At Hung King temple (Source: VNA) Phu Tho (VNA) – In Vietnam, the janitor of apagoda (or temple) is usually an elderly person respected by the local community,who is selected by the community to do the work for many years. But it is evenharder to be selected for the job at many temples in the Hung Kings Temple historicalsite in the northern province of Phu Tho.
Currently there are six temples in the Hung Kings Templehistorical site, which are the Lac Long Quan Temple, the Au Co Temple, theThuong Temple, the Trung Temple, the Ha Temple and the Gieng Temple.
For the two newly-built temples - the Lac Long Quan and AuCo Temples, the relic site management board appoints janitors to look afterthem, but for the remaining four temples, which have been around for a longtime, the local community attaches great importance to selecting the janitors.
Besides the respect and trust of the local community, janitorsat the four old temples in the historical site must pass an examination, andcan hold the position for only one year and just once in their life.
The examination to select temple janitors has been heldannually for nearly two decades, with the aim of choosing persons with thoroughunderstanding of the history and details of all relics in the relic site andrituals in worshiping the Hung Kings.
According to Pham Quoc Khanh, deputy director of the HungKings Temple historical site, there are strict requirements for candidates forthe position of janitor at temples in the site. Candidates, selected by localcommunities, must be men at over 60 years old, who have happy and law-abiding families.The candidates themselves should be ethical, have good health and niceappearance. In particular, they must have good understanding of the historicalsite and cultural and historical values of the worship of Hung Kings.
The examination of potential janitors is held inmid-December, testing the candidates on legal documents on the historical site,regulations on the preservation of the site, the history and architecture ofeach temple, and everything related to the worship of the Hung Kings.
An important part of the exam is the practice of rituals atthe temples.
The one-year term of a janitor begins on January 1 and endsat December 31 the same year.
This year, 64-year-old Dao Kim Muon from Ca Village, HyCuong commune, was chosen to be the janitor at Thuong Temple.
“Being selected for the job is an honour for me and myfamily and my village as well,” Muon said.
Every day, the janitors at temples in the Hung Kings Templerelic site begin their work at 6 am, cleaning the altars, replacing theofferings, burning incense and striking the bell. They start the day evenearlier during the Hung King Temple festival.
“Besides looking after the temples, we spend time learning history,reading stories and looking for related information in order to talk tovisitors,” Muon said.
He added that he also coordinates with other relic siteworkers to guide visitors in practicing the worshipping ritual, such as how toarrange the offerings and pay tribute, and at the same time advise them not tojoin in superstitious practices.
The Hung Kings are thelegendary founders of Vietnam. They are believed to rule the country for 18generations. To honour the Hung Kings, a complex of temples dedicated to themwas built on Nghia Linh Mountain, and the tenth day of the third lunar monthserves as their anniversary.
The worship of the Hung Kings are closely related to theancestral worship traditions of most Vietnamese families, an important part ofpeople's spiritual life. It was recognised by UNESCO as part of the IntangibleCultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012.-VNA
