Vice Chairman of the Phú Thọ provincial People's Committee Nguyễn Huy Nọọc and other delegates offer incense at the Mẫu Âu Cơ Temple. — VNA/VNS Photo

PHÚ THỌ — Ceremonies honouring Việt Nam’s legendary ancestors, Father Lạc Long Quân and Mother Âu Cơ, took place on April 3 at their respective temples within the Hùng Kings Temple Relic Site in the northern midland province of Phú Thọ.

Local leaders and citizens offered incense, flowers, and tributes to express their gratitude to Father Lạc Long Quân and Mother Âu Cơ for laying the foundations of the nation. They also prayed for national prosperity, peace, and unity.

On the same day, a delegation of nearly 50 overseas Vietnamese from 20 countries and territories arrived in Phú Thọ as part of a programme organised by the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

They took part in incense-offering ceremonies at the temples of Father Lạc Long Quân and the Hùng Kings.

According to legend, Lạc Long Quân (real name Sùng Lãm, son of Kinh Dương Vương and Thần Long Nữ) married Âu Cơ, the fairy daughter of Đế Lai. Âu Cơ later gave birth to a pouch containing one hundred eggs, which hatched into a hundred sons—believed to be the ancestors of the Vietnamese people. However, Lạc Long Quân and Âu Cơ eventually parted ways. Lạc Long Quân took 50 of their children to the coast, while Âu Cơ went to the highlands with the rest.

Their eldest son was crowned king, naming the country Văn Lang and establishing the capital in Phong Châu - modern-day Việt Trì City, Phú Thọ Province - marking the beginning of the 18 dynasties of the Hùng Kings.

The commemoration is held annually on the sixth day of the third lunar month as part of the Hùng Kings’ Death Anniversary on the 10th day of the third lunar month, a national holiday.

This year, the Hùng Kings’ Commemoration and Ancestral Land Culture - Tourism Week 2025 run from March 29 to April 7.

The programme features numerous cultural, sports, and tourism events aimed at fostering national pride and strengthening the bond between Vietnamese people at home and broad. — VNS/VNS