Hung Kings Commemoration Day in the mind of Xu Lang people
04/23/2021 13:29
– Together with the people all over the country, in the mind of every Lang Son people, for many generations now, Hung Kings are considered to be the first ancestor, who founded the country, are the national ancestors and on the 10th day of the third lunar month – the death anniversary of Hung Kings known as the National Commemoration. This is a cultural beauty that shows the sense of origin, the nation’s tradition “when drinking water, remember its source”.
From the time of birth and growing up, every resident of Xu Lang hears from his/her grandmother, mother’s lullaby with familiar verse that reminds him/her of Hung Kings’ death anniversary ”Whoever goes back and forth/Remember Hung Kings Commemoration Day on the 10th day of the third lunar month”. Originating from “when drinking water, remember its source”, Hung Kings worshiping belief has existed in the mind of every Vietnamese in general and Lang Son people in particular, like the national ancestor worshipping for thousands of years. Over the years, this belief has become a spiritual support for Vietnamese people to overcome challenges of long history in some thousands of years.
The staff of the Provincial Museum researched prehistoric artifacts at the Gallery
Mr. Hoang Van Pao, Chairman of Lang Son Cultural Heritage Association, said that although at present, Lang Son has not discovered any specific place worshiping Hung Kings, it is obvious that Lang Son people still respect, worship Hung Kings – national ancestors. Specifically, every year, a large number of Lang Son people make a pilgrimage to their ancestral land, showing their respect to national ancestors. In addition, in Lang Son city, there is a road named Hung Vuong with the mind towards the ancestral land. This shows that Hung Kings’ role and position in the mind of Xu Lang people is very great.
Looking back on history, it can be seen that the recognition of Hung Kings’ merits has many ups and downs. In 1372, Academician Ho Tong Thoc was the first to bring Hung Kings as a historical figure into the history of the book “Việt Nam thế chí”. In 1470, King Le Thanh Tong, in the reign of Hong Duc (1470-1497), allowed Academician Nguyen Co to establish Hung Kings
Genealogy Book with the full name “The traditional genealogy of the 18 branches of the Holy King under Hung dynasty “(Hùng đồ thập bát diệp Thánh Vương Ngọc phả cổ truyền). With the birth of this genealogy, Hung Kings are officially recognized in Vietnamese history. In the “Dai Viet History Full Book”, the cabinet print of the woodblocks carved in the 18th year of Chinh Hoa era (1697), Historian Ngo Sy Lien brought Hung Kings into the history of Vietnam in the Hong Bang period, since then, Hung King is called Holy Ancestor and recognized by the central government. In December 2012, in Paris (France), UNESCO officially recognized the Hung Kings worshiping belief in Phu Tho as the intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
Hung Kings Commemoration Day is the culmination of Vietnamese ancestor worship and the sense of origin is clearly shown. Through that, Vietnamese people show their heartfelt gratitude to their ancestors according to the principle of “When drinking water, remember its source”.
Hung Kings are the first ancestors of the Vietnamese people. On Hung Kings Commemoration Day, people nationwide, regardless of bloodline, lineages, geography, regions, nations and ethnic groups all look unanimously towards Nghia Linh mountain, where the ancient and sacred Hung Kings Temple is located. In addition, the value of the Hung Kings Commemoration Day also lies in the community solidarity, the tradition of national solidarity, it is like a red thread connecting the past with the present, is a historical epic about the tradition of erecting and protecting the nation. Accordingly, every year, on the occasion of Hung Kings Commemoration Day, Lang Son people, together with people from all over the country, return to Hung Kings Temple (Phu Tho), reviewing the stories of Hung Kings’ building up the country.
Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh, Tam Thanh ward, Lang Son city, said that it is customary, every year on Hung Kings Commemoration Day, he and his family return to Hung Kings Temple to offer incense, worship, every time they go, they all have very spiritual feelings. This is a place of worshiping Hung Kings, who made merits to build the country, each of us should never forget our origin.
Not only the people feel sacred and proud, but schools in the province also educate their students about the history of Hung Kings and the legends of the Van Lang state through lessons in the classroom. Mrs. Tu Thuy Binh, Vice Principal of Vinh Trai Secondary School, Lang Son city said that in the past time, besides other contents of education, her school has directed teachers of literature and history to promote historical traditional education through lessons about Hung Kings era such as Van Lang State, the legend of Chưng cake, Dày cake; the Mountain Spirit, the Sea Spirit; Saint Gióng and so on. Besides, the school also organizes propaganda in the young bamboo shoot broadcast at the beginning of the lesson.
It can be seen that, over the years, along with other cultural values, Hung Kings-national ancestors and their contributions have really been deeply imbedded in the subconsciousness of each Xu Lang resident in particular, people in the whole country in general. It is a shining symbol of origin sense. Through Hung Kings Commemoration Day, the solidarity of the people has been fostered and strengthened and each person more cherishes the achievements that our ancestors built, making more efforts to contribute to building the homeland, the nation with the constant development.
