World-acclaimed Hung Kings Worship: Vietnamese Cultural Heritage Honoured

On December 6, 2012, the United Nations Educational, Scientific And Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognised “Worship of Hung Kings in Phu Tho" as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. This is such good news for Vietnamese people, since Vietnam has another world cultural heritage which is honoured by the world. Specially, the people of the world would want to know more about the traditional culture of the people of Vietnam and understand the power of the spirit of unity among Vietnamese people.

 

The building of the "Tradition of worshipping Hung Kings in Phu Tho" profile submitted to UNESCO to be recognised as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity was arduous. It took a lot of effort to launch campaigns make UNESCO understand the meaning, the importance and the great influence of the "Tradition of worshipping the Hung Kings" in the Vietnamese community and the world.

 

For such a long time, in the minds of every Vietnamese citizen, Hung King has been the Father of its nation. The tradition of worshipping Hung Kings in fact has been transmitted from generation to generation. So far, the ancestor worship has been honoured by the whole country’s people and regarded as the common ancestor of the nation.

 

Recently, there has been an idea that the worshipping of Hung Kings is for Vietnamese people only. Vietnam does not impose ancestor worship on all ethnic communities living on the territory of Vietnam. However, it is also understood that the strength of national unity is originated from the root power. Thanks to the root power, the Vietnamese people can unite the whole nation to protect and build the country. Therefore, it is important that Hung Kings are honoured as the Fathers of all the Vietnamese people since they are a symbol of the root power. Thanks to this, all people living in the country of Vietnam and foreign expatriates always turn to their source, live on the motto "When drinking water, think of its source", "Whenever tasting the flavour of a fruit, think of those who planted the tree," and give thanks for our ancestors who laid the first stones to build up our country.

So far, the country has had over 1,400 temples honouring the Hung Kings and their generals. In spring, the Hung King Temple Festival attracts millions of the Vietnamese to come to the sacred land of origin to honour the merit of the ancestors. People living far from home and unable to return to their ancestral home instead burn incense at a nearby temple to worship their ancestors.

 

That shows the reverence for our ancestors. Together we unite as "trees with one root" and "children in one home" to build a strong Vietnam. That the world honours the "Tradition of worshipping the Hung Kings" will add more strength to the spirit of national unity.