Vietnamese Tet 2025 program and experience traditional rituals at the Central Area of Thang Long Imperial Citadel – Hanoi
21/01/2025
To promote the value of typical royal New Year rituals as well as traditional folk New Year customs of Thang Long – Dong Do – Hanoi, the Thang Long – Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center organizes a series of New Year activities lasting from January 20, 2025 (December 21, Giap Thin year) to February 6, 2025 (January 9, At Ty year) including many special activities:
1. Traditional Tet Space Exhibition (From 20/1/2025, i.e. 21/12/2025, Giap Thin Year)
1.1. Exhibition space “Old Tet – Tet in the Subsidy Period”
“Tet in the Subsidy Period” is recreated through 3 exhibition spaces: State Trade Pavilion, Painting – Flower – Fireworks Pavilion and Worship Space. Although the exhibition space is not large, it has highlighted the material, spiritual and cultural life of the people of Hanoi capital half a century ago.
– Location: Building 19C
– Exhibition time: From 20/1/2025
1.2. Exhibition space of “Royal New Year Rituals on Spring Day”
All three rituals: Lich Tien Le, Xuan Nguu Tien Le, Chinh Dan Le are displayed through the form of introducing documents, explaining with simulated paintings and model artifacts, helping visitors to visualize part of the political, cultural, and historical life of the golden past of the ancient royal palace.
– Location: Building N14
– Exhibition time: From January 20, 2025
3.1 Practicing Lich Tien Le ritual
Lich Tien Le is not only a sacred ritual that plays a very important role in the life of the royal court and ancient people, but “lich” has become a special object closely associated with the lives of people in the past, present and future. Therefore, this ritual is like a connecting thread between contemporary people and the culture of the past. It is this difference that in the year of At Ty 2025, the Thang Long – Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center coordinated with units to perform the Tien Lich ceremony in the form of dramatization with ancient royal court rituals.
3.2 Carp Release Ceremony to Send Ong Cong and Ong Tao to Heaven
The carp release ceremony on Ong Cong and Ong Tao Day is a traditional custom of the Vietnamese people, showing respect to the Kitchen Gods. On the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month every year, families perform a ceremony to send Ong Cong and Ong Tao to heaven, praying for peace and prosperity for the country and their families in the new year. In Vietnamese folklore, carp is associated with a famous legend about transforming into a dragon. Carp has become a symbol of perseverance, endurance, luck with will, strength and success. After a period of careful study, collection and research, the Thang Long – Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center has successfully reproduced this ceremony, becoming a unique traditional cultural beauty of the capital city during the spring to welcome the new year.
3.3 Neu Raising Ceremony:
The Tet pole is a traditional custom of the Vietnamese people, usually erected on the occasion of the Lunar New Year. This is a tall, straight bamboo tree, with all branches and leaves trimmed, leaving only a few leaves on the top. On the top of the tree, spiritual objects such as amulets, five-color flags, wind chimes, etc. are often hung, depending on the customs of each locality. The pole raising ceremony is meant to ward off evil spirits, protect the family from evil and pray for a peaceful and lucky new year. The pole is erected on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month, after the ceremony to send the Kitchen Gods to heaven, and is taken down on the 7th day of the 1st lunar month, ending the Tet holiday. The custom of raising the pole is not only popular among the Kinh people and the people, but is also maintained in the Thang Long citadel as well as appearing in many other ethnic minorities in Vietnam. This is a custom with its own variations and meanings, demonstrating the diversity and richness of national culture. For many years now, on December 23, the Thang Long Heritage Conservation Center in Hanoi has recreated the custom of Raising and Lowering the Neu pole to preserve one of the traditional cultural features of the Vietnamese people.
3.4 Changing of the Guard Ceremony
Guarding and protecting the palace was organized very strictly by feudal dynasties. Changing the guard was an important ritual that took place every day in the Thang Long Forbidden City and the Le Dynasty was no exception. Entering and exiting the palace required a royal decree to enter and exit the forbidden gate. If there was an order to summon any mandarin, during the day, they would use ivory tablets and command flags, at night they would use tiger talismans and command flags, at which time the guards would be allowed to open the gate. To ensure the guarding duty, the law stipulated that soldiers must arrive on time, in the correct number and fully prepared with support tools.
After a period of thorough research on remaining historical information and documents, based on the collection and research of many different sources of documents, on the occasion of the old year of Giap Thin and the new year of At Ty, the Thang Long – Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center introduces a reenactment of the changing of the guard ceremony with a simulated and creative element with the hope that through the introduction and reenactment of intangible rituals in the ancient royal court, it will contribute to creating the everlasting vitality of traditional cultural and historical heritages, bringing to the public today unique experiences in the sacred space of Thang Long Imperial Citadel with more than 1000 years of history.
4. Spring Opening Ceremony
The spring opening incense offering ceremony is held annually at the Central Area of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, Hanoi on the 9th of January with the meaning of paying homage to the ancestors, expressing gratitude to the merits of the previous emperors, wise kings, and talented people who have contributed to the country, while honoring the traditional values of Thang Long – Hanoi.
The Spring Incense Offering Program is solemnly organized with many traditional rituals such as procession, incense offering, sacrifice and many traditional cultural activities with the participation of the Community.
5. Water Puppetry Program
Also during the Lunar New Year At Ty 2025, the Thang Long – Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center organizes special puppetry programs taking place on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th of Tet during the hours.
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