Who are the 18 Hung Kings?

Hung Vuong is the name given to the kings of Van Lang country of the Lac Viet people, a dynasty that is believed to have been established more than 4,000 years ago. The story of the Hung Kings is not in official history but lies in Vietnamese folk legends that have been told over many generations. For the Vietnamese people, the Hung Kings represent their ancestors, the tradition of building the country and are a source of pride for a civilization with a strong identity for thousands of years.

Who are the 18 Hung Kings?

According to Dai Viet Su Luoc and many other documents, the Hung King dynasty was passed down through 18 generations, including the following.

1. Kinh Duong Vuong, real name Loc Tuc, also known as Luc Duc Vuong, was born in the year of Nham Ngo (2919 BC). He ascended the throne at the age of 41 and reigned for a total of 86 years, from the year of Nham Tuat (2879 BC) to Dinh Hoi (2794 BC).

2. Lac Long Quan, real name Sung Lam, also known as Hung Hien Vuong, was born in the year of Binh Thin (2825 BC), ascended the throne at the age of 33, and reigned for a total of 269 years, from the year of Mau Ty (2793 BC) to the year of Binh Thin (2525 BC).

3. Hung Quoc Vuong, whose real name was Hung Lan, was born in the year of Canh Ngo (2570 BC). He ascended the throne at the age of 18 and reigned for 272 years, from the year of Dinh Ty (2524 BC) to 2253 BC.

4. Hung Hoa Vuong, whose real name was Buu Lang, ascended the throne in the year of Dinh Hoi (2252 BC), and reigned for a total of 342 years, from the year of Dinh Hoi (2254 BC) to the year of Mau Thin (1913 BC).

5. Hung Hy Vuong, real name Bao Lang, was born in the year of Tan Mui (2030 BC), ascended the throne at the age of 59, and reigned for a total of 200 years, from the year of Ky Ty (1912 BC) to Mau Ty (1713 BC).

6. Hung Hon Vuong, real name Long Tien Lang, was born in the year of Tan Dau (1740 BC), ascended the throne at the age of 29, and reigned for a total of 81 years, from the year of Ky Suu (1712 BC) to the year of Ky Dau (1632 BC).

7. Hung Chieu Vuong, real name Quoc Lang, was born in the year of Quy Ty (1768 BC), ascended the throne at the age of 18, and reigned for a total of 200 years, from the year of Canh Tuat (1631 BC) to the year of Ky Ty (1432 BC).

8. Hung Vy Vuong, real name Van Lang, born in the year of Nham Thin (1469 BC) ascended the throne at the age of 39, reigning for a total of 100 years, from the year Canh Ngo (1431 BC) to the year Ky Dau (1332 BC).

9. Hung Dinh Vuong, real name Chan Nhan Lang, born in the year of Binh Dan (1375 BC), ascended the throne at the age of 45, reigned for a total of 80 years, from 1331 to 1252 BC.

10. Hung Uy Vuong, real name Hoang Long Lang, reigned for 90 years, from 1251 to 1162 BC.

11. Hung Trinh Vuong, real name Hung Duc Lang, was born in the year of Canh Tuat (1211 BC), ascended the throne at the age of 51, and reigned for a total of 107 years, from the year of Canh Ty (1161 BC) to the year of Binh Tuat (1055 BC).

12. Hung Vu Vuong, real name Duc Hien Lang, was born in the year of Binh Than (1105 BC), ascended the throne at the age of 52, and reigned for a total of 86 years, from the year of Dinh Hoi (1054 BC) to the year of Nham Tuat (969 BC).

13. Hung Viet Vuong, real name Tuan Lang, was born in the year of Ky Hoi (982 BC), ascended the throne at the age of 23, and reigned for a total of 115 years, from the year of Quy Hoi (968 BC) to Dinh Mui (854 BC).

14. Hung Anh Vuong, whose real name was Vien Lang, was born in the year of Dinh Mao (894 BC). He ascended the throne at the age of 42 and reigned for a total of 99 years, from 853 to 755 BC.

15. Hung Trieu Vuong, real name Canh Chieu Lang, was born in the year of Quy Suu (748 BC), ascended the throne at the age of 35, and reigned for a total of 94 years, from the year of Dinh Hoi (754 BC) to the year of Canh Than (661 BC).

16. Hung Tao Vuong, real name Duc Quan Lang, was born in the year of Ky Ty (712 BC), and reigned for a total of 92 years, from the year of Tan Dau (660 BC) to the year of Nham Thin (569 BC).

17. Hung Nghi Vuong, real name Bao Quang Lang, was born in the year of At Dau (576 BC) and ascended the throne at the age of 9. He reigned for a total of 160 years, from the year of Quy Ty (568 BC) to the year of Nham Than (409 BC).

18. Hung Due Vuong, born in the year Canh Than (421 BC), ascended the throne at the age of 14, reigned for a total of 150 years, from the year Quy Dau (408 BC) to the year Quy Mao (258 BC).

Hung King's death anniversary is the death anniversary of which king?

According to the chronology in legends and myths, the 18 Hung Kings ruled one after another for more than 2,600 years. If divided on average, each king's reign lasted approximately 150 years. Explaining this, some scholars believe that the 18 Hung Kings were not actually 18 specific individuals, but 18 branches, each of which had many kings taking turns reigning and sharing the same royal title. Even the number 18 is only symbolic, a convention showing that the Hung Dynasty lasted for many generations, because 18 is a multiple of 9 - a sacred number for the Vietnamese people.

There were so many Hung Kings, but only one Hung King's death anniversary; so which king's death anniversary is that? This is something many people still wonder about.

First, we must talk about the origin of the Vietnamese people. Legend has it that Kinh Duong Vuong married Long Nu and gave birth to Lac Long Quan. Lac Long Quan then married Au Co and gave birth to Hung Vuong.

Hung Vuong was thus the eldest grandson of Kinh Duong Vuong, which was the reign title used for dozens of subsequent dynasties. Therefore, logically, the anniversary of the ancestor's death must be the anniversary of Kinh Duong Vuong's death, to commemorate the ancestor who founded the country.

In fact, according to some historical documents, the death anniversary of the ancestors has existed for 2,000 years. During the reign of Thuc Phan An Duong Vuong, a stone oath pillar was erected on Nghia Linh mountain, clearly stating: "I wish that the vast heaven and earth will witness that the Southern nation will forever exist in the Hung King's temple. I wish to forever look after the Hung family's mausoleum and preserve the country that the Hung King gave me; if I break my promise or swear, the wind will blow it away and the hammer will crush it."

Later kings also remembered and affirmed the role of the Hung Kings in building the country. That is why every year, Vietnamese people set aside a day to commemorate those who established and built the country - the Hung Kings in general.

In the past, people did not have the custom of going to Hung Temple on March 10. They often chose a good day according to their destiny and eagerly came to worship the Hung Kings all year round, especially in spring and autumn, without any specific date. The local ancestor worship ceremony was held on the 12th day of the third lunar month, combined with worshiping Tho Ky. Usually, when descendants from far away returned, they would celebrate the death anniversary one day before (March 11) and not hold a large festival on a national scale.

Thus, the worship time often lasted for a long time, wasting money and not clearly expressing the sincerity, not gathering the people's hearts. Realizing this, in 1917 (Khai Dinh Dynasty), Phu Tho Governor Le Trung Ngoc submitted a petition to the Ministry of Rites, requesting to establish a rule to choose the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month every year as the national worship day. From then on, every 10th day of the 3rd lunar month, people across the country turned to their homeland - Hy Cuong commune, Lam Thao, Phu Tho to honor the merits of the Hung Kings. The 10th day of the 3rd lunar month is called the Hung King's Commemoration Day.

To this day, Hung King's death anniversary is still considered a national anniversary and an important holiday of the country. Workers have a day off on this day.

According to VTC