Kinh Dương Vương

Kinh Dương Vương (Hán tự: 涇陽王; "King of Kinh Dương") is a legendary ancient Vietnamese figure who was the first Hùng Vương (King Hùng), mentioned in the 15th-century work Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư with having grouped all the vassal states within his territory into a unified nation, and as the founder of the Hồng Bàng Dynasty. He is considered the first king of the Vietnamese people, and was the father of Lạc Long Quân.^[1]

Kinh Dương Vương's personal name was Lộc Tục (Hán tự: 祿續). According to the 15th-century Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư, he ruled over Xích Quỷ (later renamed Văn Lang) starting in 2879 BC. Kinh Dương Vương's father was Đế Minh (帝明, "Emperor Ming" of Chinese and Vietnamese mythology), great-grandson of Thần Nông (Shennong). His mother was Vụ Tiên Nữ (婺僊女, Goddess Vu). Kinh Dương Vương married Thần Long, who was the daughter of Động Đình Quân (Lord of Dongting) and mother of Kinh Dương Vương's successor Lạc Long Quân.^[1]

Today Kinh Dương Vương features with other legendary figures such as Thánh Gióng, Âu Cơ, Sơn Tinh and Thủy Tinh, in elementary school texts.^[2] A popular shrine, and presumed tomb of Kinh Dương Vương, is located in the village of An Lữ, Thuận Thành District, Bắc Ninh Province .

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