Who Were the Hung Kings?

Vietnam is about to celebrate a popular holiday: Hung King’s Commemoration Day. You may not know exactly what date it is, as the Lunar calendar determines it. Every year, on the 10th of March, the Vietnamese enjoy a day off to commemorate the Hung Kings.

The Story of the Hung Kings

Legend has it that Hung Kings laid the foundation for the land of Vietnam in the ancient eras. The folklores date back to the year 2879 BC, when there were 18 Hung Kings who ruled Van Lang (Vietnam in the old days) from generation to generation. They are said to have established the country’s very first foundation of civilization.

Before the Hung Kings, there was a folk tale of Lac Long Quan and Au Co, which is believed to be the ancestors of Vietnamese people. Lac Long Quan was the son of a Dragon from the ocean, and Au Co was a fairy who resided on Earth. They came together and lived together in the mountains. After a year, Au Co gave birth to a sack of a hundred eggs, which then hatched into one hundred kids.

After living together, they had to separate due to their different instincts. The Long Quan took 50 children with him down to the sea while Au Co stayed on the land with the other half. Subsequently, one of their sons became the king of the country and named the country “Van Lang.”

Under the 18 Hung Kings’ rule, the country accomplished much in terms of agriculture, horticulture, hunting, and handicrafts.

The Hung King dynasty ended in 258 BC when An Duong Vuong took over Van Lang and established a new country called Au Lac.

Because of the legend above, Vietnamese people always take pride in having dragon-fairy roots. Hung Kings are the heroes who set up a steady foundation for the country. The date March 10th, the Lunar calendar, is to memorialize the efforts of the Hung Kings, who established and developed the country over generations.

Hung King Commemoration Festival

How the festival came about

According to Vietnamese legend, King Hung wanted to choose a son to succeed the throne. He summoned all of his sons and said that whoever could bring him the most precious offering to the altar to worship the ancestors would be given the throne.

All of the princes traveled throughout Vietnam in search of the most valuable and exotic foods to offer to their father, except Lang Lieu, the 18th prince, who had no idea where to begin searching.

One night, he dreamed of a genie who told him that “the rice grain is the most precious thing on earth. You use the glutinous rice grain to make round cakes that symbolize the sky and square cakes that symbolize the earth. The square cakes will have fillings made of beans and meat, and you will use green leaves to wrap the cake, symbolizing the love and protection fathers and mothers provide to their children.” When he awoke, Lang Lieu was delighted and prepared the two kinds of cakes as instructed by the genie.

When the day of the competition came, King Hung thoroughly examined the offerings of his sons but was not entirely satisfied. However, upon tasting Lang Lieu’s cakes and hearing his explanation, the King congratulated him and chose him to succeed to his throne. Since then, the King and all of his subjects started making square and round glutinous rice cakes to offer to their forbears on special occasions, notably the Tet holidays. Nowadays, these cakes are still a specialty throughout Vietnam.

How locals celebrate the festival now

The festival is held every year mainly at Phu Tho temple and in more than 1,400 temples across the country. In 2012, UNESCO recognized the worship of the Hung King activities in Phu Tho as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The festival consists of two main parts: the ceremony and the festival. Vietnamese people prepare offerings to express gratitude to their ancestors (the Hung Kings). The offerings include Banh Chung (sticky rice cake), a must-try Tet food, and Banh Giay (crushed sticky rice pudding).

After the ceremony comes the festive part, a three-day procession on Nghia Linh mountain. Before the ceremony occurs, a sedan chair competition between villages will be held to pick out the winner. The victor can lead the procession up to Phu Tho temple.

Learn more about enthralling Vietnam festivals

The March 10th Lunar calendar date memorializes the efforts of the Hung Kings, who established and developed the country through generations. Many altars were built across the country so the Vietnamese could pay tribute to the Hung Kings.

Conclusion of the Hung Kings

Although the stories about the Hung Kings are considered myths, the Hung Kings’ Commemoration Day plays a vital role in Vietnamese spiritual life. On this holiday, there are many festivals that you should take part in to develop a deeper understanding of Vietnamese culture.