Hung
temple is honored as the birthplace of the Vietnamese people. Hone to an annual
festival and many legendary relics, it holds a special place in Vietnam’s heart
According
to legend, the Vietnamese people came into being when a dragon, Lac Long Quan,
married a fairy, Au Co, who then gave birth to 100 children. Lac Long Quan took
50 children to the sea and Au Co took 49 children to the mountains, leaving her
first born son to act as emperor, with the name Hung Vuong.
To
honor their ancestry, many Vietnamese make a pilgrimage to Hung temple, a
series of temples and pagodas worshipping the Hung kings and their royal
families. The temple runs from the foot to the top of the 175 – metre high
Nghia Linh Mountain in Vietnam’s northeastern Phu Tho Province, on strictly
protected forest land 10km from the centre of Viet Tri City.
The
Hung Temple is comprised of three main areas: the Lower temple, the Middle
Temple and the Upper Temple. Through the Temple’s Gate from the first step, it
is 225 stone steps up to the Lower Temple and Thien Quang Thien Pagoda.
Here,
incense is burnt and offered with reverence. Before continuing their ascent to
the top of the mountain, standing at the foot of the stairs, travelers are able
to enjoy the cool, green landscape around Nghia Linh Mountain.
The
next leg of the journey is 168 steps up to the Middle Temple. According to
legend, the first King Hung set up a stop – over house here to rest and have
talks with his officials. Prince Lang Lieu offered square sticky rice cakes and
glutinous rice dumplings to his father during the Tet (Lunar New Year)
Festival, which later became the traditional cakes of the nation.
By
the time travelers reach the Middle Temple, most are tired but few want to
stop, perhaps feeling the spiritual and sacred sentiment of the land and their
roots. Their journey continues another 102 steps up the Upper temple.
On
the top of the mountain, visitors can behold the immense expanse of the land.
It was here the Hung Kings often conducted rituals of the rice saint, and
bumper crops. Outside the Temple Gate reads an inscription: “The Ancestors of
Vietnam”
This
is the place the Sixth King Hung set up his temple to worship Saint Thanh Giong
who had conquered the Northern invaders known as An, this is also the place the
18th King Hung bequeathed the throne to Thuc Phan, who then planted
2 stone pillars, vowing to take care of the Temple and defend the legacy of the
Hung Kings.
To
the east of the upper Temple there is an earthen grave. As the legend has it,
it was the grave of the Sixth Emperor Hung. After Saint Giong defeated the An
invaders, he flew to heaven and the Emperor was turned into stone here. The
later emperors built the rave and set up a royal tomb in his honors.
After
having climbed up to the Upper Temple, travelers continue to take another road
to the last stop, Gieng (Well) Temple, at the foot of the mountain. Gieng
Temple is said to be a miraculous place for those who want to pray for their
loved ones. The temple is so called because there is a well where princesses
Tien Dung and Ngoc Hoa had often come to use as a mirror.
The
source of the sacred water originated from inside Nghia Linh Mountain. At the
mountain’s foot, there is a lotus pond and the Hung Vuong Museum, where all the
objects from the Stone Age to the Iron Age are displayed.
A
saying goes:
“Whoever goes up the hill and down
the dale
Remember the 10th of
Lunar March, the ancestor’s anniversary”
The
Hung Temple Festival is also called the Hung Vuong Ancestors’’ there three
levels: the feudal state, the local villages and communes and each one
organized an anniversary.
The
feudal state organized the rituals on the 12 of lunar march, the anniversary of
the first hung King. Held every five years, it was called the main festival. By
Lunar January, Saint’s flags already bedecked on the top of the mountain to
inform the people far and near to know of the upcoming event.
The
local people would come to start the ritual. About 40 villages would parade
palanquins from their own villages’ communal houses and the mountain. There
were also performances of Xoan singing. The night for Xoan singing lasted from
twilight to early morning in the different voices and different voices and
different dances. Nowadays, there are two main rituals during the festival: the
palanquin parade festival and the incense- offering ritual.
The
present day’s festival is livelier, with games, performances, food and goods
for sale. It’s a time for the local folk to come dressed in their best outfits,
beaming smiles on their faces.
As
Ho Chi minh wrote: “The Hung Kings had rendered great services in founding the
nation; so you and I must together defend the country.” The Hung Temple
Festival honoring the Hung Vuong ancestors is a time for Vietnamese at home and
abroad to remember and express their gratitude to the founders of the nation.
This
article written by Lanh Nguyen from Vietnam Heritage Travel
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