The Lunar New Year holiday marks the end of the Tet holiday and the beginning of a new work year . (Photo: TTDT)

The lowering of the New Year's pole is an important ritual of the Nguyen Dynasty's Imperial Palace, held on the 7th day of the first lunar month to signal the end of the Lunar New Year. Following traditional customs, the ceremony includes offerings to the pole, performances of grand and small musical pieces, ringing of bells and drums, and the lowering of the pole erected on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month. The pole in front of the The Mieu temple is lowered first, followed by the pole at the Trieu Mieu temple.

As the New Year's pole is gradually lowered, a replica of the Golden Seal is taken from the top of the pole, engraved with the four characters "Wealth - Longevity - Health - Peace". According to ancient beliefs, this is a wish for abundance, longevity, health, and peace; conveying the hope for national peace and prosperity, a thriving country, and well-being for the people in the new year.

Immediately following the lowering of the ceremonial pole is the ritual of opening the seal and offering New Year greetings – the ceremony that marked the beginning of the activities of the central administrative apparatus of the former Nguyen Dynasty. The ceremony is recreated based on research of historical documents and inherits the elements of court rituals, contributing to reviving the traditional cultural space in the heart of the heritage site.

Eagerly awaiting the opportunity to give calligraphy gifts at the beginning of the year. Photo: TTDT

The New Year's seal-opening ceremony took place in a lively atmosphere. The organizers prepared paper and ink for calligraphers to write auspicious characters such as "Happiness," "Prosperity," "Longevity," "Health," and "Peace" as gifts to visitors. A seal engraved with four Chinese characters in seal script – "Wealth, Longevity, Health, Peace" – was stamped onto each calligraphy piece before being handed to the recipient, as a solemn New Year's greeting.

This year, the sunny and favorable weather in Hue resulted in a higher-than-usual number of visitors. Ms. Nguyen Ha Anh, a tourist from Quang Ninh , shared: “I am very happy to witness the lowering of the ceremonial pole and the opening of the seal at the Imperial Palace. It was a meaningful experience at the beginning of the year, helping me understand more about ancient rituals, and I was also lucky enough to receive a calligraphy gift to take home as a souvenir.”

Along with the Thượng Tiêu Ceremony held on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month, the Hạ Tiêu Ceremony, held annually on the 7th day of the 1st lunar month, has become a highlight of early year cultural activities at the Hue Imperial Citadel. Ancient rituals are solemnly reenacted amidst the ancient setting, concluding the Tet season and ushering in a new rhythm of life, spreading a fresh spring atmosphere to the hearts of locals and tourists visiting the heritage site of the ancient capital.

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Source: https://huengaynay.vn/van-hoa-nghe-thuat/thong-tin-van-hoa/ha-tieu-khai-an-tan-nien-163099.html