The unique procession of palanquins to Hung Temple.

Within the framework of the Hung Kings Commemoration Day – Hung Temple Festival 2023, at exactly 7:30 AM on April 26th (corresponding to the 7th day of the 3rd lunar month), the procession of palanquins from the communal houses and temples of 7 communes and towns surrounding the historical site, including Chu Hoa, Hung Lo, Kim Duc, Hy Cuong communes and Van Phu ward (Viet Tri city), Tien Kien and Hung Son communes (Lam Thao district), officially took place at the Hung Temple Historical Site, Viet Tri city ( Phu Tho province).

Photo caption — The procession of palanquins from Hung Lo commune. Photo: Tuan Duc/TTXVN

This is one of the traditional rituals included in the annual Hung Kings Commemoration Day - Hung Temple Festival, and has been maintained and preserved for a long time, thereby honoring the value of the Hung Kings worship belief in Phu Tho, which has been recognized by UNESCO as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity. The procession of the palanquin to Hung Temple also expresses the principle of remembering one's roots and showing respect for the ancestors of our nation, while also demonstrating the spirit of unity and national community. The procession is arranged in the following order: Leading the way is the lion dance troupe, followed by the national flag and festival flag bearers, the small divine flag bearers; young women carrying offerings, incense and flowers; the group playing gongs and drums, the traditional music ensemble and coin dance, the procession of the eight treasures, the procession of parasols and umbrellas, the palanquin bearers, the chief priest and officials; leaders of communes, wards, and towns, and elderly people wearing traditional silk robes and turbans, along with the people participating in the procession. The offerings include incense, flowers, fruits, banh chung (square sticky rice cake), banh giay (round sticky rice cake), and local products...

The annual procession of palanquins by the villages surrounding Hung Temple during the Hung King's Commemoration Day aims to recreate the cultural and religious activities of the people of the ancestral land associated with the worship of ancestors; at the same time, it creates richness and attractiveness of folk cultural activities during the Hung King's Commemoration Day; it awakens pride in national history and cultural traditions, aiming to educate awareness and spirit of national unity and the moral principle of "drinking water, remembering the source," and "eating the fruit, remembering the person who planted the tree."

The procession of palanquins to Hung Temple attracts the attention of thousands of visitors from all over the country who come to worship.