The worship of Hung Kings through traditional festivals

As the ancestral land of the nation, the traditional festivals of the Fatherland region are very diverse, with many festivals having historical roots from ancient times. These festivals are organized according to the lunar calendar, mainly during the spring months. The system of villages and communes associated with the worship and participation in festivals related to the worship of historical figures from the Hung Kings' era stretches across various localities in the province...

With 15 sites dedicated to the worship of the Hung Kings and historical figures from the Hung Kings' era, over the years, Lam Thao district has always focused on the restoration and preservation of these relics as well as maintaining the historical and cultural values to meet the cultural and spiritual needs of the people. In the early days of the year, many villages and communes in the district organize traditional festivals to honor their ancestors. On the 8th day of the first lunar month, the people of the two villages Vi-Treo in Hung Son town eagerly join the traditional festival of carrying the princess.

Mr. Quan Van Hung - the guardian of the historical and cultural site of Dinh Ca, said: "The Princess Procession Festival is a folk spiritual activity of the farming people connected with two legendary historical figures from the Hung Kings' era, Tan Vien Mount Saint and Princess Ngoc Hoa (the 18th Hung King’s daughter). The festival reenacts the legend of Tan Vien Mount Saint coming to Mount Hung to escort Princess Ngoc Hoa back to Tan Vien Mount. For centuries, the people of the two villages Vi-Treo, Hung Son town, have held the Dinh Ca Festival annually to commemorate and show gratitude to the Hung Kings and the generals from the time of establishing the nation.“Hung Son town is also a place with many historical relics and festivals related to the”Hung Kings worship belief," such as Dinh Ca, Dinh Dong, Dinh Trieu Phu, Dinh Hy Son, Mieu Lai, Chua Quang Hung, Dinh Hau Loc; the He Village Festival, the welcome of the Hung Kings to celebrate Tet with activities like pig hunting, enemy running, folk games, humorous crafts, and traditional village prayers.

Along with the ethnic groups throughout the province, for the Muong ethnic people in Thanh Son, the worship of the Hung Kings also holds an important position in their spiritual and religious life. Currently, the belief in worshiping the Hung Kings is expressed in various forms, notably the worship of the Hung Kings alongside other figures such as: Tan Vien Mount Saint (the Hung King’s son-in-law); the princesses: Tien Dung, Ngoc Hoa, My Nuong (the Hung King’s daughters); the generals from the Hung Kings' era...

As an ancient communal house of the Muong people, Dinh Thach Khoan not only worships Tan Vien Mount Saint and the heroes who contributed to the establishment and defense of the homeland during the early stages of the nation’s formation, recognized by royal decrees and recorded in history, but it also worships Princess Ngoc Hoa, Princess Tien Dung, and Princess Thuy Tien, who are the daughters of the Hung Kings. The Thach Khoan communal house festival is held on the 24th and 25th of January to honor the merits of Tan Vien Saint and the ancestors who pioneered and built this land. The festival is organized with traditional rituals, including the procession and incense offerings. After the procession, there is a ritual prayer for national peace, stability, and favorable weather. The festival also includes cultural exchanges among local communities, such as contests for wrapping and cooking banh chung, pounding banh giay, gong performances, “dam duong” (a traditional drum game), folk art performances, and folk games such as tug-of-war, throwing con, swing games, blindfolded games, and volleyball competitions.

At the sites dedicated to the worship of Hung Kings and famous figures from the Hung Kings’ era, in addition to organizing traditional festivals, on the 10th day of the third lunar month, along with the Hung Kings’ Death Anniversary held at the Hung Kings Temple Historical Site on Nghia Linh Mountain (Hy Cuong Commune, Viet Tri City), the government and people from other regions across the country also solemnly and respectfully organize incense offerings.

Thu Ha