TL;DR: Tết in Hue is not just the first, second and third days of the lunar year, but stretches from the beginning of the twelfth lunar month, when descendants go to chạp mả (visiting and tidying ancestral graves), until the seventh day of the first lunar month, when the New Year pole is lowered. Its most recognisable features are the Lễ Thướng tiêu of raising the New Year pole, the đạp đất custom in place of xông đất (the first visitor of the lunar new year), vegetarian offerings at Nguyên Đán, and a rich array of cakes, preserves and pickled dishes. People in Hue also avoid leaving the house before and after the giao thừa (New Year's Eve moment), unlike the custom of hái lộc (picking a lucky branch) at the start of the year in the north.
When Does Tet in Hue Begin?
Tet in Hue is not confined to the first three days of the year. The old saying "tam nhat chi noi" refers to the main Tet days of the first, second, and third of the first lunar month, after which Tet is considered over. In practice, however, according to the article "Nguoi Hue choi Tet" published on Znews, Tet in Hue began in the early days of the twelfth lunar month, when descendants gathered to visit graves in the fields or return to their home villages for chap ma, welcoming ancestors home for Tet, and lasted until the seventh day of the first lunar month when the ha neu rite was performed[3].
Why Is Tet in Hue So Long?
The reason can be found in the court regulations of the Nguyen dynasty. According to the article "Tet xua trong cac phu de Hue" on khamphahue.com.vn, the Nguyen court stipulated that the Thuong tieu rite marked the beginning of the Tet holiday for the entire court. Under King Minh Mang, from the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month, the court stopped receiving documents, sealed its seals, and performed the rite of raising the neu pole[2].
Also according to this article, during the prosperous period of the Nguyen dynasty in the capital of Hue there were hundreds of large and small phu de. These residences were built in the traditional Hue architectural style with nha ruong (beam houses), gates, binh phong (screens), non bo (rock gardens), and orchards. In the days near Tet, life in the phu de was busier than usual. The number of officials, soldiers, and servants in the phu de decreased as some asked the princes and princesses for leave to return to their home villages to prepare Tet for their families[2].
How Do Hue People Prepare for Tet?
Preparing for Tet in Hue is a multi-step process, beginning with visiting ancestral graves, cleaning the altar, buying cakes and candied fruits, and finally raising the neu pole. Professor Thai Kim Lan, born in Hue and a philosophy lecturer in Germany, described in Tuoi Tre: preparing for Tet is a strange joy, bound by love. To enjoy a good Tet, Hue people must do everything beautifully and well[4].
What Is Different About the Ong Tao Offering in Hue?
According to the article "Tet Nguyen dan o Hue xua va nay" on khamphahue.com.vn, while in the North the offering to Ong Cong and Ong Tao on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month is considered the opening rite of Tet and is held very solemnly, in Hue the Ong Tao offering is somewhat simpler. For many Hue families, the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month is simply a day to change the incense bowl, clean the ancestral altar, and send the three clay "ong dau rau" (kitchen gods) worshipped on the kitchen shelf out to the foot of a wall, a small shrine, or an old tree at the edge of the village, to be replaced with new Ong Tao figures[1].
The Tet atmosphere is truly felt only after the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month, when guilds of workers hold ceremonies to worship their patron saints, which also serve as year-end offerings, although some trades such as tailors and barbers continue working until the moment of giao thua[1].
Visiting Ancestral Graves Before Tet
Before Tet, Hue people have the habit of visiting ancestral graves. After cleaning the altar, replacing the sand in the incense bowl, and polishing the tam su and ngu su sets on the ancestral altar, they prepare incense and flowers to visit the graves of deceased relatives. They go there, clean up, tend the flower beds and grass around the graves, and burn a few sticks of incense to invite the deceased to come home for Tet with the family[1].
For those who still maintain close ties to their home villages, this is also a chance to return to visit relatives, bringing a box of tea to one person and a bag of candied fruits to another to welcome Tet. People in the countryside can easily buy such things at district or village markets, but they treasure these gifts because they represent the hearts of those who have left home but not their ancestors. And they reciprocate to city dwellers with a few kilos of glutinous rice, a pound of beans, or a branch of apricot blossoms with yellow buds[1].
The Thuong Tieu Rite: Raising the Cay Neu to Welcome Tet
The Thuong tieu rite is one of the most important rituals of Tet in Hue. According to the article "Tet Hue" in Nhan Dan newspaper, since the Nguyen dynasty, the custom of raising the cay neu has been an indispensable part of every Tet. In the palace, the Thuong Tieu rite was usually held on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month. In neighboring villages and communes, the timing of raising the neu pole depended on local custom but had to be before the 30th day of Tet. The process of raising the neu pole included rituals such as welcoming the spirits, offering to the gods, celebration, sending off the spirits, and burning the petition[5].
According to the article "Tet xua trong cac phu de Hue", the first Thuong tieu rite was held in front of the Thai Hoa Palace in the Imperial City, presided over by the king himself, after which he sent princes and royal family members to perform similar rites at shrines, altars, and the tombs of ancestors. Only after the Thuong tieu rite in the Dai Noi was completed did the princes and princesses perform the Thuong tieu rite at their own residences to celebrate the coming of Tet, ward off evil spirits, and worship the gods to protect their families[2].
Mr. Nguyen Phi Ne (66 years old), residing in Tan Thanh village, Tan Xuan Lai hamlet, Quang Tho commune, Quang Dien district, a member of the neu-raising group of the Nguyen clan in this village, told Nhan Dan newspaper: since the time of his ancestors, raising the cay neu and offering worship during traditional Tet has always been associated with the concept of "Tong cuu nghinh tan" (sending off the old, welcoming the new). According to the rules, the bamboo chosen for the neu pole must be straight, beautiful, and sturdy. At the top of the pole hangs a basket containing betel, areca, and votive paper[5].
Buying Cakes, Candied Fruits, and Tet Food
For the women, Tet is an occasion to show off their domestic skills. According to the article "Tet Nguyen dan o Hue xua va nay", in the past, people seemed to make all dishes, savory, sweet, and vegetarian, without buying anything. Tet in Hue has hundreds of dishes: savory ones include banh tet, dua mon (pickled vegetables), beef marinated in fish sauce, rolled pork leg, cha thu, nem tre, pickled banana blossoms, pickled onions, and pickled leeks; sweet ones include all kinds of candied fruits and cakes: ginger, coconut, sweet potato, winter melon, lotus seed, tamarind, ambarella, mango, banh in, banh thuan, banh deo, banh bo, che xanh danh, che dong suong, and che khoai tia. For every savory dish there is a vegetarian equivalent[1].
How Do Hue People Celebrate Tet?
The Dap Dat Custom Instead of Xong Dat
According to the article "Nguoi Hue choi Tet" on Znews, unlike in the North, Hue does not have the custom of hai loc at the start of the year, so Hue people do not leave the house before and after giao thua. Thanks to this, the trees in Hue's temples and pagodas keep their green buds throughout the spring. In recent years, the state has organized a television bridge on New Year's Eve, so some Hue residents, especially the young, have taken to leaving the house on the eve of Tet, but few return home after giao thua. That is because of the dap dat custom[3].
Northerners also have the xong dat custom, but Hue people call this old custom by its very accurate name: dap dat. No one wants to return home after giao thua because they want to avoid dap dat on their own house. People hope that the person who comes to dap dat their house on the morning of the first day of Tet will be someone of high rank, educated, or "light-souled," so that fortune and luck will follow them to the family throughout the coming year[3].
Many families in Hue even "order" their children: any child who is "heavy-souled" must not get up early on the first morning, and if they wake up they must lie still, waiting for another child who is "lighter-souled," previously instructed by the parents before giao thua, to set foot on the ground first; only then may the others get out of bed[3].
The Nguyen Dan Offering and Visiting Pagodas
On the morning of the first day, the first ritual is the Nguyen Dan offering. That is when Hue people make a vegetarian offering on the ancestral altar. The offerings are tram tra (scented tea), candied fruits, and cakes, simple but pure. After that ritual, the head of the household opens the door to welcome guests who come to visit for Tet. On the first morning, Hue people usually go to pagodas to worship Buddha first, then visit ancestral graves, offer incense at the family church, and visit grandparents and parents on the husband's or wife's side[3].
Tet greetings to teachers and visits to friends and colleagues usually take place on the second and third days[3].
Enjoying Tet and Games
According to the article "Nguoi Hue choi Tet" on Znews, when speaking of Tet in Hue one must speak of play. Hue people of old had many games for Tet. Not to mention the games in the king's palace and lords' residences, the folk games alone were rich[3].
From the first day onward, offerings are made three times a day (morning, noon, afternoon) at the ancestral altar; on the Soc day (first of the lunar month) the offering is vegetarian, on ordinary days savoury. On the afternoon of the third day a farewell meal is offered to send the ancestors back to the other realm[3].
Ha Neu: The End of Tet
According to Nhan Dan newspaper, Tet in Hue ends on the seventh day of the first lunar month, when the cay neu is taken down. The rituals of the ha neu ceremony are similar to those of raising the pole[5].
Why Does Tet in Hue Preserve So Many Old Customs?
Hue was the capital of the Nguyen dynasty, home to many noble residences, temples, shrines, tombs and court rituals. According to khamphahue.com.vn, as a former capital Hue still keeps many old customs of welcoming and celebrating Tet[1].
Tet in Hue Compared with Tet in Other Regions
| Feature | Tet in Hue | Tet in the North (for reference) |
|---|---|---|
| Ong Tao offering | Simpler, mainly changing the incense bowl and sending off the old Ong Tao | Solemn, considered the start of Tet |
| New Year custom | Dap dat, avoiding leaving the house before and after giao thua | Xong dat, hai loc at the start of the year |
| Thuong tieu rite | Held from the 23rd of the twelfth month in the palace, before the 30th in villages | No comparison in the cited sources |
| Nguyen Dan offering | Vegetarian with scented tea, candied fruits, cakes | No comparison in the cited sources |
| Duration of Tet | From early twelfth month to the 7th of the first month | No comparison in the cited sources |
The table above is only a general comparison based on the cited sources. Different regions may have other variations, and even within one region there are differences between villages and families.
Points to Note When Studying Tet in Hue
First, the descriptions of Tet in Hue in this article are mainly based on articles and records about old Tet in Hue and may not entirely match present reality. Many customs have changed or faded over time.
Second, even in naming, sources may not be consistent. For example, the same rite of raising the neu pole is called "Thuong tieu" by some sources and "dung neu" by others. The same New Year custom is called "xong dat" by northerners and "dap dat" by Hue people.
Third, specific details such as what dishes are on the tray or the order of rituals may differ between families and villages. This article presents only the features recorded in the cited sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Tet in Hue last?
According to the article "Nguoi Hue choi Tet" on Znews, Tet in Hue actually begins in the early days of the twelfth lunar month when descendants visit graves (chap ma) and lasts until the seventh day of the first lunar month when the ha neu rite is performed[3]. According to Nhan Dan newspaper, Tet in Hue ends on the seventh day of the first lunar month when the cay neu is taken down[5].
What is the dap dat custom in Hue?
Dap dat is the Hue name for the xong dat custom. According to the article "Nguoi Hue choi Tet", people hope that the person who comes to dap dat their house on the morning of the first day of Tet will be someone of high rank, educated, or "light-souled," so that fortune and luck will follow them to the family throughout the coming year[3].
When is the Thuong tieu rite in Hue held?
According to the article "Tet xua trong cac phu de Hue", the Thuong tieu rite marks the beginning of the Tet holiday for the entire court. Under King Minh Mang, from the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month, the court stopped receiving documents, sealed its seals, and performed the rite of raising the neu pole[2]. According to Nhan Dan newspaper, in the palace, the Thuong Tieu rite was usually held on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month. In neighboring villages and communes, the timing of raising the neu pole depended on local custom but had to be before the 30th day of Tet[5].
Conclusion
Tet in Hue is a complex of rituals and customs stretching from the beginning of the twelfth lunar month to the seventh day of the first lunar month. Its distinctive features are the Thuong tieu rite of raising the cay neu, the dap dat custom, the vegetarian Nguyen Dan offering, and a rich store of cakes, candied fruits, and pickled dishes. These customs are recorded in articles and writings about old Tet in Hue and may have changed somewhat over time. Readers who wish to learn more can refer to the sources cited above.
