HỘI TRÙNG DƯƠNG
CONFLUENCE OF RIVERS
MAY 12, 2018
In the 19th century, the French invaded Vietnam, established a protectorate, and divided the country into three regions: the Tonkin (North Vietnam), Annam (Central Vietnam), and Cochin china (South Vietnam). Ever since, the Vietnamese have continued to fight for their independence and the unification of the three regions.
Personifying three well-known Vietnamese rivers as three sisters, representing the three regions, Phạm Đình Chương, the celebrated authors of many best-known and loved Vietnamese songs, fantasized their unification at the East Sea (Pacific Ocean) in a festival, Hội Trùng Dương (Sea Festival). The song consists of three parts, each dwelling on one of the three rivers: (1) the first is the Voice of the Red River (Sông Hồng), telling the story of the North and its people; (2) the second is the Voice of the Perfume River (Sông Hương), telling the story of Central Vietnam and its people; and (3) the third is the Voice of the Mekong River (Sông Cửu Long), telling the story of the South and its people. The final chorus depicts the meeting of the three rivers and hence the unification of the three regions of Vietnam.
We choose this theme to summons members of the Vietnamese diaspora living around the world to join us and celebrate the Áo Dài Day. April of 1975 has dispersed freedom-loving Vietnamese all over the globe. We ask everyone to put on the Áo Dài on that day to remind that we, members of the Vietnamese refugee diaspora, are still one people. And we ask the world to take part in our journey, and enjoy our unification spirit.
This year, ADF’s evening dinner show will be based on this theme.