The historical origins of the Hung Kings’ Commemoration Day on the 10th of March Lunar Calendar have garnered considerable interest from many generations of youth, who seek to understand this significant historical event. Let’s explore the origins and meaning of this important historical occasion.
“No matter where you travel,
Remember the Hung Kings’ Commemoration Day on the 10th of March.”
Across the land, this song is sung,
Our country remains our home for a thousand years.”
This heartfelt folk song has resonated in the hearts of every Vietnamese person from generation to generation. For thousands of years, the Hung Temple – the cradle of the nation, has stood as a revered and sacred symbol closely tied to the Vietnamese people. According to legend, Lac Long Quan and Au Co are regarded as the ancestors of the Vietnamese, the parents of the Hung Kings. The festival takes place on the 10th of March in the Lunar Calendar at Hung Temple in Viet Tri, Phu Tho. However, the festivities have actually begun weeks prior, featuring customs such as drum playing by the Muong ethnic group and pilgrimages to honor the Hung Kings, culminating on the 10th of March with a procession and incense offering at the Upper Temple.
Image of the incense offering ceremony at Hung Temple in 1904. (Photo: Internet).
Since ancient times, the Hung Temple festival has held a special place in the consciousness of the Vietnamese people. A royal document from the Tran Dynasty in 1470 and another from the Le Dynasty in 1601 state that: “…From the Triệu, Đinh, Lê, Lý, and Trần dynasties to our current Hồng Đức Le Dynasty, we have consistently offered incense in the temple in Trung Nghĩa village. The land taxes established from ancient times for sacrificial offerings remain unchanged…”. Thus, it can be understood that prior to the Later Le Dynasty, all dynasties managed the Hung Temple by directly entrusting it to the local people for maintenance, worship, and the observance of the Hung Kings’ Commemoration Day on the 10th of March Lunar Calendar. In return, they were exempted from taxes on 500 acres of land and other obligations.
During the Nguyen Dynasty in the second year of Khải Định (1917), Phu Tho Governor Le Trung Ngoc proposed to the Ministry of Rituals to designate the 10th of March Lunar Calendar as a National Day (public holiday). This was confirmed by the Hung Kings’ stele established by Deputy Minister Bui Ngoc Hoan, the Phu Tho Governor, in the 15th year of Bao Dai (1940), which states: “Previously, the national day was set in the autumn. In the second year of Khải Định (1917), Phu Tho Governor Le Trung Ngoc submitted a document to the Ministry of Rituals, requesting the 10th of March each year to be recognized as the National Day, just one day before the commemoration of the 18th Hung King. The commemoration (on the 11th of March) is organized by the local people.” Since then, the Hung Kings’ Commemoration Day on the 10th of March Lunar Calendar has been officially recognized by law. After the August Revolution in 1945, our Party and State paid great attention to Hung Temple, with President Ho Chi Minh and other Party and State leaders visiting it. Upholding the noble tradition of our ancestors, especially the moral principle of “drinking water, remembering its source”, immediately after the successful revolution, President Ho Chi Minh signed Decree No. 22/SL-CTN on February 18, 1946, allowing civil servants to take the day off on the 10th of March Lunar Calendar each year to participate in organizing activities for the Hung Kings’ Commemoration Day, honoring our national roots.
Image of the incense offering ceremony at Hung Temple in 1905. (Photo: Internet).
On the Hung Kings’ Commemoration Day in the Year of the Dog (1946) – the first year of the newly established government, Mr. Huỳnh Thúc Kháng – Acting President, offered a map of Vietnam and a precious sword to honor the ancestors about the invaded homeland and to pray for the ancestors’ blessings for peace and national unity to defeat the invading forces and protect the country’s territorial integrity. President Ho Chi Minh visited Hung Temple twice (September 19, 1954, and August 19, 1962). Here, he famously stated: “The Hung Kings established the nation – We must work together to protect it.” He also reminded: “We must pay attention to protect, plant more flowers and trees so that Hung Temple becomes increasingly solemn and beautiful, serving as a historical park for future generations to visit.”
In 1995, the Hung Kings’ Commemoration Day was officially recognized by the Secretariat as a major holiday of the year. The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, in coordination with relevant sectors, organized the festival over a period of ten days (from the 1st to the 10th of March Lunar Calendar).
In 2024, the Hung Kings’ Commemoration Day (10/03 Lunar Calendar) will fall on Thursday, April 18, 2024 (Gregorian calendar).
