Visiting pagodas at the beginning of Lunar New Year has become an age-old tradition of Vietnamese people (Photo VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Visiting pagodas at the beginning of Lunar New Year has become anage-old tradition of Vietnamese people.
Whilestreets in Hanoi are less crowded on the first day of New Year, a stream ofpeople goes on a pilgrimage at Tay Ho, Tran Quoc pagodas or Ngoc Son and QuanThanh temples.
Among thereligious destinations, Tay Ho pagoda attracts the largest number of visitorsfrom both in and outside Hanoi with several thousand each day during Tetholidays.
Fruit andoffering shops in the entrance leading to the pagoda are overcrowded withvisitors on the occasion.
The firsthalf of the first lunar month is the best time for a pilgrimage. Joining theflow of devotees in spring’s wonderful atmosphere you may feel the harmony ofthe sky and the earth.
Givingmoney on the occasion of New Year, with desires that better things will happenin future, has become an indispensable custom of the Vietnamese during theLunar New Year (Tet) festival.
During theNew Year festival, the elderly normally congratulate kids on becoming a yearolder by presenting them with very nice and small red paper envelopes whichsymbolise luck and good fortune.
Accordingto the custom, the money given on the advancement in age is brand new and oflow face value, but bears wishes for growth and successful study.
The firstvisitor of the New Year is very important to Vietnamese because they he or sheis believed to decide the luck of the host for the entire year. Traditionally,the visitor is a member of the family or a good friend.
Accordingto historian Le Van Lan, as the nation's economy depends so much on farming,the earth was very important. The Xong dat, (first visit to a land) custom hasits roots in this belief.
It isthought that if the land is good, the house is built on it is good and thefamily who lives on it will have good luck. The custom is also an occasion forpeople "to show love to the Mother Land," Lan said.
The Xong dat custom originally aimed to showone's love for the earth. It is a sacred connection and can't be turned into aservice, said historian Lan.
"Traditionally, the person who is the firstvisitor of the house must have a pure soul and be genuine. It should be someonefrom your family," he added. - VNA
VNA
