Ha Nguyen Tet (Tet Trung Thap)

Ha Nguyen Tet (Tet Trung Thap) Tet Ha Nguyen and Tet Trung Thap both take place around the 10th lunar month and have different names to refer to similar holidays. Ha Nguyen Tet is usually held on the full moon day of the 10th lunar month (\(October 15\)), while Trung Thap Tet (also known as Double Thap Tet) is held on \(October 10\) of the lunar calendar. Both are festivals to celebrate a good harvest, honoring the merits of gods, ancestors and physicians. Ha Nguyen Tet, also known as Tet Com Moi or Tet Thuong Tan, is one of the important traditional holidays of Vietnamese people, especially in rural areas. Taking place on the 15th day of the 10th lunar month every year, Ha Nguyen Tet is an opportunity for people to express gratitude to their ancestors, heaven and earth and celebrate the new harvest. This holiday is imbued with folk culture and beliefs, associated with worshiping customs and unique cuisine. **Origin and Meaning of Ha Nguyen Tet** Ha Nguyen Tet originated from wet rice civilization and has been passed down through many generations. This is an opportunity for people to offer offerings to their ancestors and gods to express their respect and pray for good harvests and a prosperous life. Besides, this Tet also has an important meaning in remembering the merits of the deceased and connecting family members through reunion activities. According to folklore, Ha Nguyen Tet marks the transition from autumn to winter, signaling the end of a harvest and the beginning of preparations for the new year. Therefore, this is the right time for everyone to look back on a year of hard work and pray for good things in the future. **Traditional Customs During Ha Nguyen Tet** Ha Nguyen Tet usually takes place with many customs and rituals imbued with folk culture, the most prominent of which is the ritual of worshiping and preparing offerings. 1. **Offer to Ancestors and Gods**: On this day, families often prepare a decent tray with traditional dishes such as sticky rice, banh chung, new rice, and fruits to offer to the ancestral altar. The worshiping ritual is usually performed in the morning or noon, to pray for the blessings of grandparents and ancestors for a happy and prosperous new year. 2. **New Rice Offering**: Ha Nguyen Tet is also known as New Rice Tet, because this is an opportunity for people to offer newly harvested rice grains from the harvest. A new tray of rice with rustic dishes not only shows gratitude to nature but is also a symbol of fullness and prosperity. 3. **Cleaning and Decorating the House**: Similar to other Tet holidays, Vietnamese people often clean their houses, decorate the altar and living space neatly and neatly to receive good things during the holidays. 4. **Folk Cultural Activities**: In some rural areas, Ha Nguyen Tet is also accompanied by traditional cultural activities such as singing folk songs, playing folk games and community exchanges, creating a joyful and exciting atmosphere. **Cultural Value of Ha Nguyen Tet** Ha Nguyen Tet is not only an opportunity to worship ancestors but also has profound spiritual value. This is a time for children and grandchildren to gather, review memories, share stories about family traditions, and contribute to preserving and promoting national cultural identity. In addition, Ha Nguyen Tet also educates the young generation about gratitude to ancestors and nature, reminding about the importance of preserving good traditional values. Ha Nguyen Tet is one of the unique holidays of Vietnamese people, imbued with cultural and spiritual imprints. Not only stopping at worshiping rituals, this Tet holiday is also an opportunity to strengthen relationships, preserve traditional values ​​and create a unique identity for Vietnamese culture. In modern life, Ha Nguyen Tet is always an important part, reminding us of our roots and the good values ​​that have been passed down through generations.