Hung Kings' Commemoration Day Description
Gio To Hung Vuong honors the 18 legendary Hung Kings who founded the first Vietnamese state, Van Lang, nearly 5,000 years ago. The main national ceremony takes place at the Hung Temple complex on Nghia Linh Mountain in Phu Tho Province, where the President, government leaders, and hundreds of thousands of pilgrims gather for incense offerings, processions, and van nghe (cultural performances). Banners bear the traditional saying 'When drinking water, remember its source' (Uong nuoc nho nguon), encapsulating the Vietnamese ethic of honoring ancestors and origins. Government offices, banks, and most businesses close nationwide. In Ho Chi Minh City and other urban areas, replicas of the Hung Temple host satellite ceremonies. The holiday, elevated to a major national observance in 2007, serves as a powerful reminder of the shared origin myth that unites all Vietnamese — north, central, and south — in a common cultural lineage tracing back to the legendary union of Lac Long Quan (Dragon Lord) and Au Co (Fairy Mother).
