Three Holiest Spring Pilgrimages to the Red River Delta and the Northeast

Spring is when sacred moments of cosmic renewal happen, signifying new beginnings. It is time for reunions and pilgrimages, to forget and forgive, as well as to mend and fortify relationships and faith. Thus, most major festivals, religious or non-religious, take place in spring to celebrate a new rhythm of life and send off the old one.

Considered to be the cradle of the Viets with a history recorded back to the mid-to-late 3rd century BCE, the Red River Delta and Northeast Coastal Region are Vietnam’s cultural juggernaut. Festivals are when culture comes alive, so, what better way to learn about indigenous Vietnamese culture than to embark on its three most sacred spring spiritual journeys?

Hung Kings Commemoration Day (March 10th in the lunar calendar) was declared a national holiday in 2007 to pay homage to the 18 Hung Kings (2879–258 BC), the first emperors of the nation who founded Văn Lang (the former name of Vietnam). The headline’s event is held annually from the 8th to the 11th of March in the lunar calendar, unifying the hearts of millions of Vietnamese people from all over the world.

Lang Lieu offering Chung and Day Cakes to Hung King

The practice of worshipping Hung Kings is to perpetuate and amplify the profound philosophies of ‘Uống nước nhớ nguồn’ (when drinking water, think of its source) and ‘Ăn quả nhớ kẻ trồng cây’ (when eating a fruit, think of the person who planted the tree) of Vietnamese people, thereby establishing and enhancing a sense of belonging and community. There is an old Vietnamese saying passed down from generation to generation:

‘Dù ai đi ngược về xuôi,
Nhớ ngày giỗ Tổ mùng mười tháng ba.’

Which means:

‘Wherever you go, up to the mountainous areas or down to the lowlands,
Remember the Ancestor’s Death Anniversary on March 10th.’

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