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TL;DR: The Hung Kings Temple Festival is held annually on the 10th day of the third lunar month at Nghĩa Lĩnh Mountain (Phú Thọ), commemorating the nation-building achievements of the Hung Kings. It is a national-scale festival combining solemn rituals and distinctive folk activities.
What is the Hung Kings Temple Festival?
The Hung Kings Temple Festival is one of the most important traditional festivals in Vietnamese culture. Every year, on the 10th day of the third lunar month, millions of people across the country make a pilgrimage to Phú Thọ province, where the Hung Kings Temple complex sits atop Nghĩa Lĩnh Mountain, to pay tribute to the Hung Kings, the legendary founders of the nation.
Summary table of architectural structures in the Đền Hùng relic site by location and associated with legend or function.
| Structure | Location | Associated with legend or function |
|---|---|---|
| Đền Hạ | at the foot of the mountain | Âu Cơ gave birth to a sac of one hundred eggs |
| Đền Trung | halfway up the mountain | where the Hùng Kings along with the Lạc hầu and Lạc tướng discussed state affairs |
| Đền Thượng | at the summit | where the Hùng Kings are primarily worshipped, and where the solemn incense offering ceremony takes place |
| Lăng Hùng Vương | east of Đền Thượng | where the memorial tablets of the Hùng Kings are placed |
| Đền Giếng | at the foot of the mountain to the west | where the two princesses Tiên Dung and Ngọc Hoa often looked at their reflections and did their hair |
What are the origins and legends of the Hung Kings Temple Festival?
The Legend of Lạc Long Quân and Âu Cơ
According to legend, Lạc Long Quân and Âu Cơ gave birth to a pouch of one hundred eggs, which hatched into one hundred sons. The eldest son was crowned king, taking the title Hùng Vương, and named the country Văn Lang. Successive kings ruled the nation and defended it against foreign invaders. The worship of the Hung Kings therefore embodies deep gratitude and reminds later generations of their national roots.
How did the Hung Kings Temple Festival develop?
The worship of the Hung Kings has a long history, evolving over many centuries. Since the Hung King era, temples were established on Nghĩa Lĩnh Mountain. Through the Dinh, Le, Ly and Tran dynasties, worship was maintained by the state and local people. By the Nguyen dynasty, the festival became more organized. In 1917, Lê Trung Ngọc, the governor of Phú Thọ, petitioned the court to officially designate the 10th day of the third lunar month as the national day for performing rituals at the Hung Kings Temple.
What is the cultural heritage value of the festival?
In 2012, UNESCO officially inscribed the Worship of Hung Kings in Phú Thọ on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This global recognition honors a unique belief that embodies the Vietnamese tradition of "remembering the source when drinking water." The festival is not merely a spiritual activity but also a symbol of national unity.
What makes the Hung Kings Temple Festival unique?
The Ritual Section: Solemn and Reverent
The ritual section is the most significant part of the festival. The main incense offering ceremony takes place on the 10th day of the third lunar month at the Upper Temple, the summit of Nghĩa Lĩnh Mountain. Preparatory rituals are held at other temples within the complex.
The palanquin procession involves villages at the mountain's foot, with participants carrying palanquins, parasols, flags and banners while beating drums and gongs. Elders wear traditional tunics, while young men serve as guards, carrying the palanquins with great skill and solemnity.
The incense offering ceremony is performed by state representatives and local people. Offerings typically include chung cake (square sticky rice cake) and day cake (round sticky rice cake), symbolizing Earth and Heaven respectively, expressing wishes for prosperity.
Other rituals include the flag ceremony, the agricultural god ceremony and the throne succession ceremony, reenacting historical stories of the Hung King era.
The Festive Section: Folk and Lively
While the ritual section is solemn, the festive part allows people to express joy through various folk games. Activities such as swinging, cockfighting, boat racing, tug-of-war, wrestling, shuttlecock throwing, stilt walking and chess are organized around the mountain's foot. Notably, Xoan singing, a distinctive folk art form of the ancestral land, is performed during the festival. In 2011, Xoan singing in Phú Thọ was listed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding, later transferred to the Representative List in 2017.
Camps and cultural activities are also integral. Camps are set up around the complex, creating a vibrant community space. Cultural performances, sports competitions and exhibitions of regional specialties are also held.
Sacred Space and Architecture
The Hung Kings Temple complex lies on Nghĩa Lĩnh Mountain in Hy Cương commune, Việt Trì city, Phú Thọ province. The complex includes various temples, pagodas and mausoleums arranged from the foot to the summit, each tied to specific legends.
The Lower Temple at the foot is linked to the legend of Âu Cơ giving birth to the hundred-egg pouch. The Middle Temple halfway up was where the kings discussed state affairs. The Upper Temple at the summit is the main shrine of the Hung Kings and hosts the grand incense ceremony. The Hung Kings Mausoleum lies east of the Upper Temple, housing spirit tablets. The Well Temple at the western foot is associated with princesses Tiên Dung and Ngọc Hoa.
What is the significance of the Hung Kings Temple Festival?
The festival is an occasion for the entire nation to honor the Hung Kings' contributions in founding the country. It reflects the profound community-based tradition of gratitude. The saying "Wherever you go, remember the Ancestral Anniversary on the tenth day of the third month" has become embedded in the consciousness of every Vietnamese, reminding people of their roots and connecting generations.
The festival also promotes Vietnam's image to international friends, contributing to preserving cultural heritage in an era of integration.
