The traditional festival commemorating the 156th anniversary of the death of National Hero Nguyen Trung Truc (abbreviated as the Festival) takes place from September 28 to 30, 2024 (26-28 of the 8th lunar month). People everywhere still call it by the familiar name of Nguyen's death anniversary.
These days, not only is the Temple of National Hero Nguyen Trung Truc in Rach Gia City bustling with activity, but on the remote island, Phu Quoc residents also join hands to contribute to organizing the Nguyen Dynasty's death anniversary.
Currently, all preparations for the memorial service have been basically completed, and visitors from all over the world can come to pay their respects. Before the ceremony, people from all over gather here to do volunteer work to serve all stages.
Accordingly, people cleaned the yard, cleaned inside and outside the campus, set up camp, prepared ingredients to cook vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes and wrap cakes. All items were donated by benefactors and organizations near and far to serve the ceremony with more than 15 tons of rice and various vegetables and fruits.
“Everyone contributed their money and work, everyone participated voluntarily and respectfully. The islanders are very grateful for his sacrifice for the people and the country, so everyone respectfully came to serve the memorial service,” said Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa No, a resident of Cua Can commune, Phu Quoc city.
The annual death anniversary of Mr. Nguyen in Phu Quoc has become a festival for the people, demonstrating the morality of remembering the source of water and the sincere heart of the island's people towards the national hero Nguyen Trung Truc.
Mr. Pham Van Hoa - Head of the Nguyen Trung Truc militia base in Cua Can commune - said: Every year, the number of visitors is very large, the peak time is about 10,000 - 12,000 people, and on normal days, the average is 200 - 300 people, on full moon days, from 300 - 400 people. There are many groups coming to do volunteer work such as cooking vegetarian food, making cakes, serving drinks, fruits, etc.
The death anniversary of National Hero Nguyen Trung Truc has increasingly spread in the community, from a normal death anniversary it has been elevated to a festival with many beautiful humanistic meanings, cultural and national values. Through that, it aims to educate the tradition of patriotism for generations, honor the virtues and bravery of Mr. Nguyen, who sacrificed for the freedom of his compatriots, in the battle against foreign invaders of the nation.
Nguyen Trung Truc's communal house in Cua Can commune is special because it was built right on the foundation of his last anti-French base in Phu Quoc, Kien Giang.
After this hero passed away, people in many places admired his bravery and patriotism and built temples to worship and honor Nguyen Trung Truc as a national hero. In Phu Quoc city alone, there are two temples: one in Ganh Dau commune, one in Cua Can commune. Of which, the temple in Cua Can was built in the area of Ghe Luong, which is said to have been one of the places of the insurgent army in the past...
In 2017, on the occasion of the 149th anniversary (1868-2017) of the death of National Hero Nguyen Trung Truc, the local people and authorities rebuilt a new communal house with a total cost of over 7 billion VND from socialized sources. The communal house is located next to a primeval forest, so visitors can also enjoy the fresh air around.
