722nd death anniversary of National Hero Tran Hung Dao and opening ceremony of Con Son - Kiep Bac Autumn Festival

Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Pham Xuan Thang and delegates offer commemorative incense

The Organizing Board of the Con Son - Kiep Bac Autumn Festival solemnly held an incense offering ceremony to commemorate the 722nd death anniversary of National Hero, Hung Dao Dai Vuong (Great Lord Hung Dao) Tran Quoc Tuan (1300 – 2022) and open the Con Son - Kiep Bac Autumn Festival 2022.

Mr. Pham Xuan Thang, Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the provincial People's Council, attended the event.

The speech delivered at the commemoration ceremony by Mr. Nguyen Minh Hung, Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee, Head of the Organizing Board of the Con Son - Kiep Bac Autumn Festival, affirmed that people's gathering from all over the country to commemorate and pay tribute to Saint, Hung Dao Dai Vuong Tran Quoc Tuan on the occasion of his death anniversary in the 8th lunar month has become a sacred custom.

Delivering a speech to praise Quoc Cong Tiet Che, Hung Dao Dai Vuong Tran Quoc Tuan's merits in national protection and development

In the sacred land of Kiep Bac, where the Dong A spirit has still resounded since over 700 years ago, this year's commemoration ceremony was an opportunity to express gratitude to National Hero, Hung Dao Dai Vuong Tran Quoc Tuan.

Quoc Cong Tiet Che (Supreme Commander) Tran Hung Dao, whose real name is Tran Quoc Tuan, was born to Tran royal family in 1228.

Tran Quoc Tuan was famous early in his childhood for his outstanding appearance, great learning, and martial arts.

The army festival on the Luc Dau river re-creates the Dong A spirit over 700 years ago

Talented and knowing how to preserve the national backbone, so he was appointed to important posts over the reign of four Tran kings and has been honored and worshipped by posterity for his good reputation. Tran Hung Dao is a shining image of patriotism and the spirit of undaunted struggle for national liberation.

A speech was delivered to praise Quoc Cong Tiet Che, Hung Dao Dai Vuong Tran Quoc Tuan's merits in national protection and development.

Within the framework of the festival, delegates and visitors witnessed an army festival on the Luc Dau river, which re-created the Dong A spirit over 700 years ago.

Thousands of visitors watch the army festival

The victory of Hung Dao Dai Vuong Tran Quoc Tuan and the Tran army contributed to ending the peak period of the Mongol army in history. This great merit brought him to the level of a strategic military genius and a top national hero of the Tran dynasty.

After two years of epidemic outbreaks, this year's festival is held on an inherent scale with main rituals standardized, such as commemoration and festival opening ceremony, seal opening and seal mark granting, peace praying ceremony – flower garland and colored lantern festival, Saint Tran's death anniversary, and especially the Culture and Tourism Week to propagandize tourism and typical products of Hai Duong.

The festival not only is an occasion for exchanges, solidarity strengthening, and popularization and introduction of the relic site in the process of completing a dossier with Quang Ninh and Bac Giang provinces for submission to the UNESCO for world cultural heritage recognition but also has a part in preserving, protecting, and promoting the value of the relic site.

TIEN HUY – THANH CHUNG