US Ambassador to Vietnam Ted Osius has joined in the Tet (Lunar New Year) custom of releasing carp into West Lake in Hanoi.
Osiuswas involved in an ancient festival February 11 to honour the KitchenGods (Tao Quan) before they leave for annual trip to report to the JadeEmperor in Heaven on the goings on in the family over the past year.
The ambassador also prayed for luck for his family and for Vietnamese people.
"Several years ago, my Vietnamese teacher helped me learn about this beautiful tradition of releasing carp," he said.
"Nineteenyears ago, I was teaching English to a group of Vietnamese students.They offered me a beautiful branch of peach blossom. They also taught meand my family about the traditions of Tet," he said.
This year, to celebrate new year, Osius's family cooked banh chung (glutinous rice cake) in his house.
"Iknow that cooking banh chung is a big event in Vietnamese family duringTet. Banh chung is the symbol for the relation between the sky, theEarth and the people," he said.
Several other ambassadors arealso deeply impressed by the joyful ambience of Tet - the crowded andbustling streets and beautiful traditions.
Earlier this week, NewZealand Ambassador Haike Manning visited the flower market in Hang LuocStreet and met Le Dinh Nghien, the old master of Hang Trong paintings.He bought a beautiful painting of a goldfish which promises to bringgood luck for the new year.
"We are real fans of art. Recently,we discovered some Hang Trong folk paintings once bought and hung duringTet, but which are now increasingly rare," he said.
"I am a bigfan of lucky money! It is a great representation of the idea that if yougive something, you will get something back (luck!). Our young son, whois now two-and-a-half-years old, is also getting the hang of luckymoney, and looking forward to his red envelopes. I like the focus onchildren at this time, and the good wishes for their future prospectsand happiness," he said.
"I also like the unique traditions ondisplay – the respect paid to the ancestors, including the release ofthe goldfish on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month for the KitchenGods, and the invitation to the ancestors to join families incelebrating Tet," he said.
The ambassador said that the respectfor elders and ancestors by Vietnamese people was something that reallymade an impression on him.
"In Western countries, including NewZealand, I think we have lost a little of that. There is a real focus onthe individual, whereas in Vietnam there is still a strong focus on thewider family and previous generations. I think that is a powerful andvaluable tradition," he said.
His thoughts on Tet are similar to those of the Swiss ambassador, Andrej Motyl.
"Ipersonally love the devout refreshing of family links. It seems to me aspiritual act, a deed of loyalty among members of a family, a messageof thankfulness and expression of the will to share happiness," saidMotyl.
"Last Tet, we went to Quang Binh and discovered thegorgeous caves there. On Tet Day, I put flowers on General Vo NguyenGiap's Grave. I was accompanying Vo Hong Nam, the General's son, who hasbecome a dear friend," he said.
Every Tet, he decorates his house with peach blossoms.
"It is a must," he said.
After more than three years in Vietnam, Tet has become a close andexciting experience for Indonesian ambassador Mayerfas and his family.
"Wealso follow Vietnamese culture by decorating one kumquat tree and onepeach blossom tree in our residence. These are expected to bring goodluck and happiness to our family in the New Year.
"We like thefact that Tet Festival is celebrated during the spring season when avariety of flowers, especially peach flowers, are blossoming, adding tothe charm and beauty of Hanoi City," he said.
Tet also impressesexpats for its traditional cooking. The South African Ambassador,Kgomotso Ruth Magau, cannot forget her first Tet in 2014 when she wasinvited to the family of her Vietnamese staff.
"We had a biglunch with them with a lot of traditional food including banh chung andspring rolls, and mut Tet (dried and sweetened fruits) for dessert. Itwas the first time I ate banh chung. I don't know how to cook them, butmy daughter does. She was taught how to make them at UNIS school whereshe studies," she said.-VNA
Osiuswas involved in an ancient festival February 11 to honour the KitchenGods (Tao Quan) before they leave for annual trip to report to the JadeEmperor in Heaven on the goings on in the family over the past year.
The ambassador also prayed for luck for his family and for Vietnamese people.
"Several years ago, my Vietnamese teacher helped me learn about this beautiful tradition of releasing carp," he said.
"Nineteenyears ago, I was teaching English to a group of Vietnamese students.They offered me a beautiful branch of peach blossom. They also taught meand my family about the traditions of Tet," he said.
This year, to celebrate new year, Osius's family cooked banh chung (glutinous rice cake) in his house.
"Iknow that cooking banh chung is a big event in Vietnamese family duringTet. Banh chung is the symbol for the relation between the sky, theEarth and the people," he said.
Several other ambassadors arealso deeply impressed by the joyful ambience of Tet - the crowded andbustling streets and beautiful traditions.
Earlier this week, NewZealand Ambassador Haike Manning visited the flower market in Hang LuocStreet and met Le Dinh Nghien, the old master of Hang Trong paintings.He bought a beautiful painting of a goldfish which promises to bringgood luck for the new year.
"We are real fans of art. Recently,we discovered some Hang Trong folk paintings once bought and hung duringTet, but which are now increasingly rare," he said.
"I am a bigfan of lucky money! It is a great representation of the idea that if yougive something, you will get something back (luck!). Our young son, whois now two-and-a-half-years old, is also getting the hang of luckymoney, and looking forward to his red envelopes. I like the focus onchildren at this time, and the good wishes for their future prospectsand happiness," he said.
"I also like the unique traditions ondisplay – the respect paid to the ancestors, including the release ofthe goldfish on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month for the KitchenGods, and the invitation to the ancestors to join families incelebrating Tet," he said.
The ambassador said that the respectfor elders and ancestors by Vietnamese people was something that reallymade an impression on him.
"In Western countries, including NewZealand, I think we have lost a little of that. There is a real focus onthe individual, whereas in Vietnam there is still a strong focus on thewider family and previous generations. I think that is a powerful andvaluable tradition," he said.
His thoughts on Tet are similar to those of the Swiss ambassador, Andrej Motyl.
"Ipersonally love the devout refreshing of family links. It seems to me aspiritual act, a deed of loyalty among members of a family, a messageof thankfulness and expression of the will to share happiness," saidMotyl.
"Last Tet, we went to Quang Binh and discovered thegorgeous caves there. On Tet Day, I put flowers on General Vo NguyenGiap's Grave. I was accompanying Vo Hong Nam, the General's son, who hasbecome a dear friend," he said.
Every Tet, he decorates his house with peach blossoms.
"It is a must," he said.
After more than three years in Vietnam, Tet has become a close andexciting experience for Indonesian ambassador Mayerfas and his family.
"Wealso follow Vietnamese culture by decorating one kumquat tree and onepeach blossom tree in our residence. These are expected to bring goodluck and happiness to our family in the New Year.
"We like thefact that Tet Festival is celebrated during the spring season when avariety of flowers, especially peach flowers, are blossoming, adding tothe charm and beauty of Hanoi City," he said.
Tet also impressesexpats for its traditional cooking. The South African Ambassador,Kgomotso Ruth Magau, cannot forget her first Tet in 2014 when she wasinvited to the family of her Vietnamese staff.
"We had a biglunch with them with a lot of traditional food including banh chung andspring rolls, and mut Tet (dried and sweetened fruits) for dessert. Itwas the first time I ate banh chung. I don't know how to cook them, butmy daughter does. She was taught how to make them at UNIS school whereshe studies," she said.-VNA
