A ceremony was held to mark the 1978th anniversary of the Hai Ba Trung Uprising at the Hai Ba Trung Temple, a special national relic site, in Ha Noi’s Me Linh district on February 21, or the 6th day in the first month of the Year of the Dog.
A Tuong (classic opera) performance about the Hai Ba Trung Uprising
The event also celebrated a certificate recognizing the Hai Ba Trung Temple Festival as part of the national intangible cultural heritage.
Prominent among delegates at the ceremony were Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung and former Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan.
On the sixth day of the second lunar month in 40 AD, the Trung Sisters led a mass uprising against the Han invaders to reclaim national independence after more than 200 years of foreign rule.
After defeating the invaders, Trung Trac became King. Three years later, the Han army returned and defeated the Trung sisters and their army, after which the sisters killed themselves by jumping into the Hat Giang river.
The uprising has gone down in Vietnamese history as a demonstration of the nation's strength and patriotism, as well as the crucial role of Vietnamese women in national construction and defence.
The festival comprises several rituals such as incense offering, a parade and folk performances. It will last until February 23, or the 8th day in the first lunar month.