Hung King's death anniversary: The song echoes forever for thousands of years

“No matter where you go, remember the anniversary of the ancestors on the 10th of March”, this folk song has been in the minds of Vietnamese people for hundreds of years, reminding each other of the pride of the same bloodline “children of Lac, descendants of Hong”, and showing gratitude to King Hung for his contributions in building and defending the country. The worship of King Hung has become the cultural identity and traditional morality of Vietnamese people towards their roots and respecting their ancestors.

Every nation in the world has its own origin, but there is rarely a country like Vietnam where the entire nation worships the same founding king who founded and defended the country. That is the story that has been passed down for thousands of years about King Hung - the first king to establish the Van Lang State, with its capital in Phong Chau.

The source of a thousand years of civilization

The stories about King Hung are all recorded in our country's national history books, the legends about the national history of the Hung King era appear in the stories of Hong Bang recorded in Linh Nam Chich Quai . The book Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu ( Hong Bang period) records about Hung King as follows: "Hung King was the son of Lac Long Quan (his real name is unknown), established the capital in Phong Chau (now Bach Hac district). Hung King ascended the throne, named the country Van Lang, divided the country into 15 departments... The kings of all dynasties were called Hung King".

The Hung Kings' Commemoration Ceremony is always solemnly held at the Hung Kings Temple National Special Relic Site, Phu Tho Province.

The book Kham dinh Viet su thong giam cuong muc (Tien bien - volume 1) records: "Lac Long Quan married Au Co and had a hundred sons. They were the ancestors of Bach Viet. They honored the eldest son as Hung Vuong, succeeded to the throne, built a country called Van Lang, and established the capital in Phong Chau. For 18 generations, all were called Hung Vuong."

According to the Nam Viet Hung Vuong jade genealogy, the Hung Vuong dynasty was passed down through 18 generations, including the following kings: Kinh Duong Vuong, Hung Hien Vuong, Hung Quoc Vuong, Hung Hy Vuong, Hung Hoa Vuong, Hung Diep Vuong, Hung Huy Vuong, Hung Ninh Vuong, Hung Chieu Vuong, Hung Uy Vuong, Hung Trinh Vuong, Hung Vu Vuong, Hung Viet Vuong, Hung Dinh Vuong, Hung Trieu Vuong, Hung Tao Vuong, Hung Nghi Vuong, Hung Due Vuong. "18 generations of holy kings passed down, holy sons and sons, a dynasty of kings and emperors, ruling the country of Nam, from the top of the mountain to the bottom of the sea, lasting forever, without end". The book Nam Viet Hung Vuong jade genealogy is recorded forever.

Hung King's death anniversary in the hearts of the people of Vo land

Since ancient times, the worship of Hung Kings has been recorded in the Tran Dynasty's jade genealogy. During the Nguyen Dynasty, in the second year of Khai Dinh (1917), the Governor of Phu Tho, Le Trung Ngoc, sent a document requesting the Ministry of Rites to set the 10th of the 3rd lunar month every year as the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day at Hung Temple. King Khai Dinh approved and officially issued the regulation that the 10th of the 3rd lunar month every year would be the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day.

Han Nom documents about Hung Vuong recorded in Nam Viet Hung Vuong jade genealogy forever passed down. Photo taken from the book Hung Vuong holy ancestor

After the success of the August Revolution, President Ho Chi Minh signed Decree No. 22 CVV/CC - 1946 allowing civil servants nationwide to take a day off on the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day on the 10th day of the third lunar month every year. Then, on September 18, 1954, in front of the Lower Temple of the Hung Temple (Phu Tho), talking to the officers and soldiers of the Vanguard Army Company before returning to take over the capital, President Ho Chi Minh advised: "The Hung Kings had the merit of building the country, we, your descendants, must work together to protect the country."

On April 2, 2007, the National Assembly of Vietnam passed the Law amending and supplementing Article 73 of the Labor Code No. 84/2007/QH11, allowing employees to take a day off with full pay on the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day (the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month). Since then, the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month has become a national holiday.

In addition to the Hung Temple Festival held in Phu Tho, activities are held all over the country to commemorate the Hung Kings on the 10th day of the third lunar month. In Binh Dinh, the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day, although not widely popular, also shows the remembrance of the ancestors who founded the country, and the traditional morality of the Vietnamese people towards their ancestors Lac Hong.

Residents of Group 7A and 7B of Quarter 1, Nhon Binh Ward (Quy Nhon City) maintain the annual organization of the Hung Kings' Death Anniversary. Photo: NGOC NHUAN

Typically, for more than 15 years, hundreds of households in Group 7A, 7B of Quarter 1, Nhon Binh Ward (Quy Nhon City) have maintained the organization of the Ancestor's Death Anniversary. Mr. Vo Van Duc, Head of the Ancestor's Death Anniversary Organizing Committee, shared: "Every year, we contribute money to buy and display items to organize the death anniversary on the morning of the 10th day of the third lunar month. At the death anniversary, everyone reviews the tradition of building and defending the country of the Hung Kings, then prays for national peace and prosperity, peaceful villages, and a prosperous and happy life for the people. The death anniversary takes place in a warm and joyful atmosphere, strengthening the relationship between the village and the neighbors. The remaining money contributed for the death anniversary, every year, we save it to visit our neighbors when they are sick or in trouble."

At Hung Vuong High School (Quy Nhon City), teachers and students of the school held a solemn and warm Hung King Commemoration Ceremony. Mr. Le Truong Giang, Vice Principal of Hung Vuong High School, said: “The Hung King Commemoration Ceremony of the school takes place every year in a warm atmosphere with the participation of generations of teachers and students of the school. In addition to the performances, the solemn ceremony includes a procession and offerings by generations of teachers and students of the school. Hung King Commemoration Ceremony is an opportunity for teachers and students to be proud of the school named after King Hung, to educate the tradition of patriotism, national pride, and to encourage students to study hard, worthy of the origin of the descendants of the Dragon and Fairy.”

Every year, the Association of Ancestral Land Compatriots in Binh Dinh organizes a meeting to review the traditions of the ancestors' homeland - the two provinces of Vinh Phuc and Phu Tho (formerly Vinh Phu province) currently living and working in Binh Dinh, and together celebrate the Ancestral Death Anniversary.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hung, Vice Chairman of the Association of Ancestral Land Compatriots in Binh Dinh, said: “The Ancestral Commemoration Ceremony not only attracts the participation of the children of the Ancestral Land but also the participation of generations of descendants, sons-in-law and daughters-in-law of Binh Dinh people, making the atmosphere more joyful and united. In addition to the ceremony, we also organize cultural exchange programs and give gifts to some families of compatriots in difficult circumstances to encourage their spirit of striving in life.”

DOAN NGOC NHUAN

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