What Is Hùng Kings’ Commemoration Day? When Is It in 2025?

Hùng Kings' Commemoration Day is one of the most significant national holidays in Vietnam. Every year, millions of people gather at Hùng Temple on Nghĩa Lĩnh Mountain to honor their ancestors and pray for good weather, abundant harvests, and prosperity. The atmosphere is both solemn and intimate, as people from all over the country unite in remembrance of their shared heritage.

What Is Hùng Kings' Commemoration Day?

Hùng Kings' Commemoration Day, held annually on the 10th day of the third lunar month, is dedicated to the worship of the Hùng Kings, the legendary founders of Vietnam. The main celebrations take place at the Hùng Temple Historical Site in Việt Trì City, Phú Thọ Province. This site includes key landmarks such as Upper Temple, Middle Temple, Lower Temple, Âu Cơ Temple, and the Hùng Kings’ Tomb, all of which preserve Vietnam’s thousand-year-old legacy.

Visitors Offering Incense at Hùng Temple – Photo: Source

When Is Hùng Kings’ Commemoration Day in 2025? Do Workers Get a Day Off?

In 2025, Hùng Kings' Commemoration Day falls on Monday, April 7 (10th day of the 3rd lunar month).

According to Vietnamese labor laws, this is a national public holiday, meaning employees are entitled to a fully paid day off. Since it falls on a Monday, it does not overlap with a weekend, so there will be no compensatory day off.

Origins of Hùng Kings’ Commemoration Day

The origins of this celebration trace back to Vietnamese creation myths. According to legend, Lạc Long Quân (a dragon king) married Âu Cơ (a fairy), and they gave birth to 100 children. Fifty of them followed their father to the sea, while the other fifty followed their mother to the mountains. Their eldest son became King Hùng, establishing the ancient Văn Lang kingdom, considered the first Vietnamese state.

Hạ Temple Complex – Legend Says This Is Where Âu Cơ Gave Birth to a Hundred Egg – Photo: Source

King Hùng was not only the founder of the nation but also a cultural hero, guiding his people in agriculture, settlement, and spiritual life. He was revered as a guardian deity, ensuring the fertility of the land and the prosperity of his people.

Historical Evidence of Hùng Kings’ Worship

The tradition of honoring the Hùng Kings dates back thousands of years. Ancient inscriptions at Upper Temple in Phú Thọ suggest that Thục Phán An Dương Vương, in gratitude for inheriting the throne from the Hùng Kings, built a temple on Nghĩa Lĩnh Mountain to worship them.

Over time, different dynasties solidified this worship:

• Hậu Lê Dynasty: Local communities were assigned to care for the Hùng Temple in exchange for tax exemptions.
• Lê Thánh Tông (1470) & Lê Kính Tông (1601): The royal court formally recognized the Hùng Kings’ festival as a national event, setting the commemoration days on the 11th and 12th days of the third lunar month.
• Nguyễn Dynasty – Emperor Khải Định (1917): The 10th day of the third lunar month was officially established as Hùng Kings’ Commemoration Day.
• Modern Era: In 2001, the Vietnamese government formally recognized it as a national holiday under Decree No. 82/2001/NĐ-CP.

The Meaning of Hùng Kings' Commemoration Day

For Vietnamese people, Hùng Kings’ Commemoration Day is a time to honor their ancestors and celebrate the cultural tradition of "Drinking water, remembering its source."

This day is not just a remembrance—it embodies a deep spiritual connection, fostering national unity, cultural pride, and moral consciousness. The ancestral worship tradition has long been a core part of Vietnamese culture, strengthening the bonds between generations, families, and communities.

Traditional Activities on Hùng Kings' Commemoration Day

The festival procession at Hùng Temple – Photo: Source

The Hùng Kings’ Commemoration Festival spans ten days, concluding on the 10th day of the third lunar month. It consists of two main sections:

1. The Ceremonial Rites:

• Worshipping Lạc Long Quân and Âu Cơ to honor the legendary ancestors.
• Offering incense and flowers at the relief carving "President Hồ Chí Minh Speaking to the Pioneer Army."
• Local authorities and communities from different regions participate in incense-offering rituals at the Hùng Temple complex.

2. The Festive Celebrations:

Beyond the formal ceremonies, the festival features a variety of cultural and sporting events, such as:

• Bánh chưng and bánh giầy (sticky rice cake) cooking contests, symbolizing gratitude to the ancestors.
• Hát Xoan performances—an ancient folk singing tradition.
• Boat races, football tournaments, and fireworks displays.
• Cultural exhibitions showcasing traditional crafts and local specialties.

Hùng Kings Worship: A UNESCO-Recognized Intangible Cultural Heritage

On December 6, 2012, Hùng Kings’ Worship was officially inscribed by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This prestigious recognition highlights the global significance of Vietnam’s ancestral reverence traditions.

UNESCO acknowledged that ancestor worship fosters social cohesion, identity, and continuity across generations. This tradition has expanded from its origins in Phú Thọ to over 1,410 Hùng Kings' worship sites across Vietnam, from Hanoi and Hải Phòng to Nghệ An, Huế, Lâm Đồng, Bình Phước, Ho Chi Minh City, and even Cần Thơ and Kiên Giang.

Today, Phú Thọ remains the heart of the national celebrations, home to over 340 historical relics dedicated to Hùng Kings’ worship.

Gifts on Hùng Kings' Commemoration Day?

Unlike many other holidays, Hùng Kings' Commemoration Day is not an occasion for gift-giving among friends or family. Instead, it is a time for remembrance and gratitude, focusing on spiritual offerings rather than material exchanges.

People typically express their reverence by offering incense, preparing traditional foods, or participating in community rituals.

Many Vietnamese families set up an ancestral altar at home, offering a meal to honor the Hùng Kings. A traditional offering includes:

• Bánh chưng and bánh giầy – symbolic cakes from Hùng dynasty folklore.
• Steamed chicken, sticky rice, and seasonal fruits.

Additionally, many people travel to Hùng Temple in Phú Thọ to take part in the national festivities and pray for peace, prosperity, and good fortune.

Conclusion

In today’s globalized world, preserving and promoting Hùng Kings' Commemoration Day is more important than ever. This holiday not only reinforces Vietnam’s cultural identity on the world stage but also ensures that future generations remain connected to their ancestral roots.

"Wherever you go, whatever you do,
Always remember the Tenth of the Third Lunar Month."

This folk verse continues to resonate with every Vietnamese person, reminding us that no matter how much society evolves, our roots remain strong.

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