The Kinh Duong Vuong "Lac Long Quan" Au Co Temple festival opened in Thuan Thanh district, Bac Ninh province on February 25 (the 16th day of the first lunar month) in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan.
Deputy PM Nhan offered incense to the national ancestors and beat a drum to open the festival.
The ceremony also featured a palanquin procession, Quan Ho (love duet) singing, a lion and dragon dance, and various folk games.
A project to restore and upgrade the tomb and temple of Kinh Duong Vuong was launched the same day in connection with the occasion. The project, which has a total investment of VND17 billion (US$816,000) funded by the Bac Ninh provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, is expected to be completed within 270 days.
The three-day festival is part of the activities in response to the National Tourism Year 2013, which highlights the Red River Delta region.
Legend has it that Kinh Duong Vuong, alias Loc Tuc, established the first primitive state named Xich Quy in 2879 BC. His son, Lac Long Quan, married fairy Au Co, the daughter of De Lai. Au Co then gave birth to a pouch filled with one hundred eggs, which soon hatched into one hundred sons. Soon after, Lac Long Quan and Au Co separated. Lac Long Quan went to the coasts with 50 children and Au Co went to the highlands with the others.
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, Phu Tho province), starting the 18 reigns of Hung Kings.