TL;DR: Tục hái lộc đầu năm is the Vietnamese custom of asking for a young lộc branch at a communal house, pagoda, temple or shrine on New Year's Eve or the morning of the first day of Tết, to bring fortune and luck home. Today the custom is gradually shifting toward xin lộc, buying salt, buying sugarcane, or receiving a symbolic lộc branch prepared in advance by the pagoda, so as to keep the spiritual meaning without harming trees and the landscape.
What Is the Year-Opening Bud-Picking Custom?
The year-opening bud-picking custom is a Vietnamese tradition of asking for a young branch of lộc at a đình, chùa, đền, or phủ on Lunar New Year's Eve or the morning of the first day of Tet, bringing it home to welcome fortune and luck, and to pray for a smooth and prosperous new year[1][3]. In Việt Nam phong tục, Phan Kế Bính records that from the second day of Tet onward some people "pick a flowering branch to pin on the door, which is called going to pick lộc"[4].
Lộc here refers to fresh, green, young branches and leaves picked at the earliest moment of the new year[3]. In the past, elders would pick only a very small branch of a sanh, si, sung, or đa tree, all trees with strong vitality, then carefully carry it home and not give it to anyone for fear of losing the lộc. That branch would be hung in front of the porch, placed in a vase, and in some places hung in front of the central room or the doorway to ward off evil spirits, or as a way of announcing that the family had welcomed blessings and fortune[3].
How Is the Origin of the Year-Opening Bud-Picking Custom Told?
According to an old story, the year-opening bud-picking custom appeared in the time of the Hùng Kings[3]. The story says that when his children had grown up, the Hùng King chose an auspicious day and month to hold a ceremony to worship heaven and earth on the top of Nghĩa Lĩnh mountain, in present-day Phú Thọ province, to pray for favorable weather and a well-fed people. Waiting for the night watch, the King and the Queen went into the forest to pick the first lộc of spring. At dawn, when the sun appeared in the East, the King gave each of his children a branch of lộc and taught them: "Non ở nhà, già đi ấp. Chẵn lên non, còn xuống biển"[3].
The children took the lộc branches to guard the directions and to teach the people to make a living; if they met misfortune, they could wave the branch still wet with morning dew toward the sky, and wild beasts and evil spirits would flee and could not harm them[3]. Over several thousand years, this beautiful practice has been passed down, and the custom of asking for spring lộc for luck among the people, especially in the area of the former Văn Lang capital, has become a familiar Tet cultural feature of Vietnamese people[3].
The story of the Hùng King period above is a folk legend recorded by the press, not verified historical material. Modern research does not treat it as evidence of a date or a real historical figure.
Why Has the Year-Opening Bud-Picking Custom Become Distorted?
The bud-picking custom originally came from the idea of "spring birth," meaning spring is the season of growth and beginning[2]. However, over time this custom has become distorted, uncivilized, and harmful to trees[1]. In the past, elders picked only a very small branch, but recently people have competed to cut large branches and bring them home, even pulling up young trees, thinking that the bigger the lộc branch, the more luck they would get[1].
Professor Ngô Đức Thịnh, Director of the Center for Research and Preservation of Vietnamese Belief Culture, commented that this is a mistaken notion, even an act of environmental destruction, not in keeping with the belief. He said that in the past it was usually after the New Year's Eve moment or during the three days of Tet that many people went to the pagoda to ask for lộc, not to turn it into the destruction of trees, which is uncultured and shows a lack of knowledge and understanding. Lộc can be received in many ways, and it is not necessary to break branches or pull up plants[1].
Spiritual researcher Nguyễn Xuân Cường, of the Center for Research and Preservation of Vietnamese Belief Culture, said that in folk belief there is a legend that the souls of young children and unsettled spirits who cannot be liberated often wander and take shelter in trees. Therefore, one should not pick lộc branches, especially in sacred places on Tet[1].
Dr. Trần Hữu Sơn, Standing Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Folk Arts Association, said that Vietnamese people believe that at the moment of New Year's Eve, or on the first day of Tet, everyone goes to pray for luck for the new year, and everyone wants to have lộc to bring home. Green buds especially symbolize vitality, growth, and fortune. However, after each New Year's Eve, many people are saddened to see trees at relics devastated by branch-breaking. He said it is necessary to propagate and educate the younger generation not to break lộc anymore, so as to preserve the traditional custom while not affecting the landscape[1].
How Have People Shifted to Asking for Lộc, Buying Salt, and Buying Sugarcane Today?
Cultural researcher Ngô Hương Giang said that the core of these rituals is not in the form but in sincerity and in understanding the symbolic meaning correctly[2]. Going to the pagoda at the beginning of the year is a popular cultural and belief activity. According to the Tiền Phong article, many documents on Tet customs emphasize the spirit of respecting the Buddha, honoring the ceremony, and putting purity first. Going to the pagoda is not to bargain with the deities, and one should not carry the mentality of seeking material benefits too much[2].
Many people go to pray at the beginning of the year, even right after New Year's Eve, to ask for early lộc and pray for a peaceful year. According to researcher Ngô Hương Giang, when going to the pagoda at the beginning of the year, people should note: dress politely, modestly, and appropriately for a solemn space; keep a solemn attitude and speak softly; do not push or shove in crowded places; do not place loose change carelessly on the altar or Buddha statues; and the content of prayers should aim toward peace, health, and wisdom[2].
The Confucian idea of "kính nhi viễn chi" (a line from the Analects, chapter Ung dã), meaning to respect and keep a proper distance from the deities, also reflects a civilized spirit of conduct in places of worship. Sincerity cannot be measured by the amount of donation money, but by one's conduct and good life afterward[2].
Regarding picking lộc, researcher Ngô Hương Giang said that lộc has a symbolic meaning, not the act of breaking large branches or harming trees at the pagoda gate. Many pagodas today prepare symbolic lộc branches in advance to give to Buddhists in order to limit the arbitrary breaking of trees. More importantly, lộc should be understood as lộc in the heart, goodness, positivity, and a new beginning. If the act of picking lộc causes offense and destroys the landscape, it has gone against the spirit of doing good on the first day of the year[2].
Regarding the custom of buying salt and buying fire, folk tradition has the saying "Đầu năm mua muối, cuối năm mua vôi"[2]. This is a custom with a strong spiritual color alongside the ancestral offering tray and the custom of New Year greetings[2]. According to the article, researcher Ngô Hương Giang says that buying salt at the start of the year stands for lasting bonds within the family, while buying fire expresses a wish for warmth and prosperity[2]. The VTC News article suggests that spring lộc can also be a few star fruits, a sugarcane stalk, a decorative branch, or a small potted plant bought and brought home on the first day of the year, with no need to break branches[3].
What Are the Different Understandings of Lộc and Asking for Lộc?
At least three different understandings coexist in contemporary life, and researchers do not fully agree on how this custom should be viewed.
- The first understanding, common among the people, sees lộc as fresh, green branches and leaves picked from a sacred place. Picking lộc at a sacred shrine or pagoda implies asking to share a little of the lộc granted by the deities and the Buddha so the whole year will be favorable and prosperous[3].
- The second understanding, held by cultural researchers such as Professor Ngô Đức Thịnh and researcher Ngô Hương Giang, holds that lộc has a symbolic meaning, not the act of breaking large branches or harming trees at the pagoda gate[1][2]. According to them, lộc should be understood as lộc in the heart, goodness, positivity, and a new beginning[2].
- The third understanding, tied to folk belief about trees, holds that one should not pick lộc branches, especially in sacred places on Tet, because there is a legend about the souls of young children and unsettled spirits who cannot be liberated and often wander and take shelter in trees[1].
These three understandings do not completely exclude one another, but they emphasize different aspects: one emphasizes the material symbol, one emphasizes inner life and conduct, and one emphasizes spiritual taboos. Readers may choose the way that fits their own beliefs, as long as it does not harm trees and the landscape.
Summary Table of Year-Opening Ways to Seek Lộc
| Form | Timing | Main Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Picking a young lộc branch | New Year's Eve or the morning of the first day of Tet | Welcoming fortune and luck; the lộc branch symbolizes spring vitality[1][3] | In the past only a small branch of sanh, si, sung, or đa was picked; now it is distorted into cutting large branches and pulling up young trees[1] |
| Asking for lộc at a pagoda or shrine | After New Year's Eve or during the three days of Tet | Praying for peace, health, and wisdom; lộc in the heart[1][2] | Dress politely, keep a solemn attitude, do not push, do not place loose change carelessly[2] |
| Receiving a symbolic lộc branch given by the pagoda | Beginning of the year | Keeping the symbolic meaning without harming trees[2] | Many pagodas now prepare them in advance to limit arbitrary tree-breaking[2] |
| Buying salt, buying fire | Beginning of the year | Salt stands for closeness and bonding; fire for a wish for warmth and prosperity[2] | Folk tradition has the saying "Đầu năm mua muối, cuối năm mua vôi"[2] |
| Buying star fruit, a sugarcane stalk, a small potted plant | First day of the year | Spring lộc bought and brought home, with no branch-breaking[3] | A suggestion made in the VTC News article[3] |
Why Should People Shift from Breaking Branches to Asking for Lộc and Buying Offerings?
The shift from breaking branches to asking for lộc and buying offerings comes from three main reasons.
First, protecting trees and the landscape of relics. After each New Year's Eve, many people are saddened to see trees at relics devastated by branch-breaking[1]. Professor Ngô Đức Thịnh called the act of cutting large branches and bringing them home environmental destruction, not in keeping with the belief[1].
Second, keeping the true spirit of the custom. Lộc has a symbolic meaning, not the act of breaking large branches or harming trees at the pagoda gate[2]. When the act of picking lộc causes offense and destroys the landscape, it has gone against the spirit of doing good on the first day of the year[2].
Third, fitting the solemn space. Going to the pagoda is not to bargain with the deities, and one should not carry the mentality of seeking material benefits too much[2]. Sincerity cannot be measured by the amount of donation money, but by one's conduct and good life afterward[2].
Dr. Trần Hữu Sơn said it is necessary to propagate and educate the younger generation not to break lộc anymore, so as to preserve the traditional custom while not affecting the landscape[1].
Nhật Nguyệt's Suggestion: Keep Lộc in the Heart Instead of Breaking Branches
Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: If you want to keep the year-opening bud-picking custom, you can choose one of the following ways.
- Ask for lộc at a pagoda or shrine by offering incense and praying for peace, health, and wisdom, instead of breaking tree branches[2].
- Receive a symbolic lộc branch given by the pagoda, if that place has prepared them[2].
- Buy salt, buy sugarcane, or other offerings to bring home to pray for luck, keeping the spiritual meaning while not harming trees[2][3].
- If you still want to pick a small lộc branch, choose a small branch of a sanh, si, sung, or đa tree as the elders did, and only pick where it is allowed, avoiding cutting large branches or pulling up young trees[1][3].
Whichever way you choose, the most important thing remains sincerity and civilized conduct in places of worship[2].
