The gate of Hai Bà Trưng Temple is decorated with images of Trưng Sisters, the two national heroines riding elephants in a battle. Photo qdnd.vn

HÀ NỘI — Thousands of visitors are flocking to the Hai Bà Trưng Temple Festival to commemorate 1984 years since the heroic Hai Bà Trưng (Trưng Sisters) Uprising and attend the cultural and historical activities.

The annual festival is being held with the largest ever scale at the Hai Bà Trưng Temple Special National Relic Site in Hà Nội's Mê Linh District from February 15-20 (January 5-10 of the Lunar calendar).

Thousands of visitors are flocking to Hai Bà Trưng Temple Festival in Mê Linh District, Hà Nội. — Photo qdnd.vn

This year's festival includes a modern 3D mapping sound and light show with the theme Âm Vang Mê Linh (The Echo of Mê Linh), performed for the first time on Thursday, the 5th day of the first Lunar month of the year.

The show was aired live on Hà Nội Television, telling and honouring the historical story about Trưng Sisters in a modern way. The two national heroines led the uprising in AD 40 against the Chinese domination.

It helped connect the past, present and future, bringing the audience closer to history in an attractive and effective way.

A scene from the 3D mapping show about the Trưng Sisters' Uprising is performed at the opening ceremony of Hai Bà Trưng Temple Festival. — VNA/VNS Photo Văn Điệp

The first 3D show depictes the insurgency from the day it began to the day the two heroines died with dignity, and features different genres such as singing, dancing, circus and matching drums.

Trưng Sisters' Uprising was the first national resistance movement against the Chinese invaders. The sisters rode elephants to repel the enemy and liberate Đại Việt (an old name for Việt Nam) after 247 years under foreign domination.

After the war, the two were crowned queens and established their capital in the present Mê Linh District.

At the opening ceremony held in the district on Thursday night, Vice President Võ Thị Ánh Xuân and delegates from the Government offered incense to pay tribute to the two national heroines Trưng Trắc and Trưng Nhị at Hai Bà Trưng Temple and other national generals who participated in the uprising to regain national independence in the years 40-43 AD.

Speaking at the ceremony, Chairman of Mê Linh District's People's Committee Hoàng Anh Tuấn also reviewed the indomitable struggle of Trưng Sisters and other heroes from across the country to expel the foreign invaders, bringing independence for the country.

“The Trưng Sisters' Uprising marked the first brilliant milestone in the history of defending the country of the Vietnamese people. Immediately after the successful uprising, the two heroines proclaimed themselves queens, established the capital, and began consolidating and rebuilding the country. They became the first queens of the nation," Tuấn said.

Vice President Võ Thị Ánh Xuân and delegates from the Government offer incense to pay tribute to the two national heroines Trưng Trắc and Trưng Nhị at Hai Bà Trưng Temple. — VNA/VNS Photo Văn Điệp

Hai Bà Trưng Temple is home to many precious ancient historical artefacts, including wood, stone, bronze, porcelain and paper, notably the 23 ordination items. The artefacts preserved at the relic site mainly date back to the Nguyễn Dynasty such as incense burners, palanquins and worship statues. They are all carved elaborately and exquisitely with decoration featuring dragons, tigers, flowers and seals.

The image of Trưng Sisters is depicted during the 3D mapping programme at the opening ceremony of the Hai Bà Trưng Temple Festival on Thursday night. — VNA/VNS Photo Văn Điệp

The temple was certified as a Special National Historical Relic Site by the then Prime Minister in 2013.

Organisers of the festival in Mê Linh District said this year's festival is held with the largest scale ever and a large number of locals and tourists from over the country had arrived at the Hai Bà Trưng Temple relic site very early, right on the first day of the event.

Security therefore has been carefully prepared to avoid congestion and ensure safety for the visitors, they confirmed. VNS