The 716th death anniversary of National Hero Tran Hung Dao was solemnly commemorated and the 2016 Con Son – Kiep Bac autumn festival began on September 17.
* Con Son – Kiep Bac autumn festival begins
Leaders offer incense in commemoration of National Hero Tran Hung Dao
The Organizing Board of Con Son – Kiep Bac Autumn Festival on the morning of September 17 (lunar August 17) solemnly commemorated the 716th death anniversary of National Hero Tran Hung Dao (1300 – 2016) and began the 2016 Con Son – Kiep Bac autumn festival at Kiep Bac relic site (Chi Linh provincial town, Hai Duong province).
In attendance were Mr. Nguyen Manh Hien, Member of the Central Party Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council; Mr. Vu Van Son, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee; Mr. Nguyen Duong Thai, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Head of the Provincial Delegation of National Assembly Deputies; Mr. Do Manh Hung, Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly's Office; Mr. Nguyen Van Hung, Deputy Head of the Central Mass Mobilization Commission; Ms. Dang Thi Bich Lien, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism; members of the Provincial Party Committee's Standing Board; leaders of departments, agencies, and organizations at provincial, district, city, and provincial town levels; a delegation from Seine-Saint-Denis (France); and numerous locals and visitors.
The anniversary began with special dragon and kylin dances, festival drumming, and other musical performances.
A commemorative speech delivered by Mr. Nguyen Duong Thai highlighted the importance position of Kiep Bac relic site in military, culture, and spirit and great merits of National Hero, Great Lord Hung Dao in three resistance wars against the Mongol Yuan invaders.
Born into a royal family in the Tran dynasty, Great Lord Hung Dao Tran Quoc Tuan was both a scholar and a warrior with good virtues of benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom, and loyalty.
As a talented person knowing how to preserve the national discipline, he was appointed to important posts under the reign of four Tran kings with good reputation handed down to and honored by posterity.
In the 13th century, the Mongol Yuan troops invaded Vietnam three times. Under the command of Supreme Commander, military genius Tran Hung Dao, patriotic Tran kings, and a series of talented generals, the country three times defeated the Mongol Yuan invaders.
The name of Great Lord Hung Dao is associated with brilliant feats of arms in Dong Bo Dau, Ham Tu, Tay Ket, Chuong Duong, Van Kiep, Bach Dang Giang, etc.
Not only a military genius, he also composed two sets of books to teach contemporary generals how to command troops to fight the enemy, namely Binh Thu Yeu Luoc (Summarized Essentials of Military Art) and Van Kiep Tong Bi Truyen Thu (Van Kiep Esoteric Book).
With such great merits, Tran kings conferred Great Lord title on Tran Hung Dao and built a temple for him in Van Kiep when he was still alive. King's Father Tran Thanh Tong personally composed an epitaph praising Great Lord Hung Dao's merits.
After over seven centuries, Great Lord Hung Dao's national protection thinking, consideration of people as the root, military knowledge, way to use people, loyalty to the king, and patriotism are still profound lessons for present and future generations.
On August 20 of Canh Ty year (1300), Tran Hung Dao passed away at his palace in Van Kiep and then was posthumously conferred Thai Su Thuong Phu Thuong Quoc Cong Nhan Vu Hung Dao Dai Vuong title on by the king.
Dai Viet people honored him as Saint Tran and Cuu Thien Vu De (Martial Emperor of Nine Heavens) and built a temple called Kiep Bac on the foundation of his palace to commemorate his great merits.
According to Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu (Complete Annals of Dai Viet), whenever the country encountered invasion, epidemics, drought, or crop failure, the king often sent high-ranking mandarins to Kiep Bac temple to make offerings and pray, and all of their wishes were fulfilled.
After a funeral oration had been delivered, delegates, locals, and visitors offered incense in commemoration of National Hero Tran Hung Dao's great contributions to the country in a solemn and respectful atmosphere.
* On the morning of the same day, an army festival jubilantly took place on the Luc Dau river with a performance of more than 40 boats of fishermen from Kenh Giang commune (Chi Linh).
The boats were decorated with colorful festive flags, and the fishermen wore costumes of generals and soldiers, waved flags, brandished lances, and impetuously departed to reenact the scene of Tran Hung Dao’s troop review in 1285.
Along with a boiling atmosphere on the river were eye-catching dragon, kylin, boxing, stick, and sword dance performances of 350 disciples of Nhat Nam school on the banks. The combination of water and land made up a spectacular and heroic scene of an ancient army festival.
Delivering a funeral oration in commemoration of Saint Tran's merits
Dragon dance at the festival opening ceremony
Taking offerings to Kiep Bac temple
Over 40 boats of fishermen from Kenh Giang commune (Chi Linh) take part in an army festival
on the Luc Dau river. Photos: Thanh Chung
NGOC HUNG
