Memorial Ceremony of the 725th Death Anniversary of National Hero Tran Hung Dao

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man attended the ceremony commemorating the 725th death anniversary of National Hero Tran Hung Dao and beat the drum to open the Con Son-Kiep Bac Autumn Festival 2025.

On the evening of October 12, at Kiep Bac relic site, Tran Hung Dao ward, Hai Phong city, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man attended the ceremony to commemorate the 725th death anniversary of National Hero Tran Hung Dao and beat the drum to open the Con Son-Kiep Bac Autumn Festival 2025.

Also attending the ceremony was Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh.

Reading the memorial speech, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee, Chairman of the Hai Phong City People's Committee, Head of the Organizing Committee of the 2025 Con Son-Kiep Bac Autumn Festival Le Ngoc Chau said that 725 years ago, on August 20, Canh Ty year (1300), Hung Dao Dai Vuong Tran Quoc Tuan passed away in Van Kiep.

To honor the merits of the National Hero, a genius military man, with both intelligence and courage, who led the army and people of Dai Viet to defeat the Yuan-Mongol invaders three times, King Tran Anh Tong posthumously granted him the titles of Grand Master, Grand Duke, and Great King of Humanity and Hung Dao. The people honored him as the Nine Heavenly Martial Emperor Duc Thanh Tran.

Comrade Le Ngoc Chau, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee, Chairman of the Hai Phong City People's Committee, Head of the Organizing Committee of the 2025 Con Son-Kiep Bac Autumn Festival delivered the opening speech. (Photo: Doan Tan/VNA)

While he was still alive, the people built a temple on the foundation of the old Royal Palace in Van Kiep to worship him. After his death, King Tran ordered the people to build a temple, which is now Kiep Bac temple.

To this day, the treasure of heritage with profound humanistic meaning that Hung Dao Dai Vuong left behind over the centuries still retains its value. Each place name and each immortal piece of literature bears his outstanding mark, becoming the immortal pride of many generations of Vietnamese people.

From Dong Bo Dau, Ham Tu, Tay Ket, Chuong Duong, Van Kiep to Bach Dang Giang, the heroic spirit of Dong A still echoes the glorious spirit of three victories over the Yuan-Mongol army.

From the political and military ideology of “leniency and the people’s strength,” “using the short to rule the long, using the few to fight the many, using the weak to defeat the strong”; to the profound philosophies of life in the Essentials of Military Strategy, The Secret Book of Van Kiep Sect, Proclamation to the Soldiers… all are crystallized from the character of an immortal supreme god of fortune; a person who contributed to preserving “the country and rivers forever firmly in the golden cup.”

“On the occasion of the 725th anniversary of his death, we respectfully express our deepest gratitude to our ancestors who built and defended the country. We vow to unite to preserve and promote the tradition of the heroic Port City - the cultured Eastern Region, determined to protect, build and develop Hai Phong city to become increasingly rich, civilized and modern,” emphasized Chairman of the Hai Phong City People's Committee Le Ngoc Chau.

Regarding the Con Son-Kiep Bac Autumn Festival in 2025, Mr. Le Ngoc Chau stated that the Festival will be held after the successful 1st Hai Phong City Party Congress.

The festival took place from October 1st, with the largest scale ever. The festival space was expanded; the organization ensured both solemnity, following traditional rituals, and modernity, professionalism, and friendliness to tourists.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man beats the drum to open the Con Son-Kiep Bac Autumn Festival 2025. (Photo: Doan Tan/VNA)

The ceremony is fully performed with rituals, recreating the unique historical-cultural values ​​of the heritage site; the festival is rich with many in-depth activities, associated with cultural-tourism-cuisine-craft village experiences.

The Culture-Tourism and Trade Promotion Week is a highlight, aiming to introduce OCOP products, typical craft villages, along with unique culinary spaces and launch new tours, helping visitors get closer to the historical, cultural and spiritual quintessence of the heritage area.

At the Con Son-Kiep Bac Autumn Festival in 2025, Hai Phong announced the city's heritages that have been recognized by UNESCO so that people, tourists from all over the world and international friends can have more journeys to explore and experience the unique cultural-historical identity of Hai Phong city - where the quintessence of heritage converges.

In July 2025, at the 47th session, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) honored the Con Son - Kiep Bac Monuments and Landscape Complex along with Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem as World Cultural Heritage.

The relic complex has demonstrated the strong connection between the State, religion and people, demonstrating the everlasting vitality and depth of Vietnamese culture over the centuries.

In particular, Hai Phong is marked with five "precious gems" including: Con Son Pagoda - the center of Truc Lam study and practice, bearing the traces of the Patriarchs Phap Loa and Huyen Quang; Thanh Mai Pagoda - built during the Tran Dynasty on Phat Tich Mountain, associated with the career of the two Patriarchs of Truc Lam; Kiep Bac Temple - a space to worship Saint Tran, symbolizing wisdom and courage and the way to govern the country; Nham Duong Pagoda - the ancestral temple of Cao Dong - is the place to preserve evidence of the continuous residence of ancient Vietnamese people and Kinh Chu Cave - known as "the sixth cave of the South" with 47 stele stelae, an "outdoor documentary museum"; a place to preserve the writings of many famous people reflecting the history, culture and beliefs of the nation over nearly 7 centuries, from the Tran Dynasty to the Nguyen Dynasty.

Chairman of the Hai Phong City People's Committee Le Ngoc Chau hopes that in the coming time, each investor interested in Hai Phong will become a "talented architect", bringing their passion and creativity to embellish and increase the value of the heritage area.

Each tourism association, each travel, transportation and service business will be the "designer" of new and unique tours and routes, connecting historical sites, craft villages, culinary products and typical OCOP products of Hai Phong.

Each resident of the heritage area will become an owner, a "media messenger," spreading meaningful messages about standardizing service quality, promoting digital transformation, developing unique products and regional linkages, and practicing green tourism.

Thereby, building Hai Phong into a "must-see" destination in every tourist's journey.

Immediately after the ceremony was a special art program "Hai Phong - The quintessence of heritage land"./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/le-tuong-niem-725-nam-ngay-mat-cua-anh-hung-dan-toc-tran-hung-dao-post1069888.vnp