A ceremony with incense offerings to pay respect and tributes to Hung Kings was held solemnly at Hung King Temple on April 4th (10th of third lunar month)
The Death anniversary of the Hung Kings-also known as Hung King Temple Festival 2014 was held in five days, from 6th to 10th of the third lunar month. Compared to last year, this year festival was one day shorter for saving money. Prior to the main festival, rituals were solemnly performed to pay tributes to national ancestors, including King Duong Vuong and Mother Au Co.
Incense offering, the most important ritual in the procession of the main festival, was held on 10th of the third lunar month. Dignitaries in attendance included Mr. Nguyễn Thiện Nhân, Politburo member and President of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front's Central Committee; Mr. Lê Hồng Anh, Politburo member and permanent member of the Party Central Committee Secretariat; Mr. Hoàng Tuấn Anh, Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism and many central and local officials.
The incense offering took place at 7 a.m. with sedan parade proceeded from the main gate of the relic site below Nghia Linh mountain through the lower, middle and upper Temple
Thousands of people gathered to see the parade procession
The National Flag and festive flag together in the parade procession
The long parade moved with colorful festive flags, traditional costumes and folk music
The officiating people, Mr. Lê Hồng Anh and Mr. Nguyễn Thiện Nhân moved forward to perform incense offering at the upper Temple
Mr. Chu Ngọc Anh, Deputy Secretary of Party Committee of Phu Tho province delivered a festive speech.
Burning ritual
A long queue for offering incense
Incense offering to wholeheartedly pay tribute to Hung Kings
Thousands of people gathered at the Lower, Middle and Upper Temple on the sacred Nghia Linh mountain
People flocked to Nghia Linh mountain
The display of culture and tradition of Phu Tho province within the festive area
Parts of this year festival included the xoan singing as shown in the picture, a contest for making banh chung (square glutinous rice cakes) and banh day (round glutinous rice cakes), traditional sports and art performance.
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