The ceremony also included the commemoration of the 719th death anniversary of General Tran Hung Dao (or Tran Quoc Tuan), one of the most revered figures in Vietnam’s history.

leftcenterrightdel
The Con Son-Kiep Bac Autumn Festival 2019 kicked off in the northern province of Hai Duong on September 15. (Photo: thethaovanhoa.vn)

In his speech, Vice Chairman of the Hai Duong provincial People’s Committee Luong Van Cau recalled the life and career of the national hero Tran Hung Dao who had led troops to defeat Mongolian invaders in the past.

After the commemoration, visitors were entertained with a special artistic program themed “Strong impetus of Luc Dau River”, a highlight of this year’s festival. The program replayed the Tran dynasty’s soldiers’ and people’s three battles against the Mongolian invaders more than 700 years ago, praising General Tran Hung Dao’s legacy. This large-scale program gathered 50 colorfully-decorated boats and about 1,500 people including artists, martial arts students, soldiers and local people acting as generals and troops.

Such a program contributed to popularizing the cultural features of the Con Son-Kiep Bac special national relic site.

Translated by Mai Huong