As is customary, on the evening of the 11th day of the first lunar month each year, at An Dinh village communal house (Yen Nghia Ward, Ha Dong District, Hanoi ), the villagers hold a fire-gathering festival (also known as "gathering the red"). According to this custom, votive paper is burned during the night, and people take the resulting fire home, a practice called "gathering the red" for the new year.
The elderly people perform the necessary rituals before bringing the votive offerings to the village square to burn them.
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According to Thanh Nien newspaper, at around 9 PM on February 1st (the 11th day of the first lunar month), the village elders will bring all the votive offerings donated by villagers and visitors to the middle of the communal courtyard to burn them. Incense sticks will be distributed to villagers to use as offerings to take home to their family altars.
People believe that whoever catches the first flame will bring more good fortune to their family in the new year. Bringing the burning incense home to their family altar is believed to bring even more luck. This custom reflects the wish for good health, successful business, a happy and prosperous family.
A "mountain" of votive paper offerings, donated by locals and visitors, is brought out to the middle of the temple courtyard.
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The fire was taken from the communal house by the chief priest of the An Dinh village festival to distribute blessings to the villagers.
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Unique procession of mock kings and queens: dozens of young men shout and toss the palanquin.
People gathered around the bonfire.
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Immediately after the votive paper offerings were set ablaze, the villagers, with bundles of incense sticks prepared beforehand, gathered around to "take the red" (a symbolic act of good fortune).
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The bundles of incense sticks held by the people were quickly lit.
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Those who get the fire first will quickly return home.
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Some people used large bundles of incense sticks to keep the fire burning on their way home.
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People often tend fires for each other, with those inside passing their fire to those outside, as a way of showing neighborly solidarity.
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After fetching the fire, the villagers quickly returned home to light incense at their ancestral altars.
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Mr. Nguyen Quoc Chinh lit incense after receiving red robes from the village temple, hoping that his whole family would have good health, a prosperous and happy life.
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Young bachelors of Trieu Khuc village, dressed in skirts, with powdered cheeks and red lips, dance the Bong dance.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/doc-dao-le-hoi-dot-ca-nui-vang-ma-cho-dan-lang-lay-do-o-ha-noi-18523020207070263.htm
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