King Ly Nam De’s ascension to the throne celebrated

(Bqp.vn) - The 1,470th year since King Ly Nam De came to the throne and founded the independent country of Van Xuan (Thousand Springs) was celebrated on the 11th day of the first lunar month (February 10th) at the Muc Temple commemorating King Ly Nam De in Thai Nguyen province.

Photo: thethaovanhoa.vn

This annual celebration provides a chance for locals to commemorate King Ly Nam De’s great contributions to the nation and recall his life and career.

King Ly Nam De, whose birth name is Ly Bi, was born in Co Phap village, Tien Phong commune, Pho Yen district, Thai Nguyen province. In 542, he teamed up with other heroes to appeal to people to launch an uprising overthrowing Liang rulers. On January 12, 544, he was crowned king, named Nam De (King of the South), and he named the country Van Xuan, founding the pre-Ly Dynasty.

The same day, at Phu Ung Temple, a cultural relic site in Hung Yen province, a ceremony took place to commemorate 739 years since Pham Ngu Lao, a general of the Tran Dynasty, launched attacks against invaders and started the Phu Ung Temple Festival.

Born and raised in Phu Ung village, Pham Ngu Lao commanded Tran Dynasty troops to annihilate Yuan-Mongolian invaders.

The Phu Ung Temple was built on his birthplace. The three-day Phu Ung Temple Festival, in commemoration of Pham Ngu Lao’s great contributions, includes various activities such as a ceremony to pray for peace, water puppetry shows, “chau van” (spiritual) singing, wrestling and cock-fighting.

Mai Huong