How's about Tet in Viet Nam

Nga Do
As other Asian countries, the most important holiday in Vietnam is Tet Holiday. Western countries normally celebrate New Year with champagne and parties. Yet, Lunar New Year in Vietnam is not really celebration; it is reunion occasions. When people live and work far away home, they will be back home and spend Tet holiday with their family. It‘s such a wonderful time for both children and adults.

Actually, in the weeks before Tet, the country becomes more excited because of preparations in every family and colorful decoration everywhere. For us, the time before Holiday might be the best time to enjoy this wonderful festival atmosphere in Vietnam. To discover VietNam Tet Holiday, let’s start from preparations until our traditional holiday to experience all.

History of Lunar New Year

Due to being affected by Chinese’s culture, Tet in Vietnam is much likely the Northern cousin. Each lunar year will be represented by an animal. It will be the trend to decorate calendar, homes, and buildings.


Although Tet Holiday takes place the same day with Chinese, each country has its own history and tradition. It is passed down through generations by folk tales.

The Tale of Tet Holiday

The tale talks about young couple that husband is Trong Cao and wife is Thi Thi. They get marred long time but still childless that caused to sadness and arguing. One day, after arguing, Trong Cao feels really angry and he cannot control himself then he just cast his wife out. After he recognizes his mistake, he decides to take a journey to find his wife back. He spends all his money and eventually becomes a beggar. Afterward, he sees his wife by change but unfortunately, she just marries another man, named Pham Lang.

Because Pham Lang does not stay at home at the moment, so Thi Thi and her ex-husband has talked together. One regrets because he treats his wife badly, another regrets because she got married with Pham Lang. After spending an hour to talk, her new husband comes back home. But she does not know how to explain the appearance of Trong Cao in their home. So she suggests Trong Cao to hide in in a stack of straw. At that moment, Pham Lang sets fire the straw to make ashes in order to fertilize the field. He does not know he is killing Trong Cao accidentally. In front of this case, Thi Thi thinks Trong Cao died because of her fault so she also jumps into the fire to die with him. Yet, Pham Lang does not understand his wife’s act then he finished sorrow in the fire with his wife.

After death, three of them come to the heaven. The God also feels pity for their story. Then he dubs them as Trio Deities, “called Tao quan”. They will take care for well- being and property of homes. Each 23rd of final lunar month, they will come to heaven to report their work on earth. Vietnamese people always has Tao quan’s altar in their house to pray best things for New Year and daily life. 

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