The northern midland province of Phu Tho launched a festival payinghomage to Vietnam’s legendary mother Au Co at her temple in Ha Hoadistrict on February 25, the seventh day of the first lunar month.
Legend has it that Au Co was a fairy and descended to earth on theseventh day of the first lunar month. She later met with Lac Long Quanand gave birth to 100 sons. Fifty of them followed their father to thesea and the other half followed their mother to the mountains.
When the family arrived at what is now known as Ha Hoa’s Hien Luongcommune, mother Au Co and her children were so captivated by the area’sfertility and stunning landscapes that they decided to settle there. Theeldest son was crowned King Hung – the legendary first king of Vietnam –on that land.
They cultivated water rice toprovide food, planted mulberry trees, and bred silk worms. Au Co thenreturned to heaven on the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month.
The festival was opened with an offering ritual to the guardian deityat the local communal house. A palanquin procession began at the houselater in the day, ending at the Au Co Temple.
Besides commemorating the legendary mother, the two-day festival alsooffers visitors a chance to take part in folk games such as tug of war,Chinese chess, and crossbow shooting along with singing and dancingperformances by locals.
Many of Vietnam’straditional festivals open in the first lunar month, including the BaiDinh Pagoda, Huong (Perfume) Pagoda, and Hai Ba Trung (Trung Sisters)Temple festivals.-VNA
Legend has it that Au Co was a fairy and descended to earth on theseventh day of the first lunar month. She later met with Lac Long Quanand gave birth to 100 sons. Fifty of them followed their father to thesea and the other half followed their mother to the mountains.
When the family arrived at what is now known as Ha Hoa’s Hien Luongcommune, mother Au Co and her children were so captivated by the area’sfertility and stunning landscapes that they decided to settle there. Theeldest son was crowned King Hung – the legendary first king of Vietnam –on that land.
They cultivated water rice toprovide food, planted mulberry trees, and bred silk worms. Au Co thenreturned to heaven on the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month.
The festival was opened with an offering ritual to the guardian deityat the local communal house. A palanquin procession began at the houselater in the day, ending at the Au Co Temple.
Besides commemorating the legendary mother, the two-day festival alsooffers visitors a chance to take part in folk games such as tug of war,Chinese chess, and crossbow shooting along with singing and dancingperformances by locals.
Many of Vietnam’straditional festivals open in the first lunar month, including the BaiDinh Pagoda, Huong (Perfume) Pagoda, and Hai Ba Trung (Trung Sisters)Temple festivals.-VNA
