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Hung King's Day: Honouring founding fathers

6/4/17

“When we drink water, we remember its sources.
When we eat a sweet fruit, we are grateful to those who plant it.”
Gratitude to ancestors is an axiom of Vietnamese life and culture, and the event that gives greatest expression to this gratitude is the Hung Kings Memorial Day, which falls on the 10th of the third lunar month (which falls on April 6 this year on the Gregorian calendar).
The nation as a whole pays tributes to its legendary founders on this day.
At 6.30am sharp, many people were standing in line for the nonstop, uphill walk to the top of the Nghĩa Lĩnh Mountain, where the 6th King Hùng Huy Vương of the Vietnamese legend was buried.
Vietnamese people from all parts of the country had made their way to Việt Trì City to pay their tributes to their ancestors.
Vietnamese people tend to disagree with each others on many things, but there is no difference of opinion on one important thing that the Hùng Kings are our ancestors.
The blend of history and legend has it that the first ruler of what is Việt Nam today was Kinh Dương Vương, a great-grandson of the Agriculture God, who looks over all farming work in Heaven. He then married the Dragon Queen and give birth to Lạc Long Quân, or Dragon King.
Lạc Long Quân met his future wife Âu Cơ, or the Phoenix Queen in a cave during one of his travels around his kingdom. He took her to settle down at the Nghĩa Lĩnh Mountain. The couple gave birth to one hundred men.
One day Lạc Long Quân told his wife, “My dear, I belong to the Dragon family, while you to the Fairy family. So we cannot live together for long.”
So when their sons become adults, Lạc Long Quân sent 50 sons to go with their Mother Âu Cơ  to live in the mountains. He took 49 other sons and headed out to sea.
They left their eldest son Hùng Quốc Vương to rule the country known as Văn Lang.
Hùng Quốc Vương lived in the Văn Lang Citadel, now Việt Trì City. The Hùng dynastry lasted for 18 generations.
The Vietnamese people have always valued the dedication and sacrifice of previous generations and see the anniversaries of their death as an opportunity to pay tributes. This custom is observed by every family, with children sharing the cost of the family feast or making the best offerings they can at the ancestors’ altar.
The same tradition applies when it comes to worshipping the national founding fathers.
This year four localities, including Hà Nội, Thái Bình, Bình Phước and Bến Tre Province, offered to co-host the ceremonies and series of accompanying activities during the Hùng Kings Memorial Day.
“I am the master of ceremonies and I have been entrusted to chair the ceremony commemorating the Hùng Kings,” said Lương Phú Thuận, 80.

“Vietnamese, wherever life takes you to,” he said, “remember to turn your heart and soul toward the Hùng Kings Temple. The Kings will bless you.”./.
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All comments [ 5 ]


For A Peace World 6/4/17 19:08

This major event honours the Hung Kings. According to historical records and Vietnamese traditions, the Hung Kings were the founders of Vietnam.

Socialist Society 6/4/17 19:09

Hung Kings Commemoration Day is oriented around the themes of filial piety, ancestor worship, and patriotism. While this holiday is observed over the course of several days, the most important celebrations occur on the 10th day of the third lunar month.

yobro yobro 6/4/17 19:10

We share a common heritage,and all of us commemorate the Hùng Kings Memorial Day every year. It is our tradition, our common background, our great unity.

Gentle Moon 6/4/17 19:30

The official name of the festival is 'Death Anniversary of the Hung Kings'. However the date does not mark the death of any specific Hung King but honours their contribution to Vietnam as the traditional founders of the nation and the first emperors.

John Smith 6/4/17 19:31

For many people, Hung Kings Commemoration Day is a joyous occasion that is centered around traditional Vietnamese culture and values.

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