Marigolds - a symbol of Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year)
For those in the countryside who appreciate gardening, Tet (Vietnamese New Year) is a time to enjoy flowers and plants, creating a contrast between everyday life and the festive days of spring. Following tradition, people cultivate marigolds, symbolizing deep meanings and imbued with the spirit of Tet.
In the front yard, marigolds bloomed naturally.
PHOTO: NGUYEN NHAT THANH
I always remember the folk verse: "Oh, even if you go far away, remember to sow marigolds on the thirteenth of October." That's the "guiding principle" of those who practice the art of marigold cultivation. Back then, my grandmother used to consult the calendar to find the right day to sow marigolds; I wonder if she was as excited about Tet (Vietnamese New Year) as I was back then.
In mid-October, she took out the packet of marigold seeds she had carefully collected since the beginning of the year. She examined them closely, with great tenderness, as if someone were taking out a cherished memento to clean it and keep it from getting old. And rightly so, for holding these marigold seeds in her hands was like holding relics of the past, a beautiful tradition that has survived to this day through cultural inheritance.
She tilled the soil, added fertilizer, and sowed the first spring seeds. Then, the following days were a series of days when my grandmother, dressed in a woolen coat, with her hands clasped behind her back, leisurely visited the garden every morning, as the cold winter mist enveloped the sky and earth.
In that biting cold, I could feel the bare, gnarled branches of the old trees trembling in the freezing chill, yet the marigold buds still bravely emerged from the ground, growing bigger and bigger, lush and vibrant green...
Marigolds and the Lunar New Year
As winter draws to a close, the fence around my house is lined with two rows of marigolds, standing tall like a "welcoming procession" to greet the arrival of spring. The scent of Tet (Vietnamese New Year) rises from the clusters of golden and red flames gradually igniting in these simple, rustic flower bushes. Amidst countless captivating and elegant flowers, marigolds remain beloved by the people of my village, perhaps because they are as down-to-earth as the people who work the fields.
Buy marigolds to decorate for Tet.
PHOTO: TRAN CAO DUYEN
In the front yard, marigolds bloomed naturally. In the form of those flowers, I felt as if Tet (Vietnamese New Year) was stirring, my heart filled with a longing for the changing seasons. The scent of the fertile earth emanated, pungent and strong like musk, yet it lingered in my soul from my teenage years.
For three days during Tet (Vietnamese New Year), marigolds bloomed brilliantly, as if burning with the fire of spring. In the rosy sunlight, bees and butterflies fluttered around the flowerbeds, drawn in by the allure of this herbaceous plant. When neighbors came to wish us a Happy New Year, everyone praised my grandmother for her flower-growing skills. The marigolds bloomed evenly, each flower full and vibrant, as if the sap of Tet had overflowed and burst forth on each delicate, tiny petal, as if they were attached to the flower cluster.
Some people asked her to share some of the seeds with them during the Lunar New Year so they could grow a beautiful marigold trellis to enjoy during the festivities. She smiled warmly, as if agreeing and expressing her gratitude for the marigold plants that thanked her for her meticulous planting and careful nurturing.
Thanhnien.vn
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ky-uc-bong-van-tho-ngay-tet-185250128113955765.htm
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