Tet culture bears everlasting values

Associate Professor, Doctor Nguyen Van Huy

On the occasion of the lunar New Year (Tet) 2022, the former director, in an interview granted to the People’s Army Newspaper, highlighted values and characteristics of Tet which have been kept and preserved until now.

He emphasized the “Ong Cong - Ong Tao” (Land Genie and Kitchen Gods) ceremony on the 23rd day of the last month of the previous lunar year. He stressed the sacred moment of the transition of the old year and the new year on the New Year’s Eve when family members gather, raise a glass of wine to greet the new year. He also spoke highly of the tradition of visiting the ancestors’ tombs and cleaning grave sites to show respect to the dead.

“Neu” pole (New Year decorated pole) erected in Thang Long Imperial Citadel

For him, the most special feature of Tet is that everyone is turning their hearts to the roots and ancestors. Wherever they are, family members try their best to celebrate Tet with the loved ones, and offer incense in tribute to the dead. “That is the value of Tet culture that each member of a family always remembers,” he confided.

According to Huy, the difference between Tet in the past and that today is the cooking of banh chung. Today, few families cook banh chung by themselves. However, the associate professor said that it does not affect the cultural values of Tet.

At the banh chung making program for the poor in 2022 hosted by the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism

He affirmed that Tet can exist and develop forever. He does not worry about the loss of traditional features of Tet made by future generations because he does believe that Tet exists despite society’s changes.

“We should not worry that modern Tet will lose Tet’s traditional features because the cultural values of the Vietnamese Tet are eternal, passed down from generation to generation, and preserved and developed by generations,” said Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Van Huy.

Translated by Mai Huong