Michael Nguyen SVD
Lunar New Year traditionally speaking is a common heritage of many cultures in Asia. Rooted in agrarian culture, the celebration of Lunar New Year in Asia annually marks the resting period after the harvest in rice paddies. Hence with many cultures that enjoy this cultural heritage, the Vietnamese also celebrate Lunar New Year, culturally called Tết. The terminology Tết is actually a short version of Tết Nguyên Đán. Tết or Tiết in the Vietnamese language means season, Nguyên is the origin or the beginning, Đán means the morning. Tết Nguyên Đán therefore implies the first morning of a completely brand new season. In the old time, Tết used to be celebrated for a whole month. “Tháng Giêng là tháng ăn chơi,” the first verse in a common proverb truly reflects this classical Tết fashion. However, in modern time, Tết is celebrated in only three days. The first day, Mùng Một Tết, is reserved for members of the paternal family, the second day, Mùng Hai Tết, for members of the maternal one, and the last day, Mùng Ba Tết, for friends.
The Vietnamese people culturally celebrate Tết at midnight of Lunar New Year’s Eve. At that sacred moment, members of a family in their traditional outfits get together in front of the ancestor altar. The father or head of the household, on behalf of the family, then invites all the ancestor of the family to return to the family for the celebration. Only until that moment does the celebration of the New Year officially commence. The parents then receive words from their children wishing them abundant health as they earn another blessed year. The parents in turn give out red envelops to their children, a symbol of prosperity and success for the coming year.
The Vietnamese people believe the behavior during the first three days does create certain inevitable impacts on the success of individuals for the rest of the year. Those who show up with happy faces regardless the situation they encounter in the first three days will certainly enjoy a successful year. Whatever they do, they shall prosper and thus enjoy their many blessed fruits. Nevertheless those who turn up with cranky manners during Tết’s period are promised to wait for an unfortunate year that very soon shall knock on the door. Whatever they do, failure is the unavoidable fruit that they shall surely harvest and taste.
The Vietnamese culture in term of Tết believes in the twelve zodiac animals that correspond to the cycle of the twelve years. These zodiac animals in the Vietnamese Tết’s calendar are listed in order: Rat, Buffalo, Tiger, Cat, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. Above all, the Vietnamese culture asserts that those who are born in the year of the corresponding zodiac animal will be ingrained in their blood some characters of that particular animal. If a person, for example, is born in the year of a Dog, that individual is surely a faithful one; fidelity is a standout character of this individual; in short, he or she is a good friend that one should have, for he/she is trustworthy. A person is born in the year of Buffalo is gently patient and actively quiet. They would be a good philosopher. They are working diligently. However, do not test their patience by pushing a buffalo to the corner, for one will never be able to anticipate how a buffalo may react when forcing into such an unfortunate situation. If one is born in the year of Monkey, that person is easy to be recognized through his rascal and his so-called distinguished monkey characters. This year 2019 is the year of Pig. Pig is considered the happiest zodiac animal, for a pig neither sows nor reaps but still enjoys delicious food brought to their dining table. Thus, if you are born in the year of Pig, rejoice and be glad, for you have come into this world in order to enjoy your easy life, eat three delicious meals a day, drink the best choice of red wine at dinner time and sleep like a pig when the blanket of the night is falling to the city.
In general the celebration of Tết reminds the Vietnamese people of an unique gift that God or Mr. Heaven grants the Vietnamese; i.e., the Vietnamese culture. And if we enjoy and appreciate the Vietnamese culture, the Vietnamse should also enjoy and appreciate the cultures of those whom we happen to encounter on the road due to the belief that all cultures on the earth are created by God on the sixth day of the creation week. Thus, every culture has its own distinguished values, the values of being good, beautiful and true.
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