A cultural heritage of humanity crystallized from the consciousness of the national community

(Baonghean.vn) -Since ancient times, solidarity has been considered a moral standard of the Vietnamese people. Because of the word "same", people have searched hard to integrate with each other: from the same family, same school, same age to same hometown, same nation... It seems that each individual here has the awareness to place themselves in the community, respect the community, whether it is the clan, village, association... to the largest community which is society and the fatherland.

It can be affirmed that the Vietnamese people's sense of origin is sometimes quiet but extremely deep and persistent. The sense of origin from the hundred-egg sac of Au Co, especially the sense of having the same Hung King Ancestor associated with Hung King Temple for generations!

Uncle Ho visited and spoke at Hung Temple for the first time.

Excited to go to Hung Temple festival (illustrative photo)

Through many ancient historical documents and geographical documents that have been preserved to this day, we can grasp some basic knowledge about Hung Vuong Temple, which we often call Hung Temple today, worshiping 18 Hung Kings... The temple is located on Nghia Linh Mountain, in Co Tich village, Hy Cuong commune, Viet Tri city, Phu Tho province. This place is said to be the capital of Van Lang country. BookDai NamunanimityIt is said that after King Hung passed away, the local people built a temple to worship him. According to the legend and the stele in the temple, An Duong Vuong Thuc Phan was grateful that King Hung had given him the throne, so after the king passed away, Thuc Phan went to Nghia Linh mountain to build a temple to worship him.

Going up from the foot of the mountain, you will first see the Lower Temple, where it is said that Au Co gave birth to the Hundred Eggs. Next is the Middle Temple, where King Hung often discussed national affairs with the Lac Hou and Lac Tuong. At the top is the Upper Temple, where the 6th Hung King set up an altar to pray to the heavens for a Heavenly General to come down to help the king, his officials and the people defeat the invading An army. After that event, this became the place to worship Saint Giong. On the right side of the Upper Temple are two stone pillars, which are the remains of the Ancient Temple. Nearby, there is a mausoleum to worship the Hung King. The Well Temple, located in the southwest of Nghia Linh Mountain, has a stone well where it is said that the daughter of the 18th Hung King, Hung Due Vuong, Princess Ngoc Hoa and Tien Dung often came to draw water to wash their hair...

If the concept of cultural heritage is the cultural values ​​left by history, which have become traditions because they have been chosen, received, imitated, revived by many generations, creating a close relationship between tradition and modernity, then Hung Temple - Hung Temple is such a heritage, holding a leading position in the spiritual life of Vietnamese people. Many scientists have agreed that the architectural foundation of Hung Temple began to be built during the reign of King Dinh Tien Hoang; and by the Later Le Dynasty, in the 15th century, Hung Temple was restored and completely rebuilt as we see it today.

In the 7th year of Khai Dinh (1922), the Hung King's Mausoleum near the Upper Temple was renovated. Today, the Hung Temple relic site has been renovated and expanded with many new features, notably the Au Co Temple and the Hung King History Museum. The museum was built on a large scale, displaying over 4,000 rare artifacts (including 400 original artifacts) from the Hung King's period of founding the country, through the stone, bronze, and iron cultures...

Nowadays, everyone knows the folk song by heart:

No matter who goes against the flow.

Remember the death anniversary of the ancestors on the tenth of March.

The song refers to the festival commonly known as the Hung King's Commemoration Day, which is held on the 10th day of the third lunar month every year. Since 2000, the Hung King's Commemoration Day has become a National Festival, held on even-numbered years.

Among the events and prominent figures associated with Hung Temple, contributing to highlighting the sacredness of this temple, is the story of President Ho Chi Minh's two visits. The first time, on September 19, 1954 and the second time, on August 18, 1962, he visited Hung Temple again to celebrate the 17th anniversary of the successful August Revolution. The first time, under the Hung Temple roof on the slope of Nghia Linh mountain, he talked with cadres and soldiers of the Vanguard Army Corps preparing to take over the capital Hanoi after the liberation day. He had a saying that is forever engraved in history and the hearts of patriotic people: "The Hung Kings built the country, we must strive to protect it!”. Between the two times Uncle Ho visited Hung Temple, in April 1962, the sacred temple worshiping the Hung Kings and the royal family on Nghia Linh Mountain was ranked by our State as a National Historical-Cultural Relic.

Not only Hung Temple in Viet Tri, Phu Tho province, but also in the whole territory of Vietnam, there are currently 1,417 locations with relics worshiping Hung Kings and characters related to the Hung King era... Cultural assets are unique, and if lost, nothing can replace them. Its enormous effect is to arouse love for the homeland, country, national pride, community spirit and solidarity, and when necessary, willingness to sacrifice for the community. Therefore, the event of UNESCO on the morning of December 6, 2012 officially recognizing Vietnam's Hung King worship as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity has and will make the hearts of many Vietnamese people at home and abroad, as well as many progressive friends in the world...

Kim Hung