On social networking platforms, a series of livestream sessions of releasing carp have appeared. Many live broadcasts attract thousands of views, hundreds of comments and virtual gifts are sent continuously.
According to records, account holders often broadcast live at riverbanks or lakes, preparing many boxes of carp. Viewers who want to release fish will give virtual gifts on livestream, and at the same time leave their names and messages.
After receiving the gift, the account holder reads the sender's content and proceeds to drop the fish into the water right on live broadcast. The number of fish released depends on the value of the gift sent by the viewer. Many accounts also announce the exchange rate between the virtual gift and the corresponding number of carp to increase interaction.
In addition to receiving virtual gifts on livestream, records show that many accounts also display phone numbers or bank account numbers right on the live broadcast screen to receive money transfers. This information is often displayed in the form of half a letter, half a number or inserting special characters to avoid being detected and handled by the platform system for violations. After the viewer transfers money, the account holder will read the name, message and perform a fish drop similar to the online gift-giving form.
Livestreams are maintained continuously for many hours, with hundreds of releases of fish instead of viewers. Some accounts also record videos or replay them for participants to follow the process of performing rituals.
Mr. Tran Minh Quan (Hanoi) said that this year he chose to release fish via livestream due to being busy with work. According to him, this form helps save time and limit the situation of jostling at fish release points. However, he still feels that not directly performing the ritual reduces the spiritual meaning somewhat.
Meanwhile, Ms. Le Thu Hang (Hanoi) believes that the custom of releasing fish has traditional meaning, so it needs to be implemented directly. Ms. Hang is concerned that linking rituals with online virtual gift-giving can reduce the inherent solemnity of the custom. Besides, she is also concerned that viewers find it difficult to verify whether the releasing of fish is in accordance with the commitment or not.
Talking to Lao Dong Newspaper about this issue, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thanh Nam - Vice Rector of the University of Education, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, said that the trend of releasing carp through livestream reflects the need to participate in rituals quickly and with less effort in the context of an increasingly hurried pace of life. Giving gifts online, leaving names and messages on livestream brings participants a feeling of being recognized and mentally reassured, even if they do not directly perform rituals.
According to Mr. Nam, the appearance of traditional rituals on digital platforms also reflects changes in modern social life. However, when rituals are associated with gifts and entertainment interaction factors, the risk of fading cultural meaning is something that needs to be considered.
In addition, giving virtual gifts or transferring money directly is a form of spending real money, while it cannot be clearly verified. Therefore, people need to consider their financial capacity and avoid the psychology of chasing trends. The value of customs still lies in sincerity and a sense of goodness, regardless of the form of implementation.
