Every year on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, Vietnamese people celebrate Tết Đoan Ngọ together. This is one of the important traditional festivals, bearing many profound meanings in the national culture.
So what exactly is Tết Đoan Ngọ and why does it have such a special name? Let’s learn about the origin and meaning of this holiday.
What is Tết Đoan Ngọ?
Tết Đoan Ngọ is also known by many other names such as Tết Đoan Dương or, most familiarly, Tết ‘killing insects’. This is a festival with a long history, not only in Vietnam but also popular in some other East Asian countries.
These countries include China, South Korea, and Japan. Despite some similarities, the specific customs on Tết Đoan Ngọ in each place have their own characteristics, reflecting the cultural identity of each nation.
The Mysterious Origin of Tết ‘Killing Insects’
In Vietnam, the origin of Tết Đoan Ngọ is associated with an interesting legend about eliminating insects. The story goes that, one year after a bumper crop, insects suddenly appeared densely and destroyed crops, causing villagers great concern.
When people didn’t know what to do, an old man named Đôi Truân appeared. He showed the villagers how to set up a simple offering altar with tro cakes and fruits. He also advised people to exercise together in front of their houses on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month.
The villagers followed Mr. Đôi Truân’s instructions and, miraculously, the insects gradually died. Since then, this day has been called Tết ‘killing insects’.
The name ‘Đoan Ngọ’ also originates from this legend. ‘Đoan’ means beginning, and ‘Ngọ’ is the time between noon (from 11 am to 1 pm). This is the time when Mr. Đôi Truân advised the villagers to perform the offering ritual.
Tết Đoan Ngọ is also considered the Mid-Year Festival. It marks the end of the Chiêm crop and the beginning of the Mùa crop. This is a time when the weather changes, easily causing epidemics.
Therefore, worshiping to pray for a bountiful harvest and eliminate insects is extremely important to the farmers of the past. In addition, the 5th day of the 5th lunar month is also considered the death anniversary of Mother Âu Cơ in folk beliefs.
In China, Tết Đoan Ngọ is associated with the story of Qu Yuan. He was a patriotic poet and politician during the Warring States period.
Profound Meaning in Traditional Culture
What is Tết Đoan Ngọ in the flow of Vietnamese culture? This festival is not just a holiday but also carries many profound meanings.
One of the most prominent meanings is to kill insects and pray for a bountiful harvest. This is the age-old wish of farmers, hoping that crops will not be destroyed by pests and have a good crop.
Tết Đoan Ngọ is also an opportunity to get rid of diseases and pray for health. Ancient Vietnamese people believed that this was a good time to eliminate harmful parasites in the body, especially when the weather changes easily causing illness.
Traditional dishes such as fermented glutinous rice or tro cakes are often eaten on this day. They are said to have a sour, acrid taste or hot properties that help ‘kill insects’ in the body and purify the body.
Besides, Tết Đoan Ngọ is also an occasion for children and grandchildren to remember their ancestors. This is a time to express gratitude and pray for peace, health for the whole family.
According to traditional beliefs, the Ngọ hour on the 5th day of the 5th month is the time when the yang energy is strongest in the year. Performing customs on this day is believed to help people balance energy, thereby maintaining health and bringing good luck.
Finally, Tết Đoan Ngọ shows the beauty of national culture. Unique customs such as worshiping, enjoying traditional dishes, picking medicinal leaves or wearing five-colored amulets (in some regions) contribute to preserving and promoting the rich Vietnamese cultural identity.
Unique Customs on Tết Đoan Ngọ
What are the customs on Tết Đoan Ngọ in the regions? Despite having the same meaning, the rituals and activities on this day have certain differences between localities in Vietnam, creating diversity in folk culture.
Early in the morning on the 5th day of the 5th month, people often eat fermented glutinous rice and sour, acrid fruits immediately after waking up. This is considered a way to ‘kill insects’ from within the body.
Many families prepare a lavish offering tray to offer to their ancestors and gods. The offering tray often has special dishes such as tro cakes (tro glutinous rice cakes), fermented glutinous rice, seasonal fruits (such as lychee, plum…).
Another popular custom is picking medicinal leaves at the Ngọ hour. The ancients believed that leaves picked at this time have the highest medicinal properties, which can be used to treat diseases or make bath water to relieve colds.
In some places, especially rural areas, people also have the custom of applying lime or dyeing their fingernails and toenails with henna leaves to ward off evil spirits.
These customs are not only cultural beauties but also express people’s wishes for health, peace and a prosperous life.
Spreading the Beauty of Traditional Culture
Understanding what Tết Đoan Ngọ is helps us to appreciate the cultural values left by our ancestors. Although modern life has many changes, maintaining and preserving traditional customs is extremely necessary.
Sharing information about Tết Đoan Ngọ not only helps later generations understand more about their origins but also contributes to spreading the beauty of Vietnamese culture to the world.
If you want to introduce these unique customs to international friends, translating documents or articles about Tết Đoan Ngọ can become easier than ever. Tools like Doctranslate.io can assist you in converting languages effectively.
With a friendly interface and detailed instructions in the user manual, you can translate texts, documents, or even books introducing Vietnamese culture into many different languages, helping people around the world understand and love this special holiday more.
Tết Đoan Ngọ is a testament to the richness and diversity of Vietnamese national culture. From mysterious origins to practical and spiritual meanings, this festival always holds an important place in the spiritual life of Vietnamese people.
Let’s work together to preserve and promote the good values of Tết Đoan Ngọ, so that this tradition will be passed down to future generations.
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