Year-End Pilgrimage to Hung Kings’ Temple

The sacred land of Hung Kings is an ancient cradle of Lac Viet culture. Over thousands of years, Phu Tho has become a “living museum” of Vietnamese heritage, preserving a rich and diverse system of tangible and intangible cultural legacies closely linked to the Hung Kings’ era.

As the year comes to a close, thousands of Vietnamese people make a heartfelt pilgrimage to Hung Kings’ Temple, lighting incense to pay tribute to the Hung Kings and ancestors for their role in founding and protecting the nation. This visit is also an opportunity to pray for health, happiness, and prosperity in the upcoming 2025 Lunar New Year (the Year of Snake).

It has become a tradition that every year, as the Lunar New Year approaches, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hang from Phuc Tho District, Hanoi and her family make a heartfelt pilgrimage to Hung Kings’ Temple, visiting the temple and praying for good fortune in the coming year. Ms. Hang shared: "No matter where we go for work, my family always turns back to our ancestral roots. As the old year ends and the new year begins, we gather together to light incense in gratitude, thank the National Ancestral Kings for the safety and blessings of the past year, and pray for a new year filled with good fortune and happiness."

In recent years, Phu Tho Province has placed great emphasis on preserving cultural heritage while promoting sustainable socio-economic development. Along with its historical and cultural monuments, traditional festivals, and distinctive national intangible cultural heritage, Phu Tho is honored to be home to two intangible cultural heritages recognized by UNESCO as part of humanity’s cultural heritage: the Worship of the Hung Kings and Phu Tho Xoan singing. These are a source of pride and a unique cultural identity for the people of Vietnam, shared with the international community.

According to Mr. Pham Thanh Long, the Deputy Director of the Hung Kings Temple Historical Relic Site, from 2021 to 2024, the province has mobilized over 450 billion VND to restore and enhance various monuments and structures within the site. This effort aims to transform the Hung Kings Special National Monument Site into a significant cultural, spiritual, and tourist destination, worthy of its status as a national heritage site. The investment has funded numerous projects, including the completion of infrastructure improvements, landscaping at the Hung Kings Festival Center, installation of lighting around Mai An Tiem Lake, and the restoration of the relief depicting President Ho Chi Minh speaking to the officers and soldiers of the First Vanguard Division at the Den Gieng intersection.

Visiting the Hung Kings Temple during the final days of the year, many local residents and tourists shared that they make it a tradition to visit the site with their families to pray for peace, good fortune, and happiness for loved ones. This long-standing custom reflects the deep-rooted connection of the people of Lac Viet (ancient Vietnamese ancestors) to their origins. It is a testament to the resilience and endurance of the Hung Kings worship, which remains an integral part of the Vietnamese people’s spiritual life and continues to grow in influence across all generations.

In the spring season, tourists visiting Phu Tho will immerse themselves in the spiritual and cultural atmosphere of the hundreds of folk festivals held at the very heart of the Vietnamese nation’s origins. Among these are several festivals and beliefs that have been recognized as National Intangible Cultural Heritage, such as the Dao Xa Communal House Festival, the Au Co Mother Goddess Temple Festival connected to the Au Co Mother Goddess Worship, and the Tro Tram Festival. These traditions reflect the rich cultural heritage of the Vietnamese people and continue to inspire pride and reverence.

Ngoc Lam