Sacred Land of the Ancestors

There is hardly any country in the world like Vietnam, where every citizen, when born and raised, is always proud of being children of the same “womb”, of the noble “Dragon and Fairy” race. The concept of the two words “compatriots” has been deeply imprinted in the subconscious of every Vietnamese citizen, becoming a strong connecting thread of the community of 54 ethnic groups.

The sacred symbol of the nation's origin converges in the ancestral land of Phu Tho, where there is the towering Nghia Linh mountain and the sacred Hung Temple reflecting on the Da River. Each relic on Nghia Linh mountain is a highlight of the heritage of the origin such as Dai Mon (main gate), Ha Temple, Trung Temple, Thuong Temple, Thien Quang Pagoda, ancient well, Hung King's tomb, stone oath pillar, Gieng Temple, Mother Au Co Temple, National Ancestor Lac Long Quan Temple...

Hung Temple Festival converges the cultural quintessence of the Vietnamese people.

On the top of Nghia Linh, the stone pillar of oath echoes the ancient oath of Thuc Phan An Duong Vuong, the legend of Prince Lang Lieu offering banh chung and banh giay to heaven and earth, ancestors, showing the people's gratitude for the great merit of the Hung Kings, proving the harmonious connection between heaven and earth, the connection of the community. From that noble humanistic value, the meaning of compatriots has connected into the passionate patriotism of the Vietnamese people. Then, the philosophy of origin "children of Lac, grandchildren of Hong" is the strength of the whole nation in the journey to reach out to the five continents and four seas, integrating with the international community.

Since ancient times, Vietnamese people have passed down the song: "No matter where you go, remember the death anniversary of the ancestors on the tenth day of the third lunar month" to remind each other that no matter where you are, where you eat or work, when the third lunar month comes, you should bow your head to remember the death anniversary of the ancestors, remember your roots. Hung Temple and the Hung Kings' death anniversary are the strong spiritual ties connecting many generations, many regions and the people of Vietnam.

Immersing in the festival atmosphere, every Vietnamese person in the village community advises each other and together makes offerings to express their respect and gratitude to the ancestors with deep gratitude. Vietnamese people living and working abroad also turn to their homeland with deep respect through organizing rituals to worship the Hung Kings on holidays, Tet, and Hung Kings' death anniversary.

The event of UNESCO recognizing "Hung King worship in Phu Tho" and Xoan singing in Phu Tho as representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity is not only the pride of Phu Tho but also the affirmation of the vitality and value of the heritage of the Hung King era. At the same time, on the land of Phu Tho, on the banks of the Red River, Lo River, and Da River, there are over 300 historical relics associated with the Hung King worship that are ranked as provincial and national historical and cultural relics.

Each village and commune where there are relics organizes the practice of worshiping the Hung Kings according to the rituals, customs and identities preserved from ancient times. Through festivals, community cohesion is clearly demonstrated. It is necessary to mention the Au Co Temple Festival, Chu Hung Temple (Ha Hoa); Lang Suong Temple, Communal House, Dao Xa Temple (Thanh Thuy); King Hung Teaching People to Grow Rice Festival at Dan Tich Dien Relic, Minh Nong Ward (Viet Tri); Tro Tram Festival at Tro Temple, Tu Xa Commune; Chua Gai Procession Festival at Ca Communal House (Lam Thao); Bach Hac Temple Festival (Viet Tri) ... along with hundreds of festivals at temple relics and communal houses in Phu Tho province. On the Hung Kings' death anniversary, families around Viet Tri and localities in Phu Tho province prepare trays of food to offer to the Hung Kings and their ancestors, which is one of the manifestations of the cultural beauty associated with the Hung Kings' worship of the people of the ancestral land.

Thuong Temple on Nghia Linh Mountain.

Not only in Phu Tho province and the Northern region, the Hung King worship has also developed and spread strongly to the Southern region with its unique identity and strong national character. These are the temples dedicated to the Hung Kings built in localities such as Ho Chi Minh City, Lam Dong, Can Tho, Nghe An, Khanh Hoa, Dong Nai, Kien Giang, etc. Over the years, the relics and festivals in the localities are typical evidence of the everlasting vitality of the Hung King worship and the value of national intangible cultural heritages.

It can be affirmed that the worship of Hung Kings is a continuous spiritual support and a sustainable connection, creating the strength of national unity. Every Vietnamese person always remembers the teachings of beloved Uncle Ho: "The Hung Kings have built the country/ Uncle and I must work together to protect the country", always proudly looking back to the origin and determined to build the country to be more and more prosperous.

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/tin-noi-bat/202504/linh-thieng-dat-to-461198b/