The worship of Hung Kings for thousands of years has become a spiritual thread connecting generations of Vietnamese people with the origin of the nation. Every March of the lunar calendar, millions of Lac Hong descendants make a pilgrimage to the Hung Temple Historical Relic Site to offer incense to commemorate the Hung Kings, expressing gratitude to the ancestors who built and defended the country. The journey to Hung Temple is not only a return to the origin, but also a sacred connection with traditional beliefs and the sacred soul of the mountains and rivers - where the quintessence of the nation has been deposited through many generations.

The ceremonial axis enters the Festival Center yard - Hung Temple Historical Relic Site.

Journey to the sacred land

In the hearts of every Vietnamese, the Hung King worship has a special place in the spiritual life. Looking back at the history of building and defending the country, it can be seen that the Hung King worship has been formed, developed, and deeply attached to the spiritual life of the Vietnamese people for thousands of years. It is not only expressed in cultural life but also becomes the morality of "When drinking water, remember its source", the gratitude of the Vietnamese people towards their ancestors who have contributed to the creation of heaven and earth.

Originating from the sacred land of Nghia Linh, this belief gradually spread throughout the villages of the Northern Delta, continuing through the Central strip of land and reaching many regions of the South. Many localities such as Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, Khanh Hoa... all have Hung King temples, where death anniversaries are held and solemn rituals are practiced every year. Not only present in the S-shaped strip of land, the Hung King worship belief also follows the footsteps of children living far away, spreading to many countries around the world, becoming a sacred spiritual connection between the Vietnamese community and their homeland, the origin of the nation.

Ms. Vu Phuong Dung (Viet Tri City) currently living and working in Korea shared: “Although we live far away, every year on the occasion of the Hung Kings' death anniversary, my family and I arrange time to return to Vietnam to participate in the festival. For me, this is not only an occasion to pay respect to my ancestors but also an opportunity to connect with my homeland, meet relatives and feel the traditional festival atmosphere. Every time I set foot on Hung Temple, I feel an indescribable pride and emotion, as if I have returned to the embrace of my roots.”

Not only attracting Vietnamese people, Hung King worship also makes a strong impression on international friends. Sebastian Meyer, a tourist from Stuttgart (Germany) expressed his excitement: “This is the second time I have come to Hung Temple. The scenery here is very beautiful, the festival atmosphere is very special. I feel honored to be here on this important occasion of the Vietnamese people. What impressed me most was the image of people from all over gathering at Hung Temple with their families, sincerely offering incense to their ancestors. I felt the tradition of solidarity and attachment of the Vietnamese people through many generations”.

As the highest expression of Ancestor Worship, Hung King Worship represents the unique cultural identity of the Vietnamese community, which is gratitude to the Hung Kings and their ancestors who built the country. In the spiritual subconscious of the Vietnamese people, King Hung is not only the first king who founded Van Lang country and built the first villages, but is also honored as the founder of the nation.

The land of Phu Tho is full of legendary stories about the Hung King period. The legends of Saint Giong, Son Tinh, Thuy Tinh, the folk festivals of the King's procession to the village to celebrate Tet, the Princess's procession, King Hung teaching people to plant rice, the Xoan singing festival... are proof that Phu Tho - the land of the origin of the Vietnamese people - is a treasure trove of folk culture preserving historical traces of the Hung King period.

Behind the legendary legend is the historical element. The worship of Hung Kings is a process of historicization and mythification intertwined. The system of archaeological sites Son Vi, Phung Nguyen, Lang Ca, Xom Ren, Go Mun and the antiquities found around Hung Mountain such as: Nha Chuong, bronze drum, roi, arrows... clearly show an ancient Van Lang state - the cradle of civilization of the ancient Vietnamese people.

The recognition of “Hung King worship in Phu Tho” by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity in 2012 has affirmed the profound value of this belief in the spiritual life of the Vietnamese people. This is not only a source of pride but also a great responsibility for today’s and future generations in preserving and promoting the fine traditions of their ancestors.

Pilgrims to Hung Temple.

Keep the faith alive for a thousand years

According to statistics from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the whole country has 1,417 relics worshiping Hung Kings and figures of the Hung King era. The relics worshiping Hung Kings along with rituals and festivals are spread across the three regions of the North, Central and South. In Phu Tho province alone, there are 345 relics associated with villages worshiping Hung Kings. Of which, the Hung Temple National Special Historical Relic Site is the largest center for practicing the Hung King worship belief in the country.

Comrade Pham Tien Dat - Director of Hung Temple Historical Relic Site affirmed: "Recognizing the role and significance of the Hung King Worship Belief in the traditional cultural flow, Phu Tho province has done a good job of preserving and promoting the value of heritage, educating the tradition of patriotism, deep gratitude to the Hung Kings and ancestors who have contributed to building and defending the country. On the occasion of the Hung King's death anniversary and the Cultural - Tourism Week of the Ancestral Land in the year of At Ty 2025, the Hung Temple Historical Relic Site has renovated and embellished the landscape infrastructure of the relic site to create the best conditions to welcome visitors from all directions, contributing to preserving and spreading this unique cultural value".

In addition to the solemn incense offering ceremony, the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day - Hung Temple Festival is also highlighted by many unique folk cultural activities. Traditional rituals such as palanquin procession, Xoan singing, bronze drum performance, banh giay pounding competition, banh chung wrapping... are recreated in their original form, creating a cultural space imbued with national identity. The combination of sacred beliefs and traditional customs has made the festival not only an occasion to pay tribute to ancestors but also an event with profound cultural values, connecting generations of Vietnamese people towards their roots.

Comrade Nguyen Dac Thuy - Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism emphasized: Throughout history, the worship of Hung Kings has become a spiritual support and belief in the sacred and magical power of ancestors for the Vietnamese people to strengthen the great solidarity of compatriots, join hands to overcome natural disasters, foreign invaders, and protect the country.

“The spiritual power of the Hung Kings' death anniversary is like a call from the heart of every Lac Hong descendant to turn towards their roots, towards the Fatherland with the two sacred and close words "compatriots". There is nothing more grateful to the ancestors than preserving and promoting the heritage passed down from their ancestors to a new height. The Hung Kings' death anniversary is also an opportunity for Lac Hong descendants to turn towards the Ancestral Land, where the sacred energy of the mountains and rivers converges, to respectfully light incense sticks to express gratitude for the Hung Kings' contributions to building the country, and to join hands to preserve and build a rich and beautiful country to fulfill the wishes of our ancestors" - Comrade Nguyen Dac Thuy said.

It can be said that the Hung King worship is the link connecting the past - present - future, the pride, the symbol of the solidarity of the Vietnamese people, that sacred belief will forever exist as an immortal reminder:

"No matter where you go

Remember the Ancestor's Death Anniversary on the 10th of March".

Bao Thoa