Lunar New Year’s customs in Vietnam

Tet Flowers and Markets

In the past, Tet markets took place from Luna December 25^th to 30^th to allow people to prepare for the Lunar New Year (Vietnamese Tet). These Tet markets took place all over the country. Going to a Tet market was a celebratory custom. Market-goers prayed for love, fortune and good sales. Today, with less free time, people are in a rush to buy Tet necessities. Thus, the atmosphere of these markets has changed.

Wrapping square Chung Cakes and watching over the cake pots

The practice of wrapping Chung Cakes dates back to era of the Hung Kings. According to the legend, these cakes were invented by Prince Lieu. Wrapping Chung and Tet rice cakes reminds people of their ancestors and helps them to pray for the proliferation of all beings (including paddy plants), affluence, success and good luck in the New Year. This custom still continues. Square Chung Cakes are wrapped in the North and cylindrical Tet Cakes in the South. In the past, each family made Chung cakes. Today, with less time, most people buy their cakes.

A local family gathering to boil Chung Cake

Inaugural calligraphy

Inaugural calligraphy is typically performed by scholars and writers to greet the New Year. It is intended to exalt learning. The first brushstrokes also symbolize the beginning of learning, working or a writing career. Nowadays, inaugural calligraphy is not necessarily started after New Year’s Eve, but on a good day during the first days of the New Year.

Letter Giving

                        “When peach blossoms smile
                           I see an old scholar
                           Exhibit his bright lines
                           In the crowded quarter”

These verses by the poet Vu Dinh Lien remind us of a fine tradition: giving letters for the New Year. The tradition of scholars exhibiting their dark ink and red papers has been revived. This custom represents our respect for studying and knowledge and our wishes for letters to welcome good luck and prosperous year.

Inaugural calligraphy on the first days of the New Year
Old scholar in the old quarter on Vietnamese Tet - travel to Vietnam

The scholar with customs of letter giving in Lunar New Year

Giving lucky money to the children is one of the Vietnamese customs on Tet

Plucking Buds

On New Year’s Eve, people pick twigs with small buds and visit pagodas to pray for fortune and happiness. In Vietnamese, “lộc” means both a “fragile bud” and “fortune”. In the past, on New Year’s Eve, people gathered around centennial trees in temples or pagodas to pick budding twigs and display them in their home or on their altar to welcome good fortune. This custom continues.

Giving Lucky Money

Lucky money used to take the form of symbolic coins in a cent unit. These coins were given to represent proliferation, progress and flourishing. Nowadays, coins have been replaced by notes. People generally present red envelopes containing crisp new bank notes to children or elderly folk.

Religious Visits

After making year-end sacrifices, Vietnamese love to visit pagodas, temples and shrines to pray for good fortune, happiness, good health and affluence for themselves and their families. Fortune-telling strips are highly sought after. Visitors once consulted fortune-tellers or astrological books to select the luckiest day and direction for departing on their journey. Nowadays, most pilgrims no longer take lucky dates and directions seriously.

New Year Wishes

Vietnamese people extend wishes of good health and good fortune to their fellows, and avoid mentioning their ancestors’ birth names or past mistakes. Those who suffered from accidents or calamities in the old year are told: “Lost wealth is better than lost life” or “Overcome your disasters”. Those who have done wrong are treated with forgiveness and tolerance. Nowadays, New Year wishes are simpler than in the past, yet still respectful and sincere.

Folk Games

The following folk games are played to celebrate the New Year

Hide and Seek: Players line up and form pairs, then enter an open field in turn. Both are blindfolded. One player hides and the other seeks. The one who is hiding is supposed to make some noise to help the seeker.

Blindfolded pot striking: This game is popular in Northern rural regions at Tet. It is usually played in the courtyard of a communal temple or on a field. Two pillars are planted 5m apart. Pots are hung from a rope between the two pillars. Blindfolded players must use a stick to try to break the pots. Those who succeed receive small gifts, as written on bits of paper inside the pots.

Cock fights: Cock fights remain popular during the Tet holidays. Villages famous for cock fighting include Dinh Bang (Bac Ninh), Tho Ha, and Yen Phu (Yen Phong). These contests attract enthusiastic crowds.

Lim wrestling festival: Them Lim Festival draws many tourists thanks to its romantic Quan Ho songs and its traditional games. Wrestling matches are especially popular. When the festival drums roll, spectator crowd gets closer. The wrestlers display a strong martial spirit.

(Source: Heritage Magazine)