Tet in olden days through the eyes of Vietnamese, French scholars
“Tet Vietnam Xua” (Vietnam’s Tet in the Olden Days), a collection of articles by Vietnamese and French scholars, gives readers a host of insights into the traditional holiday through its many rituals and customs.
“Tet Vietnam Xua” (Vietnam’s Tet in the Olden Days), a collection of articles by Vietnamese and French scholars (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - “Tet Vietnam Xua” (Vietnam’s Tet in the Olden Days), a collection of articles by Vietnamese and French scholars, gives readers a host of insights into the traditional holiday through its many rituals and customs.
The articles were published from 1919 to 1923 in the “Dong Duong” (Indochina) magazine, which was the first of its kind in the Vietnamese-language in Hanoi.
The articles were penned by celebrated Vietnamese and French scholars, including Nguyen Van Vinh, Pham Quynh, Tran Van Giap, Paul Boudet, Jean Marquet, and Georges Pisier.
They were collected by Associate Professor Nguyen Manh Hung from the Institute for Vietnamese Studies.
Associate Professor Nguyen Manh Hung from the Institute for Vietnamese Studies (Photo: VNA)
The 200-page book was released recently by Mai Ha Books and the The Gioi (World) Publishing House.
🌠 It is comprised of three parts featuring the rituals, customs, and hobbies practiced by Vietnamese people during Tet, with 50 illustrations.
The first part introduces readers to the traditional rituals for Tet, including ancestor worshipping and a ceremony in Hue city to greet the new spring.
The second part presents the Tet atmosphere through the eyes of French writer Jean Marquet, historian Georges Pisier, tourists, and European missionaries in Vietnam during the 17th and 18th centuries.
Vietnamese people’s hobbies during Tet, such as the art of narcissus bulb carving, folk paintings, and others are revealed in the final chapter of the book.
🌄 The introduction is written by Vietnamese scholar Nguyen Van Huyen, in which he gives an overview of Tet - the most important annual holiday in Vietnam.
Tran Doan Lam, Director of the The Gioi Publishing House (Photo: VNA)
According to Tran Doan Lam, Director of the The Gioi Publishing House, the highlight of the book is the part featuring Tet customs in the northern region and the former imperial capital of Hue.
🐓 Associate Professor Hung said the book is worth reading as it shows how Westerners admired Vietnam’s Tet holiday./.
A cultural event which took place in Hanoi has portrayed the signature traditions of the Lunar New Year in Vietnam, bringing Tet closer to children in the capital city.
Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday has come to Ho Chi Minh City and the streets are alive with activities, including the annual calligraphy street in front of Youth Cultural House in District 1.
Like most other nations in Asia, Vietnamese people welcome the New Year according to the lunar calendar, and Tet Nguyen Dan (the lunar New Year) has long become the biggest festival of the nation.
A Vietnamese saying goes: “Work for a whole year just to serve 3 days of Tet holiday”. That shows how important is the Lunar New Year to Vietnamese people.
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This is the first time since the adoption of the Convention that a country has served two consecutive terms on the Committee. The outcome shows the trust and recognition that member states have given Vietnam for its efforts and achievements in carrying out and promoting the Convention, as well as for its active role, strong standing, and growing credibility at UNESCO.
Quang Duc pottery is known for its wide range of forms, including wine bottles, jars, lime pots, vases, plant pots, incense burners and candle stands. Decorative motifs are equally rich, featuring mythical creatures, pastoral scenes, floral patterns, deer, peacocks, bats and more.
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The Vietnamese team will gather on June 26 in Ba Ria-Vung Tau, where they will train until July 14 before departing for Indonesia for the ASEAN U23 Championship 2025, which runs from July 15 to 29. Vietnam will face Laos on July 19 and Cambodia on July 22 in the group stage.
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Despite strong home support and high expectations, Vietnam were unable to overcome the defending champions, who secured their third consecutive win over Vietnam in a regional final, following previous victories in 2014 and 2023.
The event, part of Vietnam’s cultural diplomacy strategy through 2030, was jointly organised by the Vietnamese Embassy in Venezuela and USM’s Faculty of International Relations. It attracted thousands of students from universities across Venezuela.
For the first time, Vietnamese audiences will have the opportunity to experience the ballet masterpiece "Don Quixote" in its original version by renowned choreographer Marius Petipa.
The contest carried deep meaning as it was the first time the life of Vietnamese women abroad had been highlighted as the central theme, said poet and writer Nguyen Quang Thieu, Chairman of the Vietnam Writers’ Association.
The event formed part of Vietnam’s ongoing campaign to seek UNESCO World Heritage status for the complex at the 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, scheduled to take place in Paris in July.
Creative cultural festivals are fast emerging as a new catalyst for tourism development in Vietnam, as localities increasingly invest in these vibrant events on a more systematic and larger scale.
This marks the first time Vietnam has hosted a continental-level Muay event which will feature competitions across 28 weight categories in combat and eight performance categories.
Coming to the Vietnamese booth, visitors had the chance to take part in a bamboo dance, a workshop on painting woven bamboo or rattan, or quizzes about Vietnam.
These are impressive achievements, not only showing the efforts and prowess of Vietnamese paddlers but also serving as proof of the sports sector’s strategic and systematic investment.
“Tet Vietnam Xua” (Vietnam’s Tet in the Olden Days), a collection of articles by Vietnamese and French scholars (Photo: VNA)
Associate Professor Nguyen Manh Hung from the Institute for Vietnamese Studies (Photo: VNA)
Tran Doan Lam, Director of the The Gioi Publishing House (Photo: VNA)
