Deputy PM Trinh Dinh Dung on February 17 offered incenses and flowers at Hai Ba Trung Temple in Hanoi’s suburban district of Me Linh marking the 1981st anniversary of the Trung sisters' Uprising.
The ceremony aimed to commemorate the Trung sisters and their troops who courageously struggled and sacrificed their lives to write down glorious pages of the country's history in the early stage of nation building.
According to historical records, Trung Trac and her younger sister Trung Nhi, who were born in Giao Chi Province in the northern region led the first uprising against Han Chinese occupation in the first century, around 2,000 years ago. Trung Trac is the first female leader in the country’s history. She chose Me Linh as a new capital.
On the same day, incense offering ceremonies were organized at the Complex of Huong Son Historical Relic Site in My Duc District, the Saint Giong and Soc Temple in Soc Son District, and Co Loa Temple in Dong Anh District.
The 3-month Huong Pagoda Festival which is the largest of its kind in Vietnam officially takes place at the Complex of Huong Son Historical Relic Site on the 6th day of the first lunar month. The Huong Pagoda Festival is Vietnam’s longest and most elaborate spiritual festival and is believed to have started since the Le – Trinh Dynasty (15th to 18th century).
Meanwhile the Saint Giong Festival is a traditional event held annually from the 6th day to the 12th day of the fourth lunar month in several places within Hanoi, especially at the Soc Temple in Soc Son District and at Phu Dong village in Gia Lam District, Hanoi. The 9th day of the fourth lunar month is the major day of the event at Phu Dong where the national hero, called Emperor Phu Dong was born. People called him Saint Giong and organized festival to commemorate and show their gratitude to the hero. The Saint Giong Festival has been officially recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010.
The Co Loa Festival is based on the legend of King An Duong Vuong and his magic crossbow given by a Golden Tortoise, Genius Kim Quy. The King used this crossbow to kill tens of thousands of enemy soldiers and made success in defeating the Chinese army. The event is usually held from the 6th to the 16th day of the first lunar month to worship King An Duong Vuong who built Co Loa Citadel and the Au Lac Kingdom.
