Ceremony commemorates legendary ancestors of Vietnam

3/30/2020 - 6:20:30 PM

Authorities of the northern province of Phu Tho held a ceremony on March 29 to commemorate the legendary national ancestors of Vietnam, Father Lac Long Quan and Mother Au Co.

Officials of Phu Tho province pay tribute to Lac Long Quan at his temple on Sim Mountain on March 29 (Photo: VNA)

At the temples dedicated to Lac Long Quan and Au Co in the Hung Kings relic site, on behalf of the Vietnamese people, leaders of Phu Tho province offered incense and offerings to express gratitude to the two for laying the foundations of the country.

This year, due to impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ceremony was streamlined, and participants also took preventive measures as recommended by health agencies.

Meanwhile, many activities within this year’s annual festival of the Hung Kings’ Temple, which falls on April 2 (the 10th day of the third lunar month), will be cancelled due to the pandemic.

However, certain commemoration services will still be performed, including the incense offering ceremony – the most important ritual dedicated to the legendary founders of the nation.

Legend has it that Lac Long Quan married Au Co, who later gave birth to a pouch filled with one hundred eggs, which soon hatched into a hundred sons, believed to be the ancestors of the Vietnamese nation. Their eldest son was made king, who named the country Van Lang and set up the capital in Phong Chau (nowadays Viet Tri city of Phu Tho province), beginning the era of the Hung Kings.

To honour their great contributions, a complex of temples dedicated to them was built on Nghia Linh Mountain in Phu Tho, and the 10th day of the third lunar month was designated as the national commemorative anniversary for the kings.

The worship of the Hung Kings was recognised as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2012.

Hoa Binh province preserves and promotes Muong singing values

Once a vibrant part of the daily life for the Muong ethnic group in Hoa Binh province, traditional Muong singing styles such as "thuong rang bo meng” and "hat dup giao duyen” had faded over time. Today, local authorities and communities are working to restore and celebrate this cultural art form, recognising its value in preserving the group’s heritage.

Vibrant Gau Tao Festival of Mong community

Gau Tao Festival, one of the most important traditional festivals of the Mong ethnic minority group in Mai Chau district was held at the Pa Co stadium in Pa Co commune on January 11.

Mysterious ancient engravings in valley of My Thanh commune

The ancient stone engravings dating back thousands of years in Suoi Co valley in My Thanh commune, Lac Son district, used to astonished domestic archaeologists. What their meaning is and what message they convey are the questions to which scientists are seeking answers.

Hoa Binh works hard on cultural value preservation

Preserving and promoting unique cultural identities of ethnic communities in Hoa Binh province is considered a crucial task amid in the international integration trend.

Muong cultural heritage museum contributes to sustainable tourism development

More than just a cultural and historical attraction, the Muong Cultural Heritage Museum is playing a vital role in fostering sustainable tourism in the Northwestern region of Vietnam, particularly in Hoa Binh province. It stands as a model for the emerging trend of "responsible tourism," cleverly blending the preservation of cultural heritage with community economic development, raising awareness of Muong ethnic cultural values while promoting green tourism and sustainable growth.

Efforts made to preserve Muong people’s “Bi doi” instrument

The provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism on December 24 organised a conference to report on the results of collecting, researching, restoring, and preserving "Bi doi”, a musical instrument of the airophonic family and a traditional instrument of the Muong ethnic people in Da Bac district.