At the moment of New Year's Eve, transitioning from the old year to the new year, when thousands of people flock to the streets to have fun, in the houses in Hue, the offering trays outside the yard are still simply but solemnly and respectfully arranged by the homeowners amidst the New Year's Eve atmosphere.
Simple but methodical, solemn
For Hue people, the New Year's Eve offering tray is an important ritual in the moment of transition between the old year and the new year. Having gone through many changes in modern life, the ritual is no longer too elaborate, but this is still an opportunity for each family to express their respect for heaven and earth and filial piety to grandparents and ancestors.
The offering tray is usually placed outdoors, right in front of the yard. When the clock strikes the exact moment of New Year's Eve, the streets are filled with brilliant fireworks, then in each family, adults sincerely pray, see off the old year, and welcome a peaceful new year.
According to folk beliefs, New Year's Eve is the time to hand over work to the divine commanders. Therefore, Hue people prepare offerings to thank the old gods for their blessings throughout the year and welcome the new gods to take on their duties.
Depending on the circumstances of each family, the offering tray may be different, but usually there is no shortage of boiled chicken, Tet cake, agarwood incense, betel and areca, votive paper, cakes, jams and white wine - because of the concept "no wine does not make offerings".
Mr. Le Van Ba - a resident living on Le Thanh Ton street, in the inner city area of Hue, said that the amount of items is not as important as the homeowner's heart. From the afternoon of the 30th of Tet, his family has prepared the altar, arranged the items neatly. At the sacred moment, he wears ao dai, turban and prays with his children and grandchildren to burn incense and pray. After that, each member successively performs the ceremony. The solemn atmosphere spreads throughout the hamlet, everyone prays for a new year of health and luck.
Mr. Ba recounted that in the past, the New Year's Eve worship ceremony was considered a major ritual, every family gathered fully. Today, many young people go out to watch fireworks, and the worship is mainly done by the elderly. However, many families still maintain the habit of gathering around the New Year's offering tray.
Researcher Tran Dai Vinh said that the New Year's Eve offering tray of ancient Hue people usually had three tables: upper, middle and lower. The upper table included vegetarian dishes such as fruits, sticky rice, and sweet soup. The middle table had vegetarian and savory dishes, which could be pig heads or chicken. The lower table was reserved for worshiping the gods' assistants, including offerings of military uniforms, porridge, rice, and salt.
According to Mr. Vinh, although the offering tray today has been simplified, the sincerity of the homeowner is still intact. No longer heavy on the form of a high tray full of offerings, the core thing is still solemnity and wishes for peace.
Gratitude, continuing tradition
Dr. Le Vu Truong Giang - Faculty of History, University of Science, Hue University, said that the New Year's Eve offering tray is a condensed cultural symbol of Vietnamese people. It is a "ritual" between the old year and the new year, a memory of the typical cold windy and drizzle New Year's Eve nights of Hue.
In that space, incense smoke flickers, incense lamps, sticky rice, sweet soup, betel and areca, rice and salt are solemnly displayed. A few stacks of votive paper shimmering under the oil lamp create a sacred scene of the New Year's Eve.
According to Dr. Truong Giang, modern life makes the offering tray somewhat more bustling, and more votive paper burned. However, offerings are voluntary for each family and need to aim for thrift. Prepare moderately, avoiding waste is more suitable for the spirit of the ritual.
He emphasized that the New Year's Eve offering tray is not only a religious ritual but also a reminder of the cycle of time, of gratitude to creation and the tradition of ancestors. Preserving this ritual is also preserving a part of the soul of national culture.
In the modern pace of life, the New Year's Eve offering tray may be simpler, but the spiritual value remains unchanged. It is a moment for each family to look back at a year that has passed and step into the new year together with faith, hope and cohesion.
