Remember the death anniversary of the ancestors

(Baonghean) - The Hung King's death anniversary has become the nation's national death anniversary, a sacred and deep sentiment in the hearts of every Vietnamese person for thousands of years. These days, in Nghe An, people go to places of worship of the Hung Kings to offer incense, expressing their gratitude to their ancestors who founded the nation.

Cua Temple (Nghi Khanh Commune, Nghi Loc District) worships the Mother Goddess Au Co, Cao Son, Cao Cac, the Three Holy Mothers and the virtuous people who contributed to the cause of fighting foreign invaders to protect the country. These days, incense smoke is billowing. Many people from the coastal area of ​​Nghe An and visitors from all over come here to make pilgrimages and offer products to express their gratitude to their ancestors.

The old story goes that: 2 out of 50 children who followed their father Lac Long Quan towards the sea stopped at Cua Xa area to reclaim land, establish a village, cultivate, fish, raise livestock and build a prosperous estate. Remembering Mother Au Co, they built a shrine right at the sea gate. That is Cua Temple today. Mr. Hoang Anh Vinh, a member of the Management Board of Cua Temple Historical - Cultural Relics, said: "The temple is always filled with warm incense and care; many descendants come here, especially during the Mother's Anniversary and the opening day of the festival. On the recent anniversary, hundreds of people came here to report their achievements, pay their respects, offer 20 trays of offerings and enjoy the benefits together". Cua Temple has long been one of the spiritual and cultural gathering places of Nghe An people. Everyone who comes here, all with one heart, turns towards truth, goodness and beauty, wishing for peace and development for the community, country and homeland.

The organizing committee of Hong Son Temple Festival (Vinh City) practices worship rituals in preparation for the Ancestor's Death Anniversary.

The 2015 Cua Temple and Ninh Ve General Tomb Historical and Cultural Relic Festival takes place in 3 days from March 11 to March 13 (lunar calendar), which is April 29 to May 1, 2015, the opening time of Cua Lo tourism festival. Thus, this year's festival will certainly be more crowded... To make this year's festival to commemorate the merits of the Holy Mother and famous people more solemn and respectful, fully expressing the national cultural identity, Nghi Khanh commune has fully prepared the ceremonies, organized many cultural and sports activities. Turning to their roots, the people of Khanh Den and Khanh Dong practice Vi and Giam melodies praising the merits of fathers and mothers to perform on the important festival day.

Like Cua Temple, Lang Vac - Nghia Hoa Commune (Thai Hoa Town) has long been a very sacred spiritual address in the hearts of people of all ethnic groups who share the same belief in King Hung in Nghe An. On holidays and Tet, especially on the occasion of the Hung King's death anniversary, many local people come to burn incense and pay their respects to the ancestors of the Vietnamese people. The legend of the origin of the ancient Vietnamese people says that: 1 of 50 children who followed mother Au Co to the mountains came to settle in Lang Vac. Lang Vac is the cradle of the Nghe people in the Ca River basin today.

The ancient relics found have proven that Vac Village is an important landmark in the process of expanding the land of our ancestors. Mr. To Thanh Son, Head of the Culture Department of Thai Hoa Town, said: From the evidence of the origin, to meet the spiritual and cultural needs of the people of Thai Hoa, Nghia Dan and tourists from all over, in 1999, the town asked for permission from the Management Board of Hung Temple Relics, Phu Tho to bring the statue of King Hung to worship at Vac Village Temple. Before the death anniversary, the descendants of Lac Hong in Nghe An and many other places came to Vac Village Temple to offer many offerings to the Hung Kings such as Quy Chau incense, Phu Quy oranges and Nghi Phu wine.

The prosperous country today started from the founding of our ancestors, that origin each citizen must preserve and build. At the garden of the four sacred animals of Vac village temple, the exposed pillar - connecting the earth to the sky, many people gathered to burn incense, wishing for peace and prosperity. Many others read the ancient steles and were proud of the tradition of their homeland and country, looking at hundreds of antiquities on display here discovered and donated by the people to see a part of the ancient life of their ancestors and to be more grateful.

In the days when all hearts everywhere beat as one, all minds turn to the source, in Vinh City, Hong Son Temple - the place of worship of King Hung and Hung Dao Vuong - is a gathering place to worship the merits of ancestors, a symbol of great national unity... These days, the Management Board is completing preparations for the National Death Anniversary of King Hung on the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thien, 70 years old, in Cua Nam ward, has spent 50 years volunteering to do the task of "using the Quynh and Que hands" to make up the procession team and proudly said: "In order for the Hung Kings' Commemoration Ceremony to take place solemnly and respectfully, meeting the spiritual needs of the people and commemorating and showing gratitude to the Hung Kings who built the country, the staff at the Hong Son Temple Relic Management Board have practiced the rituals since the Mother Goddess Commemoration Ceremony (March 3 of the lunar calendar). In addition, to recreate the life of the Vietnamese people from the early days of the country's founding, the Hong Son Temple Management Board also organizes many activities to recreate the cultural atmosphere with folk games such as playing chess, traditional martial arts and tug of war...".

Mr. Nguyen The Quyen, Nghi Long commune (Nghi Loc district), shared: “In this peaceful and solemn place, all stress and sadness quickly pass away and a sense of balance and relaxation is found in the soul… Today, I brought my children here to educate them about the tradition, history of building and defending the country, the merits of the Hung Kings, helping them have a visual history lesson through the architecture, the stories of the management board members and the stele at the temple”.

History is like a continuous flow. Through thousands of years, through many ups and downs, in the consciousness of the whole nation, the origin - the nation - the merits of the Hung Kings are always the most sacred things. Commemorating the Hung Kings, each son of Nghe An would like to express a million times more pride in the glorious tradition of 4,000 years of history of building and defending the country of the Vietnamese people; respectfully remember and be grateful for their merits, and at the same time respectfully inform the souls of the ancestors to promise to always promote the spirit of the Hung Kings, unite and follow the path that the Party and beloved Uncle Ho have chosen.

Thanh Son - Canh Nam