Tet
Overview
The term "Tet" primarily refers to the Vietnamese New Year, which is the most important celebration in Vietnamese culture. The holiday is synchronised with the Chinese Lunar New Year, and it shares many of the same customs. However, Tet also has unique traditions and practices that are distinctly Vietnamese.
Etymology
The word "Tet" is a shortened form of "Tết Nguyên Đán", which translates to "Feast of the First Morning of the First Day". This name reflects the importance of the new year's arrival in Vietnamese culture, as it marks the beginning of new beginnings and fresh starts.
History
Tet has been celebrated for thousands of years in Vietnam, with its origins tracing back to the ancient Bronze Age civilization of the Dong Son culture. The holiday was a time for the Vietnamese to express their respect and remembrance for their ancestors while welcoming the Lunar New Year with family gatherings, lavish feasts, and various customs and rituals.
Customs and Traditions
Tet is a time for families to clean their homes, prepare special holiday foods, and decorate with flowers and traditional Vietnamese symbols. Some of the most common Tet customs include:
Ancestor Worship
Ancestor worship is a significant part of Tet, as Vietnamese families pay their respects to ancestors with offerings of food, incense, and prayers. The "Lễ cúng Tất niên" or "Year-end Worship" is performed on the last day of the Lunar year to bid farewell to the departing year's Kitchen Gods and to invite them back on the first day of the New Year.
Tet Food
Food plays a crucial role in Tet celebrations. Traditional foods like "Bánh chưng" and "Bánh dày" are prepared and enjoyed during Tet. "Bánh chưng" is a square rice cake filled with mung beans and pork, wrapped in banana leaves. "Bánh dày", on the other hand, is a round, white, flat rice cake symbolizing the sky. These foods are often used as offerings to ancestors before they are shared among family members.
Tet Decorations
Homes are decorated with "Hoa Mai" (a yellow apricot flower), "Hoa Đào" (a peach flower), and "Cây Nêu" (a tall bamboo tree with red ornaments). These decorations are believed to ward off evil spirits and bring good fortune for the new year.
Tet and Vietnamese Zodiac
Like the Chinese New Year, Tet is associated with the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac. Each year is represented by an animal, and it is believed that people born in that year will possess characteristics of that animal.
Modern Celebrations
In modern times, Tet is celebrated with a combination of traditional customs and new practices. Firework displays, music concerts, and street festivals are common, especially in major cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Many Vietnamese people also choose to travel during Tet, either to visit family in other parts of the country or to go on vacation.
Tet Outside Vietnam
Tet is also celebrated by Vietnamese communities around the world, particularly in countries with large Vietnamese populations such as the United States, Australia, and Canada. These celebrations often include traditional Tet customs, as well as local adaptations.