BAC NINH (VNS) — The Kinh Duong Vuong festival began at the historical Kinh Duong Vuong-Lac Long Quan-Au Co temple and royal tomb complex in Thuan Thanh District, northern Bac Ninh Province last Saturday.

Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan and local authorities offered incense at the festival, held on the 16th day of the first lunar month, to commemorate the nation's legendary father Lac Long Quan and mother Au Co, and pray for happiness of the country and its people.

Legend has it that Lac Long Quan, whose real name was Sung Lam, the son of Kinh Duong Vuong and Than Long Nu, married the daughter of De Lai, fairy Au Co. Au Co then gave birth to a pouch filled with one hundred eggs, which soon hatched into a hundred sons, believed to be Viet Nam's ancestors. But soon thereafter, Lac Long Quan and Au Co separated. Lac Long Quan went to the coast with 50 of the children while Au Co went to the highlands with the rest.

Their eldest son was made the King, who named the country Van Lang and set up the capital in Phong Chau (nowadays Viet Tri City, northern midland Phu Tho Province), starting the 18 reigns of Hung Kings.

Along with conducting several solemn rites representing respect for the ancestors, a wide range of sports and cultural activities such as Quan Ho (love duet) singing, water puppetry performance, card games, wrestling, and earthenware pot smashing, will be held at the three-day festival. — VNS