Hoa Lu Festival kicks off

The festival aims to commemorate and pay tribute to the great merits of King Dinh Tien Hoang, King Le Dai Hanh and other nobles who established Dai Co Viet (Great Viet) - the first centralised feudal state in Vietnam.

The opening ceremony was attended by Politburo member, Secretary of the Hanoi Municipal Party Committee Dinh Tien Dung, and members of the Party Central Committee: Head of the National Assembly Standing Committee's Board for Deputy Affairs Nguyen Thi Thanh, who is also Deputy Head of the PCC's Commission for Organisation; and Secretary of the Party Committee and Head of the National Assembly deputies' delegation of Ninh Binh Province Nguyen Thi Thu Ha.

The festival opened with a spectacular art show with hundreds of professional and amateur actors with a repertoire introducing scenic spots, landscapes, historical and cultural relics in the land of Hoa Lu Ancient Capital and the hospitality of the Trang An-Ninh Binh people; introducing the values of archaeological excavation in the field south of the temple of King Le Dai Hanh in the special national relic site of Hoa Lu Ancient Capital. The event also features many folk games.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Tong Quang Thin, Standing Vice Chairman of Ninh Binh Provincial People's Committee emphasised, "Hoa Lu Festival, which is held annually, is a long-standing cultural activity, vividly reflecting the life, background and career of King Dinh Tien Hoang and Vietnamese history through the Dinh-Tien and Le-Ly dynasties. The festival has a great influence, contributing to the preservation of unique cultural and folk cultural values, becoming cultural and spiritual activities of the people of the ancient capital in particular and the people of the country in general.".

Leaders of Ninh Binh Province offer incense during Hoa Lu Festival. (Photo: Minh Quang)

Earlier, in the early morning of April 9 (the 9th day of the third lunar month), the organising board held a water procession along Hoang Long River to the temple of King Dinh Tien Hoang.

Hoa Lu Festival is an occasion to arouse patriotic traditions and the spirit of great solidarity of the Vietnamese people in the cause of national construction and defence and international integration; is among the activities preserving and promoting the historical and cultural values of the nation, promoting tourism potentials and strengths, and promoting the socio-economic development of the province.

Hoa Lu Festival takes place from April 9 to 11.