The Con Son - Kiep Bac Special National Relic Site in Hai Phong city is a place where natural landscapes blend with historical and cultural values. It commemorates outstanding historical figures, including Tran Hung Dao and Nguyen Trai, while preserving historical stories, cultural traditions and religious beliefs passed down through generations.
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A procession ritual performed during the festival |
Unlike most festivals in Viet Nam, Con Son - Kiep Bac Festival is held twice a year. The spring festival commemorates Huyen Quang, the Third Patriarch of the Truc Lam Zen Sect, and other historical figures who made contributions to the country. The autumn festival honors national heroes, particularly Grand Duke Tran Hung Dao.
The festival in 2026 also commemorates the 726th death anniversary of national hero Tran Hung Dao and the 584th death anniversary of national hero and World Cultural Figure Nguyen Trai. From the opening days, the festival has maintained a lively atmosphere while preserving its solemn and reverent character.
The opening-night art program, “Van Kiep - Millennia of Heroic Spirit,” featured performances inspired by the region's history and culture. The sound of drums echoed across Van Kiep, recalling the Tran dynasty's preparations for the resistance war against the Mongol-Yuan invasions in the 13th century.
According to Dong Thi Xuyen, 80, a resident of An Thanh commune, Hai Phong city, the festival area is more spacious and modern than in previous years, while the organization is more civilized and offers visitors more experiences.
The festival takes place around the first anniversary of UNESCO's inscription of the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son - Kiep Bac Complex of Monuments and Scenic Landscapes as a representative cultural heritage of humanity. To preserve and promote the value of the World Heritage site, the Hai Phong Municipal People's Committee has directed relevant agencies to improve the grounds of the relic site and strengthen heritage management, preservation and promotion.
At Con Son Pagoda, the temple dedicated to Nguyen Trai and Kiep Bac Temple, expanded spaces, archival images and QR codes allow visitors to learn more about the relics and national heroes. Public-address systems also remind visitors to follow regulations and maintain a civilized and respectful environment.
The festival continues to feature traditional rituals. Cultural and artistic programs, water puppetry, traditional craft villages, culinary activities, tourism promotion and trade promotion are also being held.
Nguyen Thi Thuy Lien, head of the Con Son - Kiep Bac Relic Site Management Board, said the board regularly inspects the site and monitors the situation to promptly address emerging issues and improve services for visitors.
Nguyen Minh Hung, Vice Chairman of the Hai Phong Municipal People's Committee and head of the festival organizing committee, said heritage protection must go hand in hand with protecting the landscape, cultural spaces and intangible heritage. Local residents, he said, play a central role in both preserving and benefiting from the heritage.
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The memorial ceremony marking the 584th death anniversary of national hero and World Cultural Figure Nguyen Trai |
He added that the World Heritage brand identity represents a commitment to “shared heritage - shared vision - shared responsibility” among localities, helping promote Con Son and Kiep Bac internationally while fostering pride, responsibility and determination to preserve and promote the cultural values passed down by previous generations.
Translated by Tran Hoai