Viet Nam welcomes Year of the Horse

Thousands of Vietnamese people have flocked to the main centres in the cities to bid goodbye to the Year of the Snake and welcome the Year of the Horse. 

When the clock strikes 12, a fireworks display lighted up the Hoan Kiem lake, which is likely to attract scores of visitors. There are several celebrations across the cities as people joyfully welcome the new year.
In Viet Nam, Tet (Lunar New Year) is an important time for people to come together after a year of hard work. Most workers, who live far away from their hometowns, will be heading home for the Tet holiday.
Photographer Truong Van Vi captures the lively atmosphere in the run-up to the Lunar New Year in Ha Noi.

A policeman instructs people to follow the traffic route by the Hoan Kiem Lake on the New Year Eve.

Capturing the moment of beauty.

Foreign tourists enjoy the Tet atmosphere in Ha Noi.

Balloons always attract the children's attention.

A woman prepares for an out-door worshipping offering of the New Year Eve in Cha Ca Street.

Father and son, both enjoy fireworks.

People flock to the centre of the city

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When the clock strikes 12, a fireworks display lighted up the Hoan Kiem lake.

Happy New Year, Viet Nam.

Offering lucky money is a tradition of Vietnamese culture on the Lunar New Year.

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Local people buy sprig of bud and salt to pray for a prosperous New Year.

Visiting pagodas in the first moments of the New Year is a tradition of Vietnamese people.

Source: vietnamnews.vn

Vietnamese Tet, then and now

Tet (Lunar New Year) activities have more or less changed over time, but beautiful traditional customs are followed today in every Vietnamese family.

For the people, Tet is when reality blends with dreams. It's not only an occasion for them to decorate houses and shop for more goods, but also a chance for family members to reunite and pay respect to their ancestors.
The people have to cut spending due to the current economic difficulties, but none forgets the traditions that symbolize the spirit of the nation during the holiday.
Viet Nam News photographer Doan Tung recalls the old days while capturing the present-day activities in Ha Noi during Tet 2014.

Villagers arrange la dong (Phrynium leaves) in the olden days. The leaves were indispensable for wrapping traditional Chung cakes. -- File Photo

People buy phrynium leaves in a present-day Ha Noi market. -- VNS Photo Doan Tung

Chung cakes were compressed and boiled in the past. -- File Photo

Many young people still follow the traditional custom of boiling Chung cakes at home. -- VNS Photo Doan Tung

Jam, cigarettes and wine were essential articles during Tet earlier. -- File Photo

Now Tet goods are much more diversified and ceremonious. -- VNS Photo Doan Tung

The Hang Luoc flower market during Tet in the 1930s. -- File Photo

Peach blossoms are still bought by every Ha Noi family for Tet. -- VNS Photo Doan Tung

Hanoians shop for Tet goods at a state-run market in the old days. -- File Photo

Today, many people shop for Tet items at supermarkets or trade centres. -- VNS Photo Doan Tung

Scholars wrote parallel sentences, a Tet custom, a a street corner in the old days. -- File Photo

The tradition is still preserved today, as many young people ask for scholars' handwriting on Tet. -- VNS Photo Doan Tung

Today, many youngsters request scholars' handwriting on the Lunar New Year in the hope for achieving better learning. -- VNS Photo Doan Tung

Source: vietnamnews.vn

Party, State leaders pay Tet tribute to President Ho Chi Minh

 Party and State leaders pay tribute to President Ho Chi Minh (Source: chinhphu.vn)

Nhan Dan Online/VNA - A delegation of high-ranking officials from the Party, State, National Assembly (NA), Government and Vietnam Fatherland Front laid wreaths today at the mausoleum of President Ho Chi Minh.

The tribute comes on the occasion of the Lunar New Year 2014 and the 84th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Among those present at the function were General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, President Truong Tan Sang, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee (VFFCC) Nguyen Thien Nhan.

Former Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh, former NA Chairman Nguyen Van An and former VFFCC President Pham The Duyet were also present at the function.

Later in the day, the delegation laid a wreath at the Monument to Heroic Martyrs in Hanoi.

Delegations from the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defence, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Hanoi Party’s Committee and People’s Committee also went to the mausoleum and the monument today to pay floral tribute to President Ho Chi Minh and war martyrs.

Lunar New Year – a summary of the biggest traditional holiday in Vietnam

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 23 rd 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 January 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.

Source: VNA

Vietnamese souvenirs

The photos in this blog were taken in Hanoi and other cities during my travel in Vietnam. There are various souvenirs you can buy and bring home, for example the water puppets, colorful lanterns, decorated sea shells, conical hats, fans with pictures, paintings, ceramic products, propagdanda posters, lacquarware, dolls wearing traditional dresses, traditional masks, musical instruments etc.

When you travel in the mountain region, you can buy brocade products or little gongs from the ethnic minority people. Other than that coffee or tea is also a good suggestion.







Other blogs for your reference:

Vietnamese paintings

Bát Tràng ceramic village

Tranh gốm (ceramic tile paintings)

Đọi Tam drum village

Painting in Hội An town	Ceramic masks in Bát Tràng village, Hanoi
Ceramic plates in Bát Tràng village, Hanoi	Some types of traditional hats, Hanoi
Drums in Đọi Tam village, Hà Nam province	Water puppet in Hanoi
Wooden statues in Hanoi	Musical instruments in Hanoi
Painting - the Old Quarter of Hanoi	Ceramic tile painting - the Old Quarter of Hanoi
Masks in Hanoi	Brocade products in Hòa Bình province Brocade products of the Thai ethnic minority people in Bản Mỗ village, Hòa Bình province, North West Vietnam.
Souvenirs at Ponagar towers  of the Cham ethnic people Nha Trang city, South Central Coast	Souvenirs at Bến Thành market in Sài Gòn
Souvenirs at Bến Thành market in Sài Gòn	Souvenirs at Bến Thành market in Sài Gòn
Ceramic dolls A couple of dolls wearing Vietnamese traditional dresses	Ceramic dolls wearing traditional dresses
Vietnamese masks	Name card holder
Lanterns in Hội An town	Ceramic dolls in Bát Tràng village, Hanoi
Ceramic plates in Bát Tràng village, Hanoi	Dolls in Hanoi
Water puppets in Hanoi	Ceramic tile painting - the Old Quarter of Hanoi
Đông Hồ wood-block painting, Bắc Ninh province	Fans with pictures
Gongs of the Thai ethnic people in Hòa Bình province	Brocade products in Sapa town
Khèn pan-pipe of the H'mong people in Sapa	Four season wood painting in Đồng Xoài town
a Souvenirs sold in Pleiku Ethnic minority woman and basket	b Boxes sold at Bến Thành market in Sài Gòn
Souvenirs at Bến Thành market in Sài Gòn	Vietnamese perfume At a souvenir shop inside the Central Post Office of Hồ Chí Minh city
Vietnamese water puppets At a souvenir shop inside History Museum of Hồ Chí Minh city	A wooden box with lacqueware painting
A set of ceramic dolls (Gom Viet products) A set of ceramic dolls wearing traditional dresses of women in different parts of Vietnam.	Vietnamese masks
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