TL;DR: The Neu pole rite opens Tet Nguyen Dan, usually held from the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, while the ha neu rite (also called le khai ha) takes place on the 7th of the first lunar month to end the Tet holiday. In folk belief the pole is a sacred boundary that wards off evil spirits and guides ancestors home for Tet, and the lowering rite is also an occasion for burning votive paper and giving thanks to deities and ancestors.
What are the Neu pole rite and the ha neu rite?
The Neu pole rite is the opening ceremony of Tet Nguyen Dan for the Vietnamese, usually performed from the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, at the latest on the 30th of Tet[2]. The Neu pole is usually a bamboo pole about 5 to 6 metres tall, its top left intact, decorated with flags, banners, lanterns, wind chimes, an earthen pot holding lime, red couplets, and white lime scattered at its base in a circle or an arrow shape pointing toward the gate[3].
The ha neu rite, also called le khai ha, is performed on the afternoon of the 7th of the first lunar month to end the Tet Nguyen Dan period[1]. On this day, families lower the Neu pole and also burn votive paper to send ancestors back to the underworld[4].
According to author Nguyen Hanh in the book Thuc hanh van hoa tin nguong Viet Nam (Tre Publishing House), Northern cultural influence led the Vietnamese to erect the Neu pole on the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month and lower it on the 7th of the first month[2].
Why do Vietnamese erect the Neu pole at Tet?
The Neu pole is erected to ward off evil spirits, pray for peace, and guide ancestors back to celebrate Tet with their descendants[3]. In folk belief, the pole is a sacred boundary announcing that Tet has arrived, driving away evil spirits and bad things, and keeping the family safe in the new year[3].
In old custom, from the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month to the 30th of Tet, many Vietnamese families erected the Neu pole hung with decorations such as small circles, meaning to welcome good fortune in the new year and send away the previous year's bad luck, not letting ghosts disturb the house[4].
Erecting the pole also signified preparation for the Tet break, when the king and mandarins sealed their seals and all official activities stopped; lowering the pole, colloquially called dot Tet, unsealed the seals so that official activities restarted and business returned to normal[2]. In the imperial city of Hue there were ceremonies of thuong neu and ha neu[2].
What does the ha neu rite on the 7th of the first month mean?
The ha neu rite not only closes the Tet days but also carries many meanings. In folk belief, lowering the pole signals that the deities have returned to rule the earthly realm; it is also the moment when everything returns to its usual course, yin and yang are in harmony, and all things can grow and develop[2].
The ha neu offering is also called le khai ha, le ta nam moi, le hoa vang; it is an offering to thank deities and ancestors and to end Tet[4]. When Tet ends, descendants burn votive paper to announce and send ancestors back to the underworld, the Tet Neu pole is lowered, opening days of spring celebration and prayers for luck throughout the year[4].
What steps does the ha neu offering rite include?
According to Vietnamese custom, the ha neu offering rite includes preparing offerings, burning incense, reciting the prayer text, and burning votive paper[4]. The household head needs an appropriate prayer text when performing the rite of lowering the Neu pole[1].
The ha neu prayer text according to Van khan co truyen Viet Nam (Van hoa Thong tin Publishing House) opens with reverence to the nine directions of Heaven, the ten directions of Buddhas, Hoang thien, Hau tho, Long mach, Tao quan, the honoured deities, the deity Duong nien hanh khien, the deity Ban canh Thanh hoang, the deities Tho dia, Tao quan, Long mach ton than, and the ancestors To khao, To ty, and spirits of both sides of the family[1]. The content states clearly: the spring feast has ended, Nguyen dan has passed, now we burn gold and silver, give thanks to the honoured deities, escort the spirits back to the underworld, and respectfully ask them to keep their blessings and grace, to protect the yang dwelling and yin dwelling, so that everywhere is auspicious, descendants get their wishes, all things are peaceful, wealth and fortune are complete, and the household prospers[1].
What do ha neu offerings usually include?
An article on VietnamNet about the ha neu offering on the 7th of Tet Binh Ngo 2026 lists the steps of preparing offerings, burning incense, reciting the prayer text, and burning votive paper[4]. In traditional custom, offerings are usually incense, flowers, food items, and ceremonial wine laid before the altar[1].
Is the time for the ha neu offering fixed?
Previously, the ha neu offering was mainly held on the 7th of Tet; however, today, depending on each family's circumstances, it can be held from the 3rd to the 10th of the first lunar month[4].
Why do few families erect the Neu pole today?
Today, amid crowded streets and modern life, the Neu pole is almost absent in many urban neighbourhoods[3]. Many young people have never seen a Neu pole before the gate, never heard of carrying water for luck, and do not know about the Xuc xac xuc xe game or going sêu Tet; these old Tet customs are now only nostalgia[3].
However, erecting the Neu pole at Tet is still maintained in some localities; many families still erect the pole at the communal house and after Tet hold the ha neu offering, preserving a beautiful tradition[4].
Summary table of the Neu pole rite and the ha neu rite
| Criterion | Neu pole rite | Ha neu rite (khai ha) |
|---|---|---|
| Time | From the 23rd of the twelfth month, at the latest the 30th of Tet[2] | Afternoon of the 7th of the first month, now possibly from the 3rd to the 10th[1][4] |
| Main meaning | Ward off evil spirits, pray for peace, guide ancestors home for Tet[3] | End Tet, send ancestors back to the underworld, thank deities and ancestors[4] |
| Objects | Bamboo 5 to 6 metres tall, flags, banners, lanterns, earthen pot holding lime, red couplets[3] | Offerings, incense and flowers, food items, ceremonial wine[1][4] |
| Ritual | Erect the pole, scatter white lime at its base[3] | Burn incense, recite the prayer text, burn votive paper, lower the pole[4] |
| Notes | Also called thuong neu in the imperial city of Hue[2] | Also called le khai ha, le ta nam moi, le hoa vang[4] |
Nhat Nguyet's suggestion
If your family wants to maintain this custom in urban conditions, you can choose a simplified form: erect a small Neu pole in the yard or on the balcony, or simply perform the ha neu rite with simple offerings on the 7th. What matters is keeping the meaning of giving thanks and sending ancestors off rather than being rigid about form. For those who cannot practise fully, burning incense and reciting the ha neu prayer at home is also a way to connect with tradition.
