Hanoi (VNA) - Whenever the Lunar New Year (Tet) comes, normally from the 23rd of the lastmonth of the lunar year to the New Year eve, Vietnamese families visit theirancestors’ tombs and clean gravesites.
They light incense at the graves, sum up the family’s major events during theyear for their ancestors and invite the deceased to “go home” to enjoy Tet withthe alive.
Thenfamily members uproot weeds, tend to the flowers growing on ancestors’gravesites and clean the grave stones.
Vietnamese people believe everything, including the deceased’s tombs, should beclean and bright in celebration of Tet in order to have good luck in the newyear.
Today in busy cities, the tradition seems more significant for old people, whoare afraid that younger generations may grow negligent of the family values inthe busy modern life.
Many considers tomb sweeping day not only a chance for family reunion but alsofor children and grandchildren to fulfill their duties and show respect toparents and the ancestors as a whole.
That’s why tomb sweeping tradition bears strong family identity with bigfamilies always fixing a specific date for all members to gather and gotogether, thus strengthen the family unity and value.
After the tomb sweeping day, Vietnamese families often prepare a six-dish trayof food on the last day of the last lunar month to welcome ancestors back homefor Tet. A send-off party will be held on the third or fourth day of the first lunarmonth, accordingly the local or family tradition.-VNA
They light incense at the graves, sum up the family’s major events during theyear for their ancestors and invite the deceased to “go home” to enjoy Tet withthe alive.
Thenfamily members uproot weeds, tend to the flowers growing on ancestors’gravesites and clean the grave stones.
Vietnamese people believe everything, including the deceased’s tombs, should beclean and bright in celebration of Tet in order to have good luck in the newyear.
Today in busy cities, the tradition seems more significant for old people, whoare afraid that younger generations may grow negligent of the family values inthe busy modern life.
Many considers tomb sweeping day not only a chance for family reunion but alsofor children and grandchildren to fulfill their duties and show respect toparents and the ancestors as a whole.
That’s why tomb sweeping tradition bears strong family identity with bigfamilies always fixing a specific date for all members to gather and gotogether, thus strengthen the family unity and value.
After the tomb sweeping day, Vietnamese families often prepare a six-dish trayof food on the last day of the last lunar month to welcome ancestors back homefor Tet. A send-off party will be held on the third or fourth day of the first lunarmonth, accordingly the local or family tradition.-VNA
VNA
