A video about the Hung Temple Festival, centered around the Hung Kings’ Commemoration Day, honoring Vietnam’s National Ancestors.
Hung King Temple Festival: Honoring Vietnam’s Ancestral Roots
The Hung King Temple Festival, also known as Giỗ Tổ Hùng Vương (Hung Kings’ Commemoration Day), is one of Vietnam’s largest and most significant festivals. Held annually on the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month at the Hung Kings Temple Historical Relic Site in Việt Trì City, Phú Thọ Province, this festival profoundly symbolizes the tradition of “drinking water, remembering the source.” It expresses the deep gratitude of the entire Vietnamese nation towards the Hung Kings—the revered founders who established and expanded the country’s territory.
Outline:
Origin and Historical Significance – This section delves into the festival’s deep roots in Vietnamese ancestor worship, honoring the Hung Kings as the nation’s revered founders and highlighting its recognition as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Main Activities During the Festival – Here, we’ll explore the diverse components that make up the festival:
The Ritual Part: Detailing the solemn incense offerings, vibrant processions, and traditional symbolic offerings like bánh chưng and bánh dày.
The Festive Part: Showcasing the lively folk games and traditional performing arts, including UNESCO-recognized Xoan and Ghẹo singing, that enrich the celebration.
Significance for Modern Life – This concluding section emphasizes the festival’s enduring importance in contemporary Vietnam, acting as a powerful symbol of national unity, a reminder of history, and a major draw for millions of visitors annually.
NOW, LET’S EXPLORE THIS PROFOUND CELEBRATION THAT EMBODIES THE HEART AND SOUL OF VIETNAMESE HERITAGE!
These images depicts a vibrant palanquin procession at Hung Temple’s Commemoration Day, showcasing rich traditions.
The festival originates from the long-standing ancestor worship beliefs of the Vietnamese people.
The Hung Kings are revered as the nation’s ancestors, the first to establish the ancient Văn Lang state, laying the foundation for Vietnam’s independence and development.
Over thousands of years, the Hung Kings’ Commemoration Day has become a national holiday, a unique cultural feature demonstrating the solidarity and strong bond of the “Children of Lạc Hồng,” no matter where they are in the world.
In 2012, the Worship of the Hung Kings in Phú Thọ was recognized by UNESCO as a Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, affirming its international value and stature and enhancing its significance to Vietnamese cultural and spiritual life.
Note: To dive into the Vietnamese lunar new year- Tet holiday, please click here!
2. Main Activities During the Festival
The Hung King Temple Festival features numerous solemn and rich activities, encompassing both ritual and festive parts.
The Ritual Part: This is the most crucial, expressing reverence and sincere respect for the Hung Kings.
The main ceremony is the incense offering at Thượng Temple on Nghĩa Lĩnh Mountain.
A procession with vibrant flags, parasols, ceremonial implements, drums, gongs, and traditional costumes ascends the mountain.
Offerings include incense, flowers, and especially bánh chưng (sticky rice cake with savory filling) and bánh dày (sticky rice cake with sweet filling)—two traditional cakes symbolizing heaven and earth, linked to the legend of Lang Liêu.
Other ceremonies include palanquin processions and incense offerings by delegations from across the country.
The Festive Part: This is vibrant with various traditional cultural and sports activities.
Folk games like wrestling, tug-of-war, boat racing, crossbow shooting, and shuttlecock throwing are organized.
Traditional folk singing such as Xoan singing and Ghẹo singing are performed, recreating the beautiful cultural aspects of the ancestral land.
Phú Thọ Xoan singing and Phú Thọ Ghẹo singing are distinctive folk art forms also recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, further enriching the festival’s value.
These activities not only entertain but also preserve and promote the nation’s traditional cultural values.
Note: To explore the Enduring Strenghth of Vietnam, please click here!
3.Significance for Modern Life
In the context of deep international integration, the Hung King Temple Festival continues to hold its position as one of the core values and a solid spiritual anchor for the Vietnamese people.
The festival is not only an occasion to revisit the nation’s glorious history but also a reminder of solidarity, patriotism, and the awareness of preserving cultural identity.
Annually, the festival draws millions of visitors to Phú Thọ. For instance, in 2024, the festival attracted approximately 3 million visitors, and for the 2025 festivities, Phú Thọ welcomed around 5.5 million visitors, with hundreds of thousands flocking to the Hung Kings Temple Historical Relic Site on peak days. This demonstrates the festival’s enduring appeal and significance.
Millions of Vietnamese people, regardless of where they live and work, turn their thoughts towards the Hung Temple on the Commemoration Day, demonstrating the spirit of “Children of Lạc Hồng” who always remember their roots.
The Hung King Temple Festival is a sacred symbol of national unity, a bridge connecting the past, present, and future, empowering generations of Vietnamese people in the cause of building and defending the homeland.
