Nghe people look towards the anniversary of their ancestors

(Baonghean.vn) -In the sacred atmosphere of the whole country towards the Hung Kings' death anniversary on the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month, these days, at the historical and cultural relic of Hong Son Temple - Vinh City, people everywhere in the region are eagerly preparing for the sacred death anniversary to commemorate the Hung Kings.

Hong Son Temple before the anniversary of the death of the Ancestor

For generations, every Vietnamese person has always remembered the death anniversary of the ancestors through the song that has been passed down: "No matter where you go/ Remember the death anniversary of the ancestors on the tenth of the third lunar month/ Everywhere the song is passed down/ The country is still our country for thousands of years". Perhaps in this world, there are few places that have a unique form of ancestor worship like in Vietnam, making us have to see it as a social phenomenon with its own identity of Vietnam, contributing to creating spiritual values ​​and Vietnamese cultural identity. That is the tradition of worshiping ancestors in each family, worshiping the ancestors of the clan, worshiping the village's tutelary god and worshiping the common ancestors of the country at Hung Temple. On the death anniversary of the ancestors on the tenth of the third lunar month, Vietnamese people in all parts of the country and far away from the Fatherland, whether they can come or not, all turn to Hung Temple, turn to the origin of the nation with gratitude for the merits of the Hung Kings and with faith in the longevity and strength of the nation.

As an ancient temple with Nguyen Dynasty architecture, Hong Son Temple is known to people everywhere in the province because it is the only temple in Vinh City worshiping Hung Vuong - the founder of the country. These days, the atmosphere at Hong Son Temple is more bustling because banners, slogans, and festival flags have been hung up brightly and neatly in front of the temple gate. In the main yard of the temple, the elders of the Association of the Elderly, Association of War Veterans of Block 1, Hong Son Ward are enthusiastically practicing their movements to prepare for the ceremony to take place carefully and solemnly. It is identified as one of the most important parts of the ceremony. Therefore, every year, before the day of the anniversary of the death of the Ancestor, the ceremony team has organized weekly practice sessions.

This year, the ceremony team consists of 10 elders from the Veterans Association and the Senior Citizens Association of Block 1. Although he is quite old, Mr. Hoang Khac Lai has never been absent. For him, being selected to join the ceremony team at the Hung King's death anniversary is an honor and pride that not every elder has. Mr. Lai excitedly said: He has participated in many ceremonies at Hong Son Temple such as the ceremony to worship the Holy Mother, Saint Tran... However, every time he practices to prepare for the Hung King's death anniversary, he has a strange feeling: restlessness, anxiety mixed with tears, as if he is performing a ceremony for his own parents.

Although it was not the main holiday yet, many people had come to offer incense and flowers. While carefully arranging fruits on a plate, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Nga (Block 13, Ben Thuy Ward) said: Every year on the anniversary of the death of the Hung King, she and her children and grandchildren come to offer incense at Hong Son Temple with a simple wish: to light an incense stick in memory and gratitude to King Hung. This year, she came to offer incense earlier than every year because on the anniversary of the death of the Hung King, her whole family will go to Phu Tho - to attend the Hung Temple Festival.

Every year, there are 3 main festivals at Hong Son Temple: March 3rd of the lunar calendar: Mother Goddess's death anniversary; March 10th of the lunar calendar: Hung King's death anniversary; August 20th of the lunar calendar: Tran Hung Dao's death anniversary. This year, the Hung King's death anniversary will take place on the 9th and 10th of March on a city scale organized by the Temple Management Board. This is a spiritual and cultural activity towards the origin, to commemorate the great contributions of the Hung Kings who built and defended the country. At the same time, to protect, preserve and promote the cultural heritage values ​​of the homeland and the nation, meeting the people's need to enjoy spiritual culture. Therefore, from the beginning of the third lunar month, the Temple Management Board has had a specific plan to assign tasks to each member, coordinating with the People's Committee of Hong Son Ward to organize a solemn and sacred death anniversary. Currently, at Hong Son Temple, the throne and tablets of 18 Hung Kings are worshiped in the central palace instead of worshiping the King's statue as before, in accordance with the people's wishes.

Mr. Ho Cong Tien - Deputy Manager of Hong Son Temple Management Board said: Like every year, this year the Hung Kings' death anniversary will be solemnly held in the temple's large yard, with the participation of all wards and communes in the city, each ward and commune has a tray of offerings to offer to the King. Besides the ceremony including the opening ceremony, announcement, memorial ceremony and grand ceremony, this year's festival promises to be exciting with the bustling lion dance of the wards and communes with traditional lion dance teams. This is a spiritual cultural activity towards the origin, so people are very excited to participate. In order for the Hung Kings' death anniversary to take place solemnly, the ceremony will be the main responsibility of the Hong Son Temple Management Board, and the festival will be organized by the People's Committee of Hong Son Ward. With the hope that the Hung Kings' death anniversary will be a cultural festival that meets the spiritual needs of the people of Vinh city in particular and the surrounding areas in general.

Thanh Thuy