The palanquin procession at the festival (Photo: VNA)Phu Tho (VNA) – A festival dedicated to Au Co –the legendary mother of Vietnam – opened in Hien Luong commune of Ha Hoadistrict, the northern province of Phu Tho, on February 3 (or the seventh dayof the Lunar New Year).
The festival was opened with a ritualworshipping the guardian deity at the local communal house. A palanquinprocession began later in the day, taking the offerings from the communal houseto the Au Co Temple. The ritual prays for peace, good weather, prosperity andhappiness.
The Au Co Temple festival marked the start offestive activities in Phu Tho in the spring.
The temple was built under the reign of King LeThanh Tong (15th century) and named a national historical and cultural relicsite in 1991. On January 23, 2017, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourismrecognised the worship of Au Co at the temple as part of the nationalintangible cultural heritage.
Legend has it that Au Co, who was a fairy,descended to the earth on the seventh day of the first lunar month. She metwith Lac Long Quan and gave birth to 100 sons. Fifty of them followed theirfather to the sea and the other half followed their mother to the mountains inthe upstream Red River.
When they arrived in the area which is now HienLuong commune, Au Co and her children were so captivated by the area’sfertility and stunning landscapes that they decided to settle there, and thiswas where the eldest son was crowned as Hung King – the legendary founder ofVietnam.
They practised water rice cultivation to providefood, planted mulberry trees, and bred silk worms before Au Co returned toheaven on the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month.
Vietnam has about 8,000festivals each year. Of which, nearly 90 percent are traditional festivals, 6percent are religious ones and 4 percent are historical ones.-VNA
The festival was opened with a ritualworshipping the guardian deity at the local communal house. A palanquinprocession began later in the day, taking the offerings from the communal houseto the Au Co Temple. The ritual prays for peace, good weather, prosperity andhappiness.
The Au Co Temple festival marked the start offestive activities in Phu Tho in the spring.
The temple was built under the reign of King LeThanh Tong (15th century) and named a national historical and cultural relicsite in 1991. On January 23, 2017, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourismrecognised the worship of Au Co at the temple as part of the nationalintangible cultural heritage.
Legend has it that Au Co, who was a fairy,descended to the earth on the seventh day of the first lunar month. She metwith Lac Long Quan and gave birth to 100 sons. Fifty of them followed theirfather to the sea and the other half followed their mother to the mountains inthe upstream Red River.
When they arrived in the area which is now HienLuong commune, Au Co and her children were so captivated by the area’sfertility and stunning landscapes that they decided to settle there, and thiswas where the eldest son was crowned as Hung King – the legendary founder ofVietnam.
They practised water rice cultivation to providefood, planted mulberry trees, and bred silk worms before Au Co returned toheaven on the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month.
Vietnam has about 8,000festivals each year. Of which, nearly 90 percent are traditional festivals, 6percent are religious ones and 4 percent are historical ones.-VNA
VNA
