The offering ceremony was meant to pay a tribute to Hung Kings for their contributions to the national construction as well as pray for a peaceful, stronger country and prosperity of people.

After the incense offering ceremony, President Trần Đại Quang and delegates laid wreaths at the sixth Hùng King tomb.

Also on the same day, people from across the country and overseas Vietnamese flocked to the Hùng Kings temple to pay homage to the Kings as well as join the Hùng Kings Temple Festival.

Vietnamese people nationwide and expatriates as well as visitors flocked to Phu Tho province to be part of the annual Hùng Kings Temple Festival from April 1-6 (the fifth to the 10th days of the third lunar month).

The festival this year saw the participation of four provinces and cities including Hanoi, Thai Binh, Binh Phuoc and Ben Tre.

A range of activities took place from Viet Tri city to the Hùng Kings Temple along with communes and wards around the temple. Also, relic sites commemorated Hung Kings and celebrities and generals under the Hùng Kings’ dynasties around Phu Tho province.

The festival featured several elaborate rituals to honor cultural values under the Hùng Kings’ dynasties such as the death anniversary of legendary Great Father Lạc Long Quân, incense offering ceremony to Great Mother Âu Cơ, and procession of communes, among others.

In addition, visitors this year got a chance to take part in folk street festivals, brisket competition, Xoan singing programs, and contests involving the preparation of banh chung (square glutinous rice cake) and banh day (round sticky rice cake).

The annual festival is also expected to inculcate an element of patriotism among younger generations and consolidate the great national unity bloc.

On April 5, delegates from the four provinces and cities attending the organization of the 2017 festival offered incense, flowers and local special products to Hùng Kings at the Thuong temple.