The Vietnamese traditional Lunar New Year (Tet Holiday) begins on the 23rd of the last month of the lunar year with the “Ong Cong - Ong Tao” (Land Genie and Kitchen Gods) ritual.

On this day, every family is busy staging a ceremony to send off the Land Genie and the Kitchen Gods of the household on their yearly visit of Heaven.

The Kitchen Gods - the guardian spirit of the kitchen are believed to comprise two male gods and one female who bless the household and keep up the kitchen fire making every member of the family happy and well-off.

As the legend goes, the Land Genie and the Kitchen Gods will ride carps to Heaven to deliver an annual report on the household’s activities to the God of Heaven.

Traditions dictate the release of live carps into lakes or rivers which is considered a kindhearted deed to pray for good luck./.

VNA