A ceremony for remembering the “May 23 incident” victims conducted by a group of xich lo (pedicab) drivers. (Photo: VNA)Thua Thien-Hue (VNS/VNA) - Residents of the former imperial city of Huewill light incense and offer food this week to remember the victims of a Frenchmassacre in 1885.
Almost every home, private business facility and public office hold ritual ceremoniesin commemoration of Hue residents who died on the day the citadel of the NguyenDynasty (1802-1945) fell into the hands of French colonists.
There are also ceremonies held at the community level within alleys, communalhouses and holy temples.
In 1885, around 1,200 people were killed after French troops attacked theformer capital. The date was May 23 in the lunar calendar, so local residentsrecall it as the “May 23 incident” or “the day of the capital falling”.
From May 23 to May 30 (lunar calendar), residents conduct outdoor ceremoniesnot only for family members but also people who died outside their homes duringthe incident and became “wandering souls”.
As part of the Vietnamese tradition of offering food to the death altars onmemorial days, Hue residents offer various types of food for the incident’svictims, including rice, pork, chicken, cassava, sweet potato and whatever theycould afford.
A small fire is set to keep warm those who fell into rivers and canals duringthe incident.
Researchers said the ceremony of remembering the victims is the only one thatoccupies the whole city; no one regards it as a superstitious activity.
They also view the ceremony as evidence of the profound humanity of Hueresidents.
There are two temples built for the victims in the city. One was built insidethe citadel by King Thanh Thai (1889-1907) in 1894, nine years after theincident. Today the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre, a local governmentalbody that manages all relics built by the dynasty in Hue, supervises the temple.
Another was built behind and outside the imperial palace by local residents.Today locals hold a grand ritual ceremony each year to memorialise the victims.
Both the temples have been restored recently. The one built by the king wasconserved following recognition by local authorities as a heritage relic in2013. The resident-built temple received facelift one year later thanks tocontributions by locals.-VNS/VNA
VNA
