On New Year's Eve, preparing to welcome the new year of At Ty 2025, throughout Tang Village (Thanh Huong Commune, Thanh Liem District, Ha Nam) there was a buzz of chatter and bustling footsteps of people rushing to get fire. No brilliant fireworks, no bustling drums, here, New Year's Eve became more sacred than ever with a ritual that bears the mark of local culture: getting fire from the temple, running around the house and burning incense to pray for peace.
A hundred year old custom
According to the Secretary of the Party Cell of Hamlet 4 Tang, Ms. Nguyen Thanh Nga (1967), this fire-making custom has existed for a long time. “Since I grew up, the locality has had the fire-making custom, just in time for the shift. The elders only said that it was passed down from generation to generation,” Ms. Nga said. In the past, people often made fire in the village communal house. Since around 1996, when Phuc Lam Tu Pagoda (in Hamlet 4 Tang) was renovated, the fire-making process was reorganized in the pagoda, maintained in parallel with the village communal house.
Ms. Nga said that usually from 11pm on New Year’s Eve, the elders and responsible people will offer offerings, report to the gods about the old year and ask for the “first fire of the year” for the villagers. After the flag-raising ceremony and fireworks, people go to Duc Ong’s gate to ask for fire. That sacred fire is quickly lit on a large bonfire in front of the temple yard, then the whole village takes turns bringing the fire home.
For Ms. Nga, after many New Year's Eve seasons, this is still an unmissable moment for her family: "For decades, I have been going to the temple on New Year's Eve. This is my family's tradition."
Bring the fire back, keep the roof warm
Mr. Tran Ngoc Ha, a son of village 4 Tang currently living in Hanoi, returns every year on New Year's Eve to join the crowd making fire.
He recalled his childhood memories, when his parents were still alive, the whole family always gathered to welcome New Year's Eve with a blazing fire: "Growing up with beautiful cultural features and traditional values, I am very proud. Now my parents have passed away, but every New Year's Eve I return to my hometown. The feeling of holding the warm fire from the temple and bringing it home is like seeing my grandparents and parents by my side."
Sharing the same pride, Ms. Tran Thi Oanh, a resident of Hamlet 4 Tang, said that when New Year's Eve comes, her husband or eldest son will go to the pagoda to ask for fire, while she stays home to prepare the food tray. While waiting for the fire to be brought back, she respectfully lights incense, makes offerings, and then prays to her ancestors with her family.
“Every New Year’s Eve, people eagerly bring the fire home. Standing on the second floor balcony, I always feel moved, even though I have experienced 50 New Year’s Eves. When my husband and son come home, after burning incense and praying to the ancestors, the whole family will give each other lucky money, watch the Kitchen God together, wait for the incense to burn out, then tear the chicken to eat, and wait for the first person to enter the house,” Ms. Oanh said.
In recent years, to share that joy with friends near and far, Ms. Oanh often livestreams the moment of carrying the fire.
“Everyone found it strange and interesting. Many people asked if this was a festival, I just replied that it was a long-standing tradition of the village. In my hometown, the New Year's Eve fire is very sacred" - Ms. Oanh shared.
The sacred meaning of the New Year's Eve fire
No one remembers exactly when this fire-making tradition began, but we only know that the “New Year’s Eve fire” has lasted for hundreds of years. The elders in the village believe that fire symbolizes life, positive energy, brings good luck and dispels bad luck. In front of Phuc Lam Tu pagoda, the moment when everyone raises the torch and gathers around the flickering fire is also a moment of warm neighborly love.
In an era where many places favor modern forms of celebrating New Year’s Eve, 4 Tang village still maintains its ancient culture. The elderly pass on to their children and grandchildren their respect for their ancestors and gods, and teach each other how to be proud of and respect their roots. Then, at the exact moment of the New Year’s transition, the sacred fire still burns red in every house.
Although social life is increasingly developed, the people of 4 Tang village believe that the fire procession custom is a spiritual bond connecting them with the previous generation, and is also the "key" to opening a good new year.
On New Year’s Eve, the excitement of children running around the house with torches for the first time with their parents is an unforgettable image. The elders remind each other to preserve and not let the custom fade away.
In the year of At Ty 2025, the fire procession in village 4 Tang continues in a warm and solemn atmosphere. The New Year's Eve fire, though simple, contains many unique cultural "mysteries" that not everyone has the opportunity to witness. And it is this mystery and simplicity that has created the enduring vitality of a custom that has been around for hundreds of years - despite the ups and downs of time, the fire still burns brightly in the hearts of the people here.
