On the morning of 8/7, Hue City Chairman Nguyen Khac Toan, dressed in a blue ao dai and turban, presided over the Am Hon altar ceremony on Ong Ich Khiem street, Phu Xuan ward. This marked the first time a Hue City Chairman led the commemoration for victims of the capital's tragic fall 141 years ago.
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Hue City Chairman Nguyen Khac Toan presides over the ceremony. Photo: Ngoc Hieu |
The ceremony followed Nguyen Dynasty traditions, featuring rituals such as hand washing (quan tay), incense offering (thuong huong), and wine presentation (hien tuoc). The altar displayed three sacrificial animals: a buffalo, goat, and pig, alongside traditional refugee foods like sweet potatoes, cassava, and rice balls.
In front of the altar, a bonfire was lit to warm the unjust spirits who died by drowning. The master of ceremonies, also in an ao dai and turban, recited an invocation text recounting the fall of the Hue imperial capital and the establishment of the Am Hon altar.
After about 30 minutes, the ceremony concluded with the burning of votive offerings. Many residents and tourists offered incense at the Am Hon altar, expressing sincere respect for the deceased.
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Corn, sweet potatoes, cassava, peanuts, rice balls — foods consumed by refugees of the past. Photo: Vo Thanh |
Traditionally, Hue residents, both within and outside the former imperial city, prepare offerings from the 23/5 Lunar calendar until the end of the fifth lunar month to remember those who died during the capital's fall. This practice has been passed down through generations.
On 23/5/1885 Lunar calendar, after a failed attack on the Mang Ca outpost and the French Resident Superior's office, mandarin Ton That Thuyet and King Ham Nghi departed the Hue imperial city. The capital then fell to French forces, resulting in thousands of Hue residents losing their lives. After ascending the throne, King Thanh Thai ordered the construction of the Am Hon altar, and since then, a ceremony with three sacrificial animals and sticky rice has been held annually on the 23/5 Lunar calendar.
Vo Thanh
