According to folk customs, the 9th of January is the Jade Emperor's "celebration day". People often prepare offerings including incense, candles, votive paper money, marigolds, fresh coconuts, tea, sugar, and of course, a pair of golden sugarcanes to worship.
In Ho Chi Minh City, the places where the Jade Emperor is worshiped the most are in districts where Chinese people live. To choose a pair of beautiful, golden, straight sugarcane, people often have to go buy it early in the morning, because if it comes late in the afternoon, there will be no more beautiful sugarcane left, but only ugly, stunted ones.
The sugarcane market on Le Quang Sung Street is only open on the 8th and 9th of January and has existed for more than 20 years. During these two days, dozens of tons of sugarcane from Cho Gao (Tien Giang) are transported here by traders to sell.
According to Lao Dong, from early morning on January 9, Le Quang Sung street was bustling with dozens of people coming to choose beautiful pairs of sugarcane, fresh leaves, and straight stems to prepare for the ceremony.
Each pair of sugarcane costs between 60,000 and 80,000 VND depending on the type. The price of yellow sugarcane will be higher in the morning because there is still beautiful sugarcane, and in the afternoon the price will gradually decrease, around 40,000 - 50,000 VND/pair. This type of yellow sugarcane is planted from the 5th lunar month every year and by Tet it is "old enough" to be sold. During the two days of the market, each store supplies 4,000 - 6,000 trees.
Many people who come to the sugarcane market usually only focus on choosing straight sugarcanes with the same tops and rarely bargain. They consider this a sacred offering, and only use yellow sugarcane once a year, so bargaining is no longer sacred.
Mr. Vuong Trinh (living in District 6, Ho Chi Minh City) and his wife went to buy sugarcane to worship the Jade Emperor early. They said that the new year is the beginning of all things, the beginning of hope, the beginning of a business year. Worshiping the Jade Emperor is to pray for a smooth and prosperous business year, good health and good luck for the family.
"Sugarcane has a special meaning on this holiday. I always try to choose the best sugarcane to pray for a smooth and prosperous new year," said Mr. Trinh.
According to custom, yellow sugar cane is considered a symbol of sweetness, luck and prosperity. People believe that yellow sugar cane is not only an offering to the Jade Emperor, but also brings prosperity and fortune to the family throughout the year.
Having been a daughter-in-law of a Chinese family for 3 years, Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Lan (living in District 5) said that for her, participating in the "Ngoc Hoang" worship was a very special experience, even though at first she was unfamiliar with this custom.
"When I first became a daughter-in-law, I was not familiar with the "spirit" worship of the Jade Emperor and did not fully understand the meaning of the golden sugarcane in the worship ceremony. But when I followed my husband to buy sugarcane on the 9th of January, I understood that the pair of sugarcane is not only an offering but also a symbol of luck, fortune and fullness in life," said Ms. Lan.
