Talking about flowers on Tet holiday.

Each type of flower has a different meaning, but in general, displaying flowers during Tet (Lunar New Year) brings good luck, peace, and happiness to the family in the new year.

Each type of flower has a different meaning, but in general, displaying flowers during Tet (Lunar New Year) brings good luck, peace, and happiness to the family in the new year.

In Vietnam's greatest classical poetry, *The Tale of Kieu*, written in the late 18th century, the word "flower" appears 130 times. If one were to count the names of specific flower species, the number could reach four digits. The author of *The Tale of Kieu *, Nguyen Du (1765-1820), must have grown up in an environment steeped in flowers and plants, so it's impossible not to mention them. Cleverly, he transformed flowers into something capable of conveying countless meanings, both literal and figurative, in ways that other words or methods might not be able to express.

As a child, I memorized several verses from the Tale of Kieu, from the lullabies my mother sang to me in my cradle. However, it wasn't until I was five or six years old that flowers became a part of my subconscious.

It was the 1930s, and we lived on Hang Gai Street, right in the heart of Hanoi's Old Quarter. In a small room upstairs, we had an altar to the Tiger God, with a tiger figurine. On the first day of the lunar month, my mother always lit incense to show her reverence to the deity. The offerings included a bowl of rainwater and a plate of flowers. On that special day, a familiar flower vendor would always bring my mother flowers wrapped in banana leaves and tied with bamboo strips.

More than just decoration

In Vietnam, flowers and incense are considered a channel of communication between humans and deities. The fragrance of flowers and incense permeates the air. Vietnamese people use the compound word "huong-hoa" (fragrance-flower) to refer to offerings of paper money and other symbolic items.

Vietnamese people are extremely careful when choosing flowers for offerings. Only certain types of flowers can be placed on the altar. These include flowers used in votive offerings such as the wolfsbane, crape myrtle, rose, lily, dahlia, dragon's claw, orchid, jasmine, magnolia, lotus, and flamboyant tree... Jasmine is not used for worship because this flower blooms and releases its fragrance at night, and is therefore believed to be associated with prostitution.

The crape myrtle flower is excellent for adding fragrance to tea and tobacco. Because it is small and pretty, it is used to describe a particular type of laughter, as in the following folk song:

Her smile is like a jasmine flower.

The headscarf resembles a lotus flower.

White lilies, unlike European lilies, were previously only used in funerals and Thanksgiving and never as gifts. Dahlias are red or yellowish-white but odorless. Dragon's claw flowers have a claw-like shape and emit a scent reminiscent of ripe bananas. The small, white Osmanthus is often grown in temple gardens and used to scent tobacco. The small, fragrant honeysuckle can be used to make broth.

The lotus flower is important in many cultures. It is believed to be the first living thing on earth, and it still covers vast bodies of water today. It symbolizes the female genitalia, the source of life, and joy. Buddhists and Hindus consider the lotus flower, with its beautiful colors, to be an embodiment of virtue, even though it grows in mud. The Vietnamese have a folk verse about the lotus flower as follows:

Yellow stamens, white petals, green leaves.

Despite being near the mud, it doesn't smell of mud.

Buddhists believe that when the Buddha sat on a lotus flower, the flower symbolized his essence, which was unaffected by the corruption of worldly existence—the cycle of life and death or reincarnation. Therefore, lotus petals and buds have become frequent decorative motifs in temples.

The flamboyant tree flower has red petals shaped like the legendary phoenix's tail. The flower is used in religious ceremonies. Additionally, it is also used for decoration.

In the old days, gardeners didn't sell ornamental flowers. Flowers were cut from branches and sold for use in funeral offerings. Because they loved beauty, people often grew their own flowers. They built a special courtyard for growing ornamental plants, including flowers. These "gardens" were usually a small pond or pool with a miniature mountain in the middle, surrounded by flower pots on terracotta pedestals.

Today, many people grow flowers as a hobby. They cultivate all kinds of flowers such as orchids, camellias, chrysanthemums, wolfsbane, magnolias, peonies, carnations, hyacinths (or night-blooming jasmine – a member of the magnolia family), lilies, jasmine, epiphyllum, roses, peach blossoms, apricot blossoms, daffodils, begonias, hibiscus, etc. However, because flower connoisseurs are often scholars, they only choose to grow flowers that symbolize traditional moral values.

Orchids are a must-have in the gardens of connoisseurs, as these flowers are said to represent the nobility of traditional scholars and the pure nature of women. Some prefer the white pearl orchid for its delicate and subtle fragrance.

Personal philosophies

Other flowers also hold their own meanings in the philosophy of flower growers. Chrysanthemums, the flower of autumn, symbolize elegance, are associated with a noble appearance, and emit a gentle fragrance.

The Epiphyllum flower is a member of the cactus family. Its blossoms are as large as a rice bowl. It only blooms at night and is pure white. Elderly scholars enjoy sitting and drinking wine while admiring the blooming Epiphyllum flowers.

Some believe that the French introduced ornamental roses to Vietnam because, prior to that, this flower had never appeared in Vietnamese literature, not even in the Tale of Kieu. This is perhaps why roses are less celebrated in Vietnamese literature compared to other flowers.

The hibiscus flower is a type of hibiscus. When it blooms, the flower is white but quickly turns red and wilts very fast. Thus, this flower symbolizes the ephemeral nature of beauty.

The camellia is a type of tea flower with bright red petals and yellow stamens. It is also a favorite of traditional scholars.

Several types of flowers are associated with the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. The most popular flower during Tet is the apricot blossom (white and yellow), one of the first flowers to bloom, signaling the arrival of spring and symbolizing the noble spirit. According to many people's beliefs, the more petals an apricot blossom has, the luckier and more prosperous the household will be in the new year.

In Southern Vietnam, people decorate their homes with yellow apricot blossoms during Tet (Lunar New Year). The yellow color of apricot blossoms has long been considered a symbol of wealth and prosperity. People display apricot blossoms during Tet with the hope of a prosperous and wealthy new year.

In Northern Vietnam, people prefer peach blossoms with bright red or pink petals. Peach blossoms not only bring a warm atmosphere to every home, but according to feng shui beliefs, they also bring good luck to the homeowner during the New Year, as peach branches or bonsai trees symbolize spring with their leaves, buds, flowers, and young fruit. In folk paintings, the four-panel set depicting the four flowers of the year includes peach blossoms representing spring. Peach blossoms are associated with the yang energy, so displaying pink, light pink, or white peach blossoms will radiate positive energy in the house. If the New Year is mildly cold, the pink hue of the pink peach blossoms will warm the house and bring family members closer together.

Peonies and daffodils are also popular flowers for Tet (Vietnamese New Year). Flower enthusiasts often display flowers in sets: the Four Friends set (for friends) includes plum blossoms, orchids, chrysanthemums, and bamboo; the Four Seasons set includes plum blossoms (spring), lotus (summer), chrysanthemums (autumn), and conifers (winter).

In the countryside, several other types of flowers are also popular. Hibiscus grows along the fences. Morning glory has red leaves and flowers that release a fragrant scent at night. Beside the rainwater reservoir are the trumpet vine, and of course, the Areca palm with its delicate blossoms releasing a sweet fragrance into the air at dawn. Bright yellow loofah flowers adorn the thatched roofs. Forsythia decorates the bushes along the fences. The sacred crape myrtle stands solemnly in the gardens of temples and pagodas. The kapok tree lays carpets of vibrant red flowers in front of the communal house.

In recent years, as people's lives have improved, their cultural and spiritual needs have become richer and more diverse. Besides peach blossoms, apricot blossoms, and kumquats, there are now many more options such as unique bonsai trees or imported flowers.

Each type of flower has a different meaning, but in general, displaying flowers during Tet (Lunar New Year) brings good luck, peace, and happiness to the family in the new year.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/ngay-tet-noi-chuyen-ve-hoa-260188.html