Lunar New Year – a summary of the biggest traditional holiday in Vietnam
- Thứ bảy - 01/02/2014 05:53
- |In ra
- |Đóng cửa sổ này
The traditional Lunar New Year (Tet) is the biggest and oldest festival in Vietnam, bringing its people together to celebrate the sacred and meaningful annual event.
Tet
is
an
occasion
when
members
of
a
family,
no
matter
where
they
are
and
what
they
do
to
earn
a
living,
get
together
and
pray
in
front
of
the
ancestral
altar.
Their
return
to
home
in
celebration
of
Tet
is
regarded
as
a
journey
back
to
their
birthplace.
For
most
Vietnamese,
Tet
actually
begins
with
the
“Ong
Cong
-
Ong
Tao”
(Land
Genie
and
Kitchen
Gods)
ceremony
on
the
23rd
of
the
last
month
of
the
lunar
year,
which
fell
on
January
23
this
year.
The
Kitchen
Gods
are
believed
to
comprise
of
two
male
and
one
female
spirit,
who
bless
the
household
and
keep
up
the
kitchen
fire,
making
every
member
of
the
family
happy
and
prosperous.
According
to
legend,
the
Land
Genie
and
the
Kitchen
Gods
will
ride
carps
to
Heaven
on
the
23
rd
to
deliver
an
annual
report
on
the
household’s
activities
to
the
God
of
Heaven.
As
the
gods
make
their
journey
on
the
back
of
fish,
it
is
traditional
to
release
live
carps
into
lakes
or
rivers,
which
is
considered
a
kind-hearted
deed
to
pray
for
good
luck.
On
that
day,
people
also
burn
joss
paper
clothing,
including
hats,
robes
and
boots,
intended
for
use
by
the
genies
on
the
trip.
After
the
Kitchen
Gods
go
to
Heaven,
families
begin
tidying
and
decorating
their
houses
to
usher
in
the
New
Year
as
they
believe
that
a
clean
house
represents
a
fresh
start.
A
year-end
praying
ceremony
will
be
held
in
the
evening
of
the
lunar
December
30.
Offerings
to
ancestors
are
indispensable,
especially
a
tray
of
five
fruits
which
symbolise
hope
for
abundance
and
prosperity.
Before
and
after
the
holiday
which
will
usually
last
for
seven
days,
the
Vietnamese
have
different
customs,
depending
on
each
locality.
Northerners
will
offer
their
ancestors
a
bunch
of
bananas,
a
grapefruit,
oranges
or
tangerines,
persimmons
and
kumquats
while
southerners
will
give
a
coconut,
a
papaya,
custard
apples,
green
mangos
and
a
piece
of
twig.
Folk
paintings,
calligraphy,
peach
blossom
and
kumquat
trees
are
very
popular
in
each
family
in
the
northern
region
while
apricot
blossom
is
prevalent
in
the
south.
They
represent
affluence,
good
luck
and
happiness.
It
is
also
their
custom
to
clear
up
all
debts
and
conflicts
to
look
towards
a
new
year
of
full
harmony.
On
the
Eve
of
the
New
Year,
each
family
holds
a
ceremony
to
welcome
deities,
ancestors
to
their
house
–
a
meeting
between
humans
and
heavenly
spirits.
In
front
of
the
altar
with
spiralling
incense
smoke
and
sparkling
candles,
they
clasp
hands
and
pray
in
deep
respect.
According
to
their
belief,
the
God
will
appoint
new
mandarins
in
charge
of
the
earth
during
this
moment.
That’s
why
they
must
prepare
a
tray
of
offerings
to
see
off
old
spirits
and
welcome
new
ones,
in
a
hope
for
a
year
of
peace
and
well-being.
VNA