The Ancestral anniversary festival of the Hùng Kings is celebrated for about a week at the beginning of the third lunar month. Millions of people come to the Hùng temple at Nghia Linh Mountain in Phu Tho province to celebrate their ancestors and pray for good weather, abundant harvests, good luck, and good health.
It is officially called the 'Death Anniversary of the Hung Kings'. The date, however, does not commemorate any particular Hung King's death; rather, it honors their contributions to Vietnam as its founders and first emperors. The Hung kings ruled over Vietnam for over 18 generations.
Van Lang is the land of tattooed men that originated in northern Phu Tho province. Although the state was overthrown early in the 3rd century BC, its fruits are still seen in modern Vietnam, celebrated during the Hùng Kings Festival. Their descendants are believed to have expanded their culture as the Hong (Red) River civilization and the pre-Dong Son cultures flourished. On this site, the Hong (Red) River civilization and the pre-Dong Son cultures were developed. Every 10th day of the third lunar month, the Vietnamese celebrate a festival to mark the anniversary of their ancestor's death, the first Hung King, founder of the Vietnamese nation.
Many villagers dress in magnificent costumes and compete to bring the most beautiful palanquins and shrines to the main temple site in order to participate in the key rite in which drums and gongs are carried to the main temple site. Rice-based delicacies, such as square cakes and glutinous cakes, are offered, and there are verbal and folk art performances, bronze drum beating, Xoan singing, and prayers and petitions. Secondary worship of Hùng Kings takes place throughout the year at sites countrywide, with knowledgeable individuals – persons of good conduct – leading and maintaining the rituals. Devoted devotees and temple guardians are tasked with tending to these sites, teaching devotees the key ritual acts, and offering incense.
According to folklore researchers, the worship of the Hung Kings is very sacred to Vietnamese culture, creating unity and strength for national construction and defense. Vietnamese people are proud of their ancestors, Lac Long Quan, the Dragon Lord, as well as Au Co, the Fairy Goddess, as their mothers. Vietnamese pride and bonding are embodied in the worship of the Hung Kings. Vietnamese spiritual sentiments are converged here, aiding Vietnamese in remembering their roots and promoting national unity. This tradition embodies spiritual solidarity and acknowledges the origins and sources of Vietnamese cultural and moral identity.
References
(https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/worship-of-hng-kings-in-ph-th-00735) (https://vovworld.vn/en-US/culture/worship-of-hung-kings-an-intangible-heritage-of-vietnam-879455.vov) (https://www.officeholidays.com/holidays/vietnam/hung-kings-temple-festival) (https://www.inspiringvacations.com/au/vietnam-tours/insight-articles/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-hung-kings-festival/1189) (https://vietnamdiscovery.com/activities/hung-king-temple-festival/)