Overseas Vietnamese return home to commemorate legendary nation founders.(Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Nearly 70 expatriates from more than 20 foreign countries andterritories have returned home to commemorate Hung Kings, the legendary founders of the nation, at the Hung Kings Temple in the northern province of Phu Tho, the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese (SCOV) said on April 21.
The delegation, led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang, on April 20 offered incense to ancestors - Father Lac Long Quan and Mother Au Co, and Hung Kings.
Theannual programme is jointly held by the SCOV, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Phu ThoPeople’s Committee, contributing to raising overseas Vietnamese (OVs)'s pride of the nation’s heroic traditions, and strengthening the great national solidarity.
Theprogramme shows care, affection and responsibility of the Party and the State for OVs, better meeting their cultural and spiritual needs while affirming that they are an integral part of the nation.
Every year, activities worshipping Lac LongQuan and Au Co take place ahead of the anniversary of Hung Kings on the 10th day of the thirdlunar month, which fell on April 18 this year.
Legend has it that Lac Long Quan (real name Sung Lam, son ofKinh Duong Vuong and Than Long Nu) married Au Co (the fairy daughter of De Lai).Au Co then went on to give birth to a pouch filled with one hundred eggs, whichsoon hatched into a hundred sons. However, soon thereafter, Lac Long Quan andAu Co separated. Lac Long Quan went to the coast with 50 of the children, whileAu Co went to the highlands with the rest.
Their eldest son was made king, who named the country VanLang and set up the capital in Phong Chau (modern-day Viet Tri city in Phu Thoprovince), beginning the 18 generations of the Hung Kings.
The kings chose Nghia Linh Mountain, the highest in theregion, to perform rituals devoted to rice and sun deities to pray for healthycrops.
To honour their great contributions, a complex of templesdedicated to them was built on Nghia Linh Mountain, and the 10th day of thethird lunar month serves as the national commemorative anniversary for thekings.
The worship of the Hung Kings, closely related to theancestral worship traditions of most Vietnamese families, was recognised aspart of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2012./.
