Vietnam commemorates the Hung Kings Day [the tenth day of the third Lunar month] – the legendary founders of the nation. 

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and high-ranking officials offered incense to Hung Kings at Nghia Linh Mountain in Phu Tho on April 18. Photos: VGP/Baodantoc

Today [April 18], in the land of the nation's founders – Nghia Linh Mountain at  Hung Temple Special Historical Relic in the northern province of Phu Tho, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and high-ranking officials offered incense to the Hung Kings.  

A ceremony to worship the kings held in Nghia Linh Mountain.

The ceremony was attended by representatives of the Central Party Committee, the National Assembly, the armed forces, and the Fatherland Front.

The incense-offering ceremony at Hung Temple in Phu Tho was also joined by tens of thousands of locals and foreign visitors. 

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh lays a wreath of flowers at the temple.

Officially declared a national holiday in 2007, the Hung Kings Commemoration Day is an occasion for the Vietnamese people to pay tribute to the Hung Kings – the legendary 18 first monarchs of Vietnam. 

The procession is part of the event.

The commemoration was observed across the country regardless of urban or rural areas to honor the Hung Kings, who fought against foreign invaders and laid the foundations of Vietnam rich in cultural values, traditions, and patriotism. 

Arts performances are included in the event.

On this occasion, a wide range of activities have been organized, including processions, offering food, flowers, and incense, along with performances of Cheo singing, Quan Ho singing, Xoan singing, and folk games. 

The procession in Nghia Linh Mountain.

The celebrations are organized in other parts of the country, as follows: 

The celebrations held at a temple worshiping the Hung Kings in Thoi Binh District, Ca Mau Province.

In the southernmost province of Ca Mau, a commemorative ceremony and festival are held at a temple worshiping the Hung Kings in Thoi Binh District. Numerous activities are taking place, such as boat racing, tug-of-war and Don ca tai tu (a genre of chamber music in the traditional music of southern Vietnam).

In the southern province of Kien Giang, the anniversary is underway in Hung Vuong Temple in Tan Hiep District for three days starting from April 16 or the eighth day of the third Lunar month. The event features artistic performances, drumming, incense offering, a Chinese chess tournament, traditional Vietnamese martial arts, and a display of One Commune – One Product (OCOP) items. 

Officials of Can Tho celebrate the anniversary. Photo: Duy Khoi

In Cantho, the socio-economic hub of the Mekong Delta, the Hung Kings Commemoration Day was integrated with the Southern Traditional Cake Festival held at the Hung Kings Temple in Binh Thuy District with a flag-hoisting ceremony, incense, and food offering ceremony, as well as taekwondo and traditional Vietnamese martial art tournaments. 

Celebrations held at the monument to Hung Kings in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City.

In Ho Chi Minh City, the celebrations were held at the monument to Hung Kings in Thu Duc City with an array of activities, including drumming and Vovinam, a traditional Vietnamese martial art. Hung Kings Day was also celebrated in many primary, secondary, and high schools citywide to cultivate patriotism and historical knowledge.

In the southern province of Dong Nai, local authorities and people celebrate the anniversary in Hung Kings Temples in Bien Hoa City and Tan Phu District with bike racing and film festival. 

A procession held in Dalat City to commemorate the festival.

The Central Highlands province of Lam Dong held a series of activities, including a rice cooking contest, a traditional market, a Chinese chess competition, exhibitions of tea, calligraphy, and folk paintings.

The south-central province of Binh Thuan celebrated the anniversary with worshiping activities and a festival rich in traditional culture with folk games held in Tuy Phong District.

Meanwhile, in the central province of Ha Tinh, the day was marked with a processional ceremony held at the Dai Hung Historical and Cultural Relic in Hong Linh Town.