President attends the inauguration ceremony of Hung Kings Temple in Can Tho. (Photo: VNA)

In his remarks at the inauguration ceremony of the temple in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on April 6, President Phuc said the building of the temple is not only to honor the national ancestors but also to affirm the nation’s independence and self-reliance.

He asked the local authorities to effectively manage and preserve the temple.

The construction of the temple was given greenlight by then Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in 2016 and its work began in 2019. Costing 130 billion VND, it covers an area of more than 39,000 square metres.

The Hung King is the title given to the ancient Vietnamese rulers of the Hong Bang period (2879–258 BC). They were the Kings of Van Lang. The worshiping rituals of the Hung Kings was recognised as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012.