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THE HANOI CHRONICLE — The annual Giong Festival , a UNESCO-inscribed intangible cultural heritage event, commenced on May 4 (the seventh day of the fourth lunar month) at the Phu Dong Temple in Hanoi’s Gia Lam District. This festival honors Genie Giong, a local legend who embodies the patriotic spirit of Vietnam. Truong Van Hoc, Vice Chairman of the Gia Lam District People’s Committee, inaugurated the festival. He highlighted the district’s rich cultural heritage as a convergence point of Thang Long and Kinh Bac, and the birthplace of Saint Giong. The festival, he explained, includes processions, rituals, offerings, and performances to commemorate Giong’s heroic sacrifice during the reign of the Sixth Hung King. Truong Van Hoc, Vice Chairman of Gia Lam District People’s Committee, addresses the audience at the Giong Festival opening ceremony. Photo: Kinh te & Do thi Newspaper The main event, falling on the ninth day, involves carrying flags from the Mother Temple to the Upp...