Special rituals when celebrating Tet (Lunar New Year)

TPO - As part of the Vietnamese Tet - Spring Festival of the Year of the Horse 2026, the ceremony of erecting the New Year's pole and the activities of offering sacrifices and paying respects to the tutelary deity at Kim Ngan communal house attracted a large number of locals, tourists, and especially young people. These activities not only recreated traditional Tet customs but also demonstrated the enduring vitality of Thang Long - Hanoi culture in contemporary life.

Besides the opening ceremony of the city gates and the New Year's parade, the series of activities for the Vietnamese Tet - Tet Street Festival in the Spring of the Year of the Horse 2026 impressed with the reenactment of rituals such as offering sacrifices, worshiping the tutelary deity, and erecting the New Year's pole... All of these contributed to vividly recreating the atmosphere of the ancient Thang Long Tet in the heart of the capital.

Rituals of offering sacrifices, paying homage to the tutelary deity, and erecting the New Year's pole... are performed at Kim Ngan communal house (Hang Bac Street, Hanoi ). Processions in traditional costumes enter the communal house one after another, preparing to perform the spring festival rituals.

Following the incense offering ceremony, the annual pole-raising ceremony is held in the courtyard of Kim Ngan communal house. The pole-raising ceremony is a traditional cultural symbol and a long-standing custom of the Vietnamese people, usually taking place during the Lunar New Year to ward off evil spirits and usher in a peaceful new year.

The organizers chose the four characters "Ma Dao Thanh Cong" (meaning "Success on Horseback") to be written on a red silk ribbon hung atop the New Year's pole. These four characters not only represent wishes for the new year but also symbolize the year 2026 (Year of the Horse).

On this occasion, Mr. Vu Dang Dinh - Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the People's Council of Hoan Kiem Ward (right) sends New Year greetings after completing the ceremony of erecting the New Year pole.

The ceremony of erecting the New Year's pole attracts a large number of tourists and young people, preserving a vivid image of Vietnamese culture during each Tet (Lunar New Year) season. Mr. Le Thanh Binh - a member of the organizing committee of Tet Viet - Tet Pho - said he easily noticed the increasing interest of young people in this activity. Previously, the participants were mainly middle-aged people, but recently, the number of young people participating has increased significantly.







“The participants volunteered entirely; many woke up at 3-4 am to be present and prepare, showing eagerness and enthusiasm for days beforehand throughout the organization process. The enjoyment, proactive learning, and vibrant participation of young people demonstrate the enduring vitality of traditional cultural programs,” Mr. Le Thanh Binh shared.

At the pole-raising ceremony, locals and tourists are also introduced to the legend of the pole, as well as the beliefs and meanings associated with this custom in Vietnamese cultural life.

The erection of the New Year's pole also marks the moment when the atmosphere of welcoming spring spreads throughout the old town, carrying with it faith, hope, and wishes for peace and happiness in the new year of the Horse.

In addition to solemn rituals, calligraphy writing and folk performances are interwoven with dances and songs performed in front of the communal house, creating a lively atmosphere to welcome the new spring.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/nghi-le-dac-biet-khi-don-tet-post1819625.tpo