People organize Doan Ngo Tet to launch the launch of insect catching, destroy pests and diseases that harm crops, and pray for a bumper crop.
In many places, families have the habit of eating asphalt cakes, water sweet soup, lotus seeds... to kill pests and diseases in people.
In Dong Khanh, the village records: "Doan Ngo Tet is fully prepared with wine and fruits for the ancestral festival from early morning. Everyone drinks alcohol, eats fruit, it's called killing insects.
That day, people picked preservatives for use, picked choice leaves depending on the year and tied them into the shape of the symbolic animal of that year".
According to the book Vietnam Traditional Worship - Rituals and Ritual Practices (World Publishing House, 2024), Doan Ngo Tet was once considered one of the official holidays of the country.
Under the reign of Le Trung Hung, Doan Ngo Tet was an occasion for the king and the royal family to offer offer offerings to their ancestors and distant families. The ceremony was held at the temple, with the emperor himself as the main altar.
During the Nguyen Dynasty, the king established a grand ceremony at Thai Hoa Palace, the royal court and the court officials stood in the hall outside, offered gifts, then the king gave a feast and awards. That day, the bureaus and offices were all off work, which was considered a normal day every year.
For Vietnamese people, Doan Ngo Tet is also the festival of insect destruction. Because our country is a purely agricultural country, making offerings to the sky and earth to buy in the right direction, the bumper crop to combine with insect destruction is a very important act in the lives of farmers in ancient times.
Besides, May 5 is also the death anniversary of Au Co model. Therefore, the folk say: "May is Doan Duong New Year/ Remember the death anniversary of Viet Thuong Van Lang".
In Asia, Doan Ngo Tet is a traditional Tet holiday in some East Asian countries such as North Korea, Japan, China... According to the customs of each country, the offering tray also has additional special offerings.
