A ceremony was held at the Hue Imperial Relic Site in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue’s Hue City on January 28 (the seventh day of the first lunar month) to take down the Neu pole (a tall bamboo pole with red garment strips used to ward off evil spirits during the lunar New Year) and open the New Year seal.
Vietnamese people in the old days put up tall bamboo poles with red garment strips hanging from them during Tet, believing that poles prevented ghosts and monsters from entering the community during the holiday. The tradition of raising the Neu (or Tet) pole remains alive today in many villages and homes around the country.
According to the Nguyen feudal dynasty’s etiquette, the “Thuong tieu” (neu pole erection) ceremony should be organised on the 23rd day of the 12th month of the lunar year, heralding the passing of the old year and the approach of the Tet festival.
Vietnamese people have a custom of erecting a bamboo pole, known as a Neu tree, in front of their house on the last day of the lunar year to expel evils, worship deities and pray for good luck for the New Year. They remove it on the 7th day of the New Year to say farewell to their ancestors in heaven.
Activities to celebrate the upcoming Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday and a programme to make thousands of “banh chung” (square glutinous rice cakes) for the poor are slated to be held at the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism, the village announced on January 25.
A wide range of cultural activities will take place throughout Hanoi’s Old Quarter from February 6, or the 25th day of the 12th lunar month, as part of celebrations for Tet (Lunar New Year).
A series of cultural activities will be re-enacted specially for Vietnam’s traditional Lunar New Year festival, known locally as Tet, throughout Hanoi’s Old Quarter and pedestrian streets on January 18.
A ceremony to plant Neu (a tall bamboo pole with red garment strips used to ward off evil spirits during the lunar New Year) was reenacted at the Hue Imperial Citadel in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue’s Hue City on January 28.
Traditional rituals for the Lunar New Year (Tet) were re-enacted at the Thang Long royal citadel relic site in Hanoi on January 26, giving participants a glimpse at the Tet celebrations of the royals in the past.
A ceremony to plant Neu pole (a tall bamboo tree with red garment strips used to ward off evil spirits during Tet) was organised at Hue Imperial Citadel in Thua Thien-Hue province on February 8.
A Cay Neu (Neu pole) was planted at the Hue Imperial Citadel, the central province of Thua Thien-Hue on January 20, featuring a traditional activity in the run up to the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival.
The Cay Neu (Neu pole) erecting ceremony, a traditional activity in the run up to the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival, was re-enacted at the Hue Imperial Citadel, Thua Thien-Hue province, on February 1.
The Neu pole raising ritual and Gu worship objects set that has been practiced by generations of the Cor ethnic group in central Quang Nam province is now part of the national intangible heritage.
Culture - Sports
