Hundreds of thousands of people flock to Hung Temple

On the evening of April 9, at intersections and junctions in Viet Tri City, traffic police and young volunteers stood to guide cars and motorbikes to 5 parking lots. At times, the police on duty had to go along the road for nearly a kilometer to remind vehicles not to encroach on the next lane.

The later in the afternoon and closer to the relic area, the greater the density of vehicles, the central parking lot with a capacity of more than 1,000 seats is almost filled. In addition to the people of Phu Tho, many people from Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and Quang Ninh also come to offer incense.

Inside the relic, along the two sides of the nearly one kilometer long road, many groups of people sit to rest and eat. More than 30 trams, each carrying about 15 people, continuously transport tourists from the gate to the foot of the Upper Temple.

Nguyen Thi Thuy, 45 years old, from Quang Ninh, said that since the outbreak of Covid-19, this is the first festival she has attended because she feels safe. This morning, her group with nearly 30 people came to Phu Tho to watch swimming at Van Lang lake park.

“This afternoon, we will visit the exhibition, watch the water puppet show in the relic area, return to the city center to watch the fireworks display and early tomorrow morning will offer incense,” said Ms. Thuy.

At the foot of Nghia Linh mountain, on both sides of the lawn, people were covered with mats, many people slept on the spot. A large electronic sea constantly updates the density of people at the Lower, Middle, and Upper temples so that people can take the initiative to go up and avoid congestion. The police force and staff of the relic holding loudspeakers constantly remind people to wear masks, go in small groups, do not gather in large numbers.

However, because the road from the foot of Nghia Linh mountain to Thuong temple is narrow, many sections are only nearly 3m, so people have to move step by step. Young children are carried on their heads by their parents to avoid danger. Speakers of the Organizing Committee continuously announced finding lost children.

Hugging the mat, Mr. Hoang Van Trung from Ha Hoa, Phu Tho led a group of nearly 20 people riding motorbikes over 60 km to Hung Temple. Tonight, the group will go down to the square of Van Lang Lake Park to watch fireworks, then return to the relic to sleep overnight, early tomorrow.

“Sleeping one night at the foot of Nghia Linh mountain, the next morning climbing the mountain to perform the ritual has become my custom for many years to show respect to the Hung Kings”, Mr. Trung shared.

Mr. Le Truong Giang, Director of the Hung Temple Historic Site, said the number of tourists flocking to offer incense as of the morning of April 10 was estimated at about 500,000, an increase of more than five times last year.

Mr. Giang advised people to follow the instructions of the competent forces right from the point of entry to the province for convenient travel. Entering the relic before 9am, people can go to art spaces to have fun, avoid gathering at the incense offering point.

This year’s death anniversary ceremony is organized on a provincial scale, including the ceremony and festival. The festival includes: Banh chung and banh day packaging contest (April 8), boating (April 9 morning), 15-minute high-altitude fireworks display, art program The sacred source, the Land of the Hung Kings (evening 9/4). Last year, due to Covid-19, the locality only held the ceremony.

The incense offering ceremony in memory of the Hung Kings and famous people and generals at the monument of Hung Kings temple on Nghia Linh mountain took place on the morning of April 10 (March 10 of the lunar calendar). At the same time, localities in Phu Tho province performed incense offerings. Authorities encourage families to prepare a tray of rice to celebrate and honor the merits of those who have built and preserved the country on March 10.

People flock to Hung Temple before the opening day of the festival

Gia Chinh – Ngoc Thanh