On this day, every family is busy staging a farewell ceremony for the Land Genie and the Kitchen Gods on their yearly visit of Heaven.

People release live carps into lakes and pray for good luck.

The Kitchen Gods, the guardian spirit of the kitchen, are believed to comprise two male gods and one female, who bless the household and keep up the kitchen fire, making every member of the family happy and well-off.

As the legend goes, the Land Genie and the Kitchen Gods will ride carps to Heaven on the day to deliver an annual report on the household’s activities to the God of Heaven.

As the gods make their journey on the back of fish, it is traditional to release live carps into lakes or rivers, which is considered a kindhearted deed to pray for good luck.

On the day, people also burn paper clothing, including hats, robes and boots, intended for use by the genies on the trip beyond.

After the Kitchen Gods go to Heaven, families begin tidying and decorating their houses to usher in the New Year as they believe that a clean house represents a fresh star.

On New Year's Eve, both genies will return to the earth and resume their caretaking duties in the kitchen of the house.

Although residents in each region across the country pay their homage to Ong Cong and Ong Tao in slightly different ways, the gods remain important figures in the rich texture of Vietnamese New Year.

The fire in the kitchen is the symbol of not only warm family union, but also a bumper harvest and agricultural development of Vietnamese people. The custom of worshipping the Kitchen Gods reflects Vietnamese’s respect for family happiness.

Exhibition spotlights traditional Quan ho singing in modern context

An exhibition on Quan ho (love duet) songs opened in the northern province of Bac Ninh on January 23 to mark a decade since the traditional art form was recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity (2009-2019).

 

Spring Festival 2019 honours traditional Vietnamese culture

The Spring Festival 2019 will take place at the Vietnam Exhibition Centre for Culture and Arts, No.2 Hoa Lu Street, Hanoi from January 25-28, honoring the traditional culture of Vietnam.

 

Le Mat village brings traditional Tet to thousands

A Hanoi-based group keen on preserving the ancient values of communal houses will host its annual gathering featuring various traditional customs celebrating the Lunar New Year Festival on January 26 and 27 in the capital.

 

Young Hanoi craftsman helps preserve traditional music

Duong Minh Cuong makes traditional musical instruments, which are becoming increasingly rare since most others make guitars and mandolins instead.

 

Hue festival honours traditional crafts

The quintessence of Vietnamese traditional crafts will be honored during the Hue Traditional Craft Festival, which is scheduled to open in Hue city, in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue on April 26.

 

Source: VNA