Lunar New Year customs in different regions of Vietnam
Tet Nguyen Dan is the most important and biggest holiday of the year for Vietnamese people. This is the time for families to reunite, remember their ancestors and pray for a peaceful and happy new year. Tet Nguyen Dan in Vietnam not only has spiritual significance but also contains long-standing cultural values. Each region from the North, Central to the South has its own distinct customs and cultural features of celebrating Tet but still maintains a connection in the minds of Vietnamese people.
1. Northern Lunar New Year Customs
Tet Nguyen Dan in the North is a combination of long-standing traditional culture and precious spiritual values. Northerners take Tet preparations very seriously, from cleaning the house, decorating to preparing traditional dishes. In the last days of the year, people will clean the ancestral altar together, display the five-fruit tray and prepare traditional dishes such as banh chung, gio lua, and thit jelly.
Banh Chung – Symbol of Northern Tet
Banh chung is an indispensable dish in every Northern family during Tet. Made from sticky rice, green beans, and pork, banh chung is not only a traditional dish but also has a profound meaning, symbolizing heaven and earth and gratitude to ancestors. During the days before Tet, the whole family will gather together to wrap and cook banh chung, creating a warm and happy atmosphere.
Custom of New Year's Eve and New Year Greetings
Xong dat is a typical custom of Northern people, meaning welcoming luck and happiness to the family in the new year. The first person to enter the house on the morning of the first day of the year is considered the “xong dat” and they will bring fortune and wealth to the homeowner. In addition, the custom of New Year greetings and lucky money is also very important, showing respect and wishing good things to relatives and friends.
2. Lunar New Year Customs in Central Vietnam
Tet Nguyen Dan in the Central region also bears the traditional cultural imprint, but has different customs and practices compared to other regions. The Central region people value solemnity, simplicity but no less cozy during Tet. Despite the harsh weather, the Central region people always maintain a happy and optimistic spirit to welcome the new year.
Tet Holiday Tray
The Tet feast of the Central region usually includes traditional dishes such as banh tet, braised pork, nem chua, and shrimp paste. Banh tet of the Central region is long and cylindrical, wrapped in banana leaves, filled with sticky rice, green beans, and pork. Unlike banh chung of the North, banh tet has a different shape but still has the same meaning, expressing gratitude and honor to ancestors.
Tet Customs
People in the Central region often have a very solemn custom of welcoming the New Year. They worship the New Year to see off the old gods and welcome the new gods, wishing for a peaceful and happy new year. After the New Year's Eve worship, people often go to the temple to pray for good luck and good things for themselves and their families.
3. Southern Lunar New Year Customs
Tet Nguyen Dan in the South often brings a bustling, joyful and generous atmosphere, showing the generosity of the people here. Southern people do not celebrate Tet too elaborately but focus on creating a joyful and cozy space for family and relatives.
Southern Tet Cake
Similar to the Central region, banh tet is also a traditional dish of the Southern people during Tet. However, banh tet in the South is often varied with many different fillings such as banana, mung bean or fatty meat, creating a unique and diverse flavor.
Play Apricot Blossom and Watermelon
Southerners are very fond of apricot blossoms during Tet. Unlike the North, where peach blossoms are displayed, yellow apricot blossoms are considered a symbol of prosperity and wealth. In addition, watermelon is also an indispensable fruit during Tet for Southerners, with the red color symbolizing luck and fortune.
Tet Festival
In the South, people often organize many festivals and entertainment activities during Tet. Festivals such as boat races, spring flower fairs or street art performances create a joyful and vibrant Tet atmosphere.
Lunar New Year
Tet Nguyen Dan is an important and sacred holiday for every Vietnamese person, regardless of region. From the North, Central to the South, each place has its own Tet customs, reflecting the unique culture of each region. Despite the differences in customs, all aim for a common goal, which is family reunion, remembering ancestors and wishing for a peaceful and happy new year.
Tet Nguyen Dan is not only an occasion for Vietnamese people to look back on the past year but also a time to hope for better things in the new year. That is also the great spiritual value that Tet customs bring, helping to unite families, communities and preserve the long-standing traditional cultural values of the Vietnamese people.
