fatherland, in reverence, offering incense to honor the Hung Kings.

Mai Hoa