Tens of thousands gather at Lam Kinh Festival to celebrate King Le Thai To.

THANH HOA — National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong yesterday kicked off celebrations commemorating the 590th anniversary of the Lam Son Uprising and King Le Thai To - who defeated Chinese Ming invaders 580 years ago.

The celebrations are part of the three-day Lam Kinh Festival in the central province of Thanh Hoa, and were also attended by Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan.

The 75-minute ceremony re-enacted major historical events of the Le Dynasty, founded by King Le Thai To.

The event also included cultural activities such as traditional art performances, exhibitions of Le Dynasty antiques, historical books and photos and traditional music.

The festival attracted tens of thousands of visitors from across Viet Nam.

In a meeting with Thanh Hoa Provincial leaders last Saturday, Nguyen Phu Trong strongly supported the festival saying that the event would fuel patriotism and nationalism among Vietnamese people.

Trong was also pleased with Thanh Hoa’s steady economic growth of 13 per cent so far this year.

He said that Thanh Hoa, as the home of many national heroes, should tap this potential to develop the economy and contribute to national development.

Trong and other Government and Party leaders also visited Le Dynasty tombs to show respect to the heroic ancestors. — VNS