The Lunar New Year is a sacred occasion of Vietnamese people which everyone wishes to come back to their homeland, gather with their family and enjoy the particular flavors of the Vietnamese Festivities.
I was very lucky when I had a chance to join in a Vietnamese Tet Festival with my friend's family. My friend's name is Nhung, she is a Vietnamese person, we have studied in the same class in the USA. She usually tells me about her family and her country- Vietnam, so when I came here I felt Vietnam is quite familiar. During the time I was here, I explored a number of new things about Vietnam and the Lunar New Year in particular.
I found out that the Tet festival of Vietnamese people have something in common with the Tet in my country. First, they are the most important festivals in a year. It also is the time for people relax and enjoy their holidays after a hard working year. Second, Tet is the only occasion that all the members of a family can stick and share their wishes together. This custom has become sacred, so no matter where they are and whatever their circumstances are, family members find ways to come back to meet their loved ones. But in Vietnam, Tet is also a chance to welcome deceased ancestor back for a family reunion with their descendants.
I have learned a few customs of Vietnamese people in the Lunar New Year. I would like to share here with the hope that those who read my blog can better understand the traditional Tet of Vietnam.
Planting the Neu:
Once upon a time, humans and devils co-inhabited on the earth. The devils overwhelmed former and invaded their land. Buddha told the devils: "I will hang my cassock on the top of the bamboo, and whether the shadow falls is Buddha's land and you must give it to the men". The devils agreed. After planting the bamboo, Buddha made it higher and higher by means of magic, as a result, the cassock overshadowed the whole land and the devils were chased to the East Sea. However, the devils asked Buddha for a permission to return to the mainland for a three- day visit to their ancestors' tombs on the occasion of Tet. From then on, Neu is often planted on this occasion
The "Mam Ngu Qua"
The "five-fruit-tray" on the ancestral altar during the Tet holidays symbolizes the admiration and gratitude of the Vietnamese people to the Heaven and Earth and their ancestors, and demonstrates their aspiration for a life of plenty. As one theory goes, the five fruits are symbolic of the five basic elements of oriental philosophy: mental, wood, water, fire and earth. Some people believe that the five fruits are symbols of the five fingers of a man's hand that is to produce physical wealth for his own use and to make offerings to his ancestors. However, in a simpler ways, the five fruits present the wishes that Heaven and Earth bless humans which is "when taking fruit, you should think of the grower". Today, the tray may contain more than five fruits in the former form or in a different shape.
Dao, Mai, Quat (the Peach, Apricot and Kumquat)
Coming to Vietnam during the season of the Tet festival, the visitors have a chance to watch many kinds of colouful flowers. On this occasion, poor or rich, Vietnamese people have a twig of peach blossom (in the North) or a small branch of apricot blossom (in the South) with a pot of Kumquat on their homes. The Kumquat is a symbolic of good fortune, and therefore people tend to choose a little plants laden with big orange fruits and verdant leaves for a longer display.
The Giao Thua (New Year's Eve)
The Giao Thua is the most sacred point of time. It is the moment of saying goodbye to the old year to welcome the new one with wishes for a better year. Many good sayings are sent in these moments.
I have learned what I share you above. Thanks to my holiday in Vietnam on Tet festival, I had an opportunity to explore and better undestand the customs of Vietnamese people. They are very interesting for me.
I was very lucky when I had a chance to join in a Vietnamese Tet Festival with my friend's family. My friend's name is Nhung, she is a Vietnamese person, we have studied in the same class in the USA. She usually tells me about her family and her country- Vietnam, so when I came here I felt Vietnam is quite familiar. During the time I was here, I explored a number of new things about Vietnam and the Lunar New Year in particular.
I found out that the Tet festival of Vietnamese people have something in common with the Tet in my country. First, they are the most important festivals in a year. It also is the time for people relax and enjoy their holidays after a hard working year. Second, Tet is the only occasion that all the members of a family can stick and share their wishes together. This custom has become sacred, so no matter where they are and whatever their circumstances are, family members find ways to come back to meet their loved ones. But in Vietnam, Tet is also a chance to welcome deceased ancestor back for a family reunion with their descendants.
I have learned a few customs of Vietnamese people in the Lunar New Year. I would like to share here with the hope that those who read my blog can better understand the traditional Tet of Vietnam.
Planting the Neu:
Once upon a time, humans and devils co-inhabited on the earth. The devils overwhelmed former and invaded their land. Buddha told the devils: "I will hang my cassock on the top of the bamboo, and whether the shadow falls is Buddha's land and you must give it to the men". The devils agreed. After planting the bamboo, Buddha made it higher and higher by means of magic, as a result, the cassock overshadowed the whole land and the devils were chased to the East Sea. However, the devils asked Buddha for a permission to return to the mainland for a three- day visit to their ancestors' tombs on the occasion of Tet. From then on, Neu is often planted on this occasion
The "Mam Ngu Qua"
The "five-fruit-tray" on the ancestral altar during the Tet holidays symbolizes the admiration and gratitude of the Vietnamese people to the Heaven and Earth and their ancestors, and demonstrates their aspiration for a life of plenty. As one theory goes, the five fruits are symbolic of the five basic elements of oriental philosophy: mental, wood, water, fire and earth. Some people believe that the five fruits are symbols of the five fingers of a man's hand that is to produce physical wealth for his own use and to make offerings to his ancestors. However, in a simpler ways, the five fruits present the wishes that Heaven and Earth bless humans which is "when taking fruit, you should think of the grower". Today, the tray may contain more than five fruits in the former form or in a different shape.
Dao, Mai, Quat (the Peach, Apricot and Kumquat)
Coming to Vietnam during the season of the Tet festival, the visitors have a chance to watch many kinds of colouful flowers. On this occasion, poor or rich, Vietnamese people have a twig of peach blossom (in the North) or a small branch of apricot blossom (in the South) with a pot of Kumquat on their homes. The Kumquat is a symbolic of good fortune, and therefore people tend to choose a little plants laden with big orange fruits and verdant leaves for a longer display.
The Giao Thua (New Year's Eve)
The Giao Thua is the most sacred point of time. It is the moment of saying goodbye to the old year to welcome the new one with wishes for a better year. Many good sayings are sent in these moments.
I have learned what I share you above. Thanks to my holiday in Vietnam on Tet festival, I had an opportunity to explore and better undestand the customs of Vietnamese people. They are very interesting for me.
