A festival to commemorate the nation’s legendary mother, Au Co,
officially started at Au Co Temple in Ha Hoa district in the northern
midland province of Phu Tho on February 16, the seventh day of the first
lunar month.
The festival is part of activities of
the “Return to the root” 2013 tourism programme jointly organised by
the northern provinces of Phu Tho, Yen Bai and Lao Cai.
Legend has it that Au Co, daughter of De Lai, descended to earth on
the seventh day of the first lunar month. She married Lac Long Quan and
later gave birth to 100 eggs that became 100 sons. The couple then
parted due to their different origins. Lac Long Quan went to the sea
with 50 children, and Au Co went to the mountains with the other half of
the children.
Au Co taught local people to
cultivate rice, plant mulberry trees, breed silkworms and weave fabric
before she returned to heaven on the 25th day of the twelfth lunar
month.
Earlier, on the sixth day of the first lunar
month, numerous activities including art performances and traditional
games were organised in the district in an effort to maintain and uphold
local cultural characters and national solidarity.-VNA