Have you ever wondered about the Hung Kings' Memorial Legend and the meaning of this celebration? Let’s explore the origins and the wonderful traditions of National Hung Kings Day with Mykingdom.
The Hung Kings' Temple Festival is an important occasion in Vietnamese culture, held on the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month each year. Let's learn about the legend of the Hung Kings' Temple to better understand this proud tradition.
Learn in detail about Hung Temple Festival 2025: Time, Location, Activities, and Participation Tips
What is the Hung Kings' Memorial Day legend?
King Kinh Dương Vương and the land of Xích Quỷ
According to legend, King Kinh Dương Vương founded the land of Xích Quỷ, considered the first king of the Vietnamese people. He married the Dragon Princess and fathered Lạc Long Quân.
Lạc Long Quân and Âu Cơ — The Progenitors of the Vietnamese people
Lạc Long Quân and Âu Cơ united. They bore a sack of a hundred eggs, which hatched into 100 children, symbolizing the origin of the “Dragon and Fairy descendants” of the Vietnamese people.
Due to differences in their habitats, they decided to part ways — each leading 50 children to explore new lands. Lạc Long Quân led 50 children to the sea, while Âu Cơ led 50 to the mountains. The eldest son inherited the throne, taking the title Hung Vương, starting the Hung Vương dynasty that lasted 18 generations in Vietnamese history.
King Hùng Vương and the Văn Lang state
Hùng Vương, the first king of the Văn Lang state. He was the leader of the Lạc Việt tribe, who led and unified other tribes, laying the groundwork for a nascent nation. The Văn Lang state was born from here, inaugurating the era of the Hung Kings that lasted 18 reigns.
During the Hùng Vương era, the country was divided into many tribes, maintaining a clan-based organizational structure. The king's daughter was called Mị Nương, his son was Quan Lang.
After 18 reigns, the 18th Hung Vương passed the throne to Thục Phán, who later founded the state of Âu Lạc with the title An Dương Vương.
The process of forming the Hung Kings' Memorial Day
Worship from the Triệu, Đinh, Lê, Lý, Trần, Nguyễn dynasties
Worship of the Hung Kings has long existed in Vietnamese history. Under the reigns of Lê Thánh Tông in 1470 and Lê Kính Tông in 1601, the 11th and 12th days of the 3rd lunar month were chosen as Hung Kings' Memorial Day.
The Ngọc phả chronicle from the Trần period is still preserved at Đền Hùng, and it says that “...From the Triệu, Đinh, Lê, Lý, Trần dynasties to our present era of the Hồng Đức-Hậu Lê, they all share incense offerings in the temple at Trung Nghĩa village. The lands and taxes set aside long ago for offerings have not changed...”.
This document confirms that from the Triệu, Đinh, Lê, Lý, and Trần dynasties up to the late Lê dynasty, the worship of the Hung Kings has been maintained, with land and sưu thuế set aside for rites remaining unchanged. This shows that the tradition of honoring the Hung Kings' contributions to nation-building has been continuously maintained through many dynasties, becoming an important part of Vietnamese people's spiritual life.
During the Nguyễn dynasty, in the second year of Khải Định (1917), the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month was officially chosen as Hung Kings' Memorial Day, in order to remember the contributions of the Hung Kings and remind descendants of the principle "drinking water, remember its source".
Hung Kings Memorial Day in modern times
After the August Revolution of 1945, the Party and the Vietnamese State paid special attention to organizing Hung Kings Memorial Day. President Ho Chi Minh signed Decree No. 22/SL-CTN on February 18, 1946, allowing civil servants to take leave on the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month to participate in the Hung Temple activities. In 2007, the National Assembly officially approved this day as a public holiday, demonstrating reverence and gratitude toward the Hung Kings.
Hence, Hung Kings' Memorial Day, also known as the Hung Temple Festival, is an important annual event held at Nghia Linh Mountain, Co Tich Village, Hy Cuong Commune, Viet Tri City, Phu Tho Province. In 2025, the festival will take place from March 1 to March 10 in the lunar calendar, corresponding to March 29 to April 7 in the solar calendar, attracting many people from across the country to offer incense in memory of the Hung Kings.
The meaning of Hung Kings Memorial Day
Understanding the Hung Kings Memorial Day legend helps us remember the merits of the Hung Kings and the symbol of national unity. This festival reminds Vietnamese people of their roots and gratitude toward their ancestors. It is also an occasion for younger generations to gain a deeper understanding of the history of nation-building and defending the country.
Activities on Hung Kings Memorial Day
Every year, on the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month, people from all over gather at Hung Temple in Phu Tho Province to participate in the festival. The festival consists of two main parts: the ceremony and the festival.
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Ceremonial part: Takes place with formal rites such as processions and incense offerings to honor the Hung Kings.
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Festival part: Includes traditional cultural and sporting activities such as Xoan singing, tug-of-war, wrestling, contests to make banh chung and banh day, puppet shows, and boat racing...
These activities are not only entertaining but also help preserve and promote the traditional cultural values of the nation.
UNESCO recognizes the Hung Kings worship as an Intangible Cultural Heritage
The Hung Kings worship has been recognized by UNESCO as a Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012. This affirms the cultural and historical value of this worship and helps raise awareness of preserving and promoting the heritage within the community.
Hung Kings Memorial Day is an occasion for every Vietnamese to look toward their roots, remember the contributions of the Hung Kings, and strengthen the spirit of national unity. Understanding the legend of the Hung Kings' Memorial Day helps us value the traditional and historical values of the nation, thereby contributing to preserving and promoting Vietnamese cultural identity.
So you now know the Hung Kings' Memorial Day legend, let’s sing along to the song Dòng máu Lạc Hồng to greet our National Hung Kings Memorial Day!
